Rum, the runaway Rosenberg’s Goanna is back home in Canberra’s Ainslie – Majura Nature Reserve after disappearing for several days last week, sparking concern for his safety.

 A ‘wanted’ sign posted on NPA’s social media appealed to residents living near the reserve to keep an eye out for Rum and caught the attention of local, interstate and even some international media.

International celebrity Rum is one of only six or seven Rosenberg’s Goannas remaining in the reserve and being studied by NPA’s citizen science goanna project. His adventurousness and curiosity make him the most sighted goanna – and get him into all sorts of situations.

Last week was not the first time restless Rum has strayed from his home ground. In 2024, he was captured well outside the reserve in a nearby suburb after phone calls from a concerned householder. Other residents revealed that Rum visited at least five backyards and had scratched at a window of one as though wanting to be let inside.

 One another occasion, NPA volunteers found him dying, probably as a result of a fox attack: foxes are the most common type of animal attacking the goannas and other native wildlife. Goanna project research funds were used to pay for lifesaving surgery and treatment.

 After recovering, Rum repaid this lifesaving effort by carrying a GPS pack for research that. showed just how far and wide he likes to ramble – along the full length of the reserve. Miraculously, he avoided being injured by a vehicle while often crossing a busy road.

 Rum is also unfazed by an audience. He’s been seen by the community on multiple occasions moving insouciantly from one rabbit warren to another looking for an easy meal. And so many photos were taken of him by fascinated onlookers across the nature reserve at different times that researchers thought he must be two different goannas.

‘When he disappeared from the reserve last week we were afraid he could be attacked by an animal again or struck by a vehicle,’ the leader of NPA’s goanna project, Don Fletcher said. ‘This population cannot afford to lose any more goannas!’

 ‘The genetics research is so important. There’s no better way to see if these are distinct species.' 

The NPA goanna project has been running since 2017 locating and tracking Rosenberg’s Goannas in the Naas Valley in Namadgi National Park and around Mount Majura and Mount Ainslie to save the species from disappearing entirely. 

The current phase of the study involves extensive research into the genetic diversity of the goanna.

 ‘The genetics research is so important,’ Don said. ‘There’s no better way to see if these are distinct species. With the populations being so isolated from each other, it’s totally plausible.

 ‘If the ACT goannas are found to be distinct this could lead to them being listed as “vulnerable” in the Territory under federal and other legislation.’

 Such a listing provides an animal with more statutory protection. Rosenberg’s Goannas are already listed ‘vulnerable’ in New South Wales and South Australia.

 ‘That’s why we’re running a Goanna Guardians campaign to raise much-needed funds for this research,’ Don said.