Varanus giganteus
Silhouette: Steven Traver · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~60% in a week ~90%
The perentie (Varanus giganteus) is a species of monitor lizard. It is one of the largest living lizards, after the Komodo dragon, Asian water monitor, and the crocodile monitor. Found west of the Great Dividing Range in the arid areas of Australia, it is rarely seen because of its shyness and the remoteness of much of its range from human habitation. The species is considered to be a least-concern species according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Its status in many Aboriginal cultures is evident in the totemic relationships, and part of the Ngiṉṯaka dreaming, as well as bush tucker. It was a favoured food item among desert Aboriginal tribes, and the fat was used for medicinal and ceremonial purposes.
British zoologist John Edward Gray described the perentie in 1845 as Hydrosaurus giganteus, calling it the "gigantic water lizard". George Albert Boulenger moved it to the genus Varanus. Within the monitor genus Varanus, it belongs to the subgenus Varanus.
Perenties are found in the arid desert areas of Western Australia, South Australia, the Northern Territory, and Queensland. Their habitats consist of rocky outcroppings... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Ningaloo Marine Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 3 | Cape Range | 🇦🇺 Australia |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Carolina Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Australia Zoo | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 3 | Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Los Angeles Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Dallas Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Alice Springs Desert Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 7 | Toledo Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Virginia Zoological Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 9 | Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 10 | Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 11 | Perth Zoo | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 12 | Cameron Park Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 13 | Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 14 | Billabong Sanctuary | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 15 | Sydney Zoo | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 16 | Reptile Gardens | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 17 | Australian Reptile Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 18 | Featherdale Sydney Wildlife Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 19 | Rockhampton Zoo | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 20 | Snakes Downunder Reptile Park & Zoo | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 21 | Terrariet | 🇩🇰 Denmark | |
| 22 | Cali Zoo | 🇨🇴 Colombia | |
| 23 | Caversham Wildlife Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
Possible
About 30% of wildlife watchers report a Perentie sighting in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park on a given day, based on 12 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 7th most-seen of the 25 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 60%, and over a week to about 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
January and October–November
In those months about 40% of wildlife watchers report a Perentie in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park on a given day, against under 5% in February, June–August and December, the lowest months. Those are among Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park's wettest months, with about 35 mm of rain a month against almost none in July.
Between 8 and 11 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Perentie sightings with a recorded time, and about half of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is most active around dawn and dusk.
Yes
Of the 3 parks where we can rate Perentie sightings, Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park has the highest daily chance: about 30%. Next come Ningaloo Marine Park (Australia, about 20%) and Cape Range (Australia, about 20%).
Same genus: Varanus
The closest relatives of the Perentie that you can see in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park (genus Varanus, Monitor Lizards) are Gould's Goanna (about 50%), Black-headed Monitor (about 20%) and Rusty Desert Monitor (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Perentie is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park (12 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
