West Kimberley.

[Niall]

Hi everyone.

Just a few photos of what I came across whiles I was up North.

Freshwater Croc Crocodylus johnstoni
Plenty of these guys around up North.
Had a nice experience with a few whiles my mate and I were walking through the water waist deep around midnight whiles looking for snakes.

We stayed at Windjana Gorge, this place has become a popular camping area in the last couple of years.

Yellow-spotted Monitor Varanus panoptes panoptes

Green Tree Frog Litoria caerulea

Rock Frog Litoria coplandi

Northern Bluetongue Tiliqua scincoides

Gilbert's Dragon Amphilbolurus gilberti

River on the other side of tunnel creek.

Cheers,
Niall

 

[Sarah11]

hehe thats one cranky looking bluetongue!! He has some beautiful colours though. Love the stripes

 

[mmafan555]

Awesome place! Did you see any cane toads while you were their? I was under the impression that they devastated the freshy populations in many areas.

 

[reptilian1924]

Niall, awesome photos thanks for sharing, l love the Northern Blue-Tongue, Tiliqua Scincoides Intermedia, it sure has good colour and markings, and going by the head size body thickness and short thick tail l say it is a female.

l hope oneday to go to the Kimberley Region of Northwest WA, and see heaps of awesome Reptiles out in the wild where they belong.

 

[waruikazi]

Niall were they the pygmy crocs? Or normal sized?

 

[Justdragons]

All really beautiful photos, love the cliffs. That looks like a big moniter.

 

[SperO]

Your photos are awesome especially love the bluetoungue with his mouth open

 

[Niall]

Cheers for the comments everyone.

mmafan555, The Cane toad has not reached that part of the kimberley yet.

Waruikazi, They are just the normal fresh water crocs.
From what ive heard the pygmy croc are closer to the WA/NT border.

 

[tropicbreeze]

The so called pygmy freshies are supposed to be in the VRD and part of the Arnhem Land Plateau. I was in the part of the VRD where they were supposed to be. Although seeing some, I don't know whether you could really call them pygmies as a separate species, even though I never saw any that were all that large. From what I understand they haven't been accepted as a separate species.

Have to say, when I was at Windjana Gorge I never saw as many Freshies as in that photo, looks great. Just hope the cane toads don't thin them out.

 

[richoman_3]

amazing finds and pics !

 

[GeckPhotographer]

No I don't believe they are so far thought to be a different species. Just a pygmy morph of the same species as johnstonii.

 

[waruikazi]

I thought they were on the Western side of the NT and into WA stone country, like through into the Kimberly and all that.

I never heard of them being called a separate species either. Just a different locality.

The so called pygmy freshies are supposed to be in the VRD and part of the Arnhem Land Plateau. I was in the part of the VRD where they were supposed to be. Although seeing some, I don't know whether you could really call them pygmies as a separate species, even though I never saw any that were all that large. From what I understand they haven't been accepted as a separate species.

Have to say, when I was at Windjana Gorge I never saw as many Freshies as in that photo, looks great. Just hope the cane toads don't thin them out.

Where is the VRD?

 

[69blottfilms69]

Awesome pics
what cam do you use to it looks good
Love to tree frog pic to

 

[tropicbreeze]

VRD = Victoria River District.

The people who first reported them told me they believed they were a different species.

The NT draft Management Program for the Freshwater Crocodile Crocodylus johnstoni in the Northern Territory states:
1.2 Species
The freshwater crocodile (Crocodylus johnstoni Krefft 1873) is one of two species of
crocodile found in Australia; the other being the larger saltwater crocodile (C. porosus).
Subspecies or races have not been formally described but there has been some speculation
that a ‘pygmy’ form may warrant investigation. Further details on the status and ecology of
the freshwater crocodile are provided in Appendix 1.

 

[cement]

Nice Niall, they are great shots, gee that bluetongue looks in good condition , so do the other herps. Looks like a great place. It would be such a shame if cane toads got in there. Sort of like pristine australia without the ferals.

 

[mmafan555]

Niall were they the pygmy crocs? Or normal sized?

Pygmy as in even smaller than freshwater crocs? Damn that would be a tiny croc..

Cheers for the comments everyone.

mmafan555, The Cane toad has not reached that part of the kimberley yet.

Waruikazi, They are just the normal fresh water crocs.
From what ive heard the pygmy croc are closer to the WA/NT border.

Is it inevitable that Cane toads will eventually be there?

 

[Niall]

Cane toads are going to over take the place like they have in the NT, couple years back I heard that some researchers in NSW were working on a virus that will knock the toad out, but it also would kill the native amphibians.
It’s a shame as it will be harder to find the Kimberley mulga, which are alot bigger than the ones you find down around Kalgoolie.

I will doing a 2 week trip up through the Kimberley next year (driving to Kununurra), whiles my mates film documentaries on wildlife up there so hopefully I can track down a big Mulga or 2 before they start getting knock off by the toad.

 

[waruikazi]

Charlie Manolis from Crocodylus did some research on them pre-2007 and he said they were not a separate species or sub species, his words were just a different race. This is one of the Crocodylus pygmies.

VRD = Victoria River District.

The people who first reported them told me they believed they were a different species.

The NT draft Management Program for the Freshwater Crocodile Crocodylus johnstoni in the Northern Territory states:
1.2 Species
The freshwater crocodile (Crocodylus johnstoni Krefft 1873) is one of two species of
crocodile found in Australia; the other being the larger saltwater crocodile (C. porosus).
Subspecies or races have not been formally described but there has been some speculation
that a ‘pygmy’ form may warrant investigation. Further details on the status and ecology of
the freshwater crocodile are provided in Appendix 1.

 

[ianinoz]

Cane toads are going to over take the place like they have in the NT, couple years back I heard that some researchers in NSW were working on a virus that will knock the toad out, but it also would kill the native amphibians.
It’s a shame as it will be harder to find the Kimberley mulga, which are alot bigger than the ones you find down around Kalgoolie.

I will doing a 2 week trip up through the Kimberley next year (driving to Kununurra), whiles my mates film documentaries on wildlife up there so hopefully I can track down a big Mulga or 2 before they start getting knock off by the toad.

We cashed in the airfares and the freightage on our trusty Pajero and drove home when my contract at BHP DRI at Hedland was finished at the end of April 2000. Best thing and best long road holiday I've ever had.

Being the end of the wet season, most of the dirt roads were closed and we were told most of the creek and river crossings were impassable so this restricted where we could go in the Kimberleys, we still got to see some excellent wild scenary and plenty of wild life including more crocs than you can poke a stick at, the place was alive with dragon flies and butterflies, and there were frogs and geckos everywhere (and most of these frogs and geckos had no fear of people (they simply ignored you unless you tried to touch or pick them us).
And the birds, esp the parrots and water loving birds were everywhere.
We spent 3 weeks in the Kimberley ( a flash motel in Broome ) and then caravan parks (stayed in self contained cabins everywhere else ).
And the wild flowers - you have to see them to believe it. The place was a blaze of colour.

At one stage driving from Fitroy Crossing (you've got visit it - frog and gecko paradise !!!) to Kununurra we saw only 2 cars going the other direction for the entire journey.

All - if you ever get a chance - The Kimberley's IS A MUST SEE AND SELF DRIVE DIYS that you have to do at least once in your life. 3 weeks WAS NOT ENOUGH TIME !!!
Take a tinny, and get a good car fridge - it's a long way between service stations and it's an expensive PITA buying bags of ice, the Engal was one of the best things I ever bought. We would stock up on snags, steaks, salad stuff, and juices and drinks and was room for a 5 L water holder too.


Took lots of photos, must scan them and convert them to digital one day and share them.