Reptiles
Fifteen species of reptiles have been identified within the habitats of Sydney Olympic Park since 2005. These are:
- Eastern Blue Tongue Lizard Tiliqua scincoides
- Dark-flecked Garden Sunskink Lampropholis delicata
- Pale-flecked Garden Sunskink Lampropholis guichenoti
- Eastern Water Skink Eulamprus quoyii
- Bar-sided Skink Eulamprus tenuis
- Copper-tailed Skink Ctenotus taeniolatus
- Robust Ctenotus Ctenotus robustus
- Cream-striped Shinning Skink Crytoblepharus virgatus
- Weasel Skink Saproscinus mustelinus
- Eastern Water Dragon Physignathus lesueurii
- Eastern Bearded Dragon Pogona barbata
- Jacky Lizard Amphibolurus muricatus
- Eastern Long-necked Turtle Chelodina longicollis
- Red-bellied Black Snake Pseudechis porphyriacus
- Eastern Brown Snake Pseudonaja textilis
Annual reptile surveys have been conducted across the Sydney Olympic Park site by volunteers from the Australian Herpetological Society each summer since 2005. These surveys are supplemented with incidental reptile sightings throughout the year. Each of the 17 parklands precincts was actively searched for reptiles - in long grass, under logs and rocks, next to wetlands, and in drains. Pit-fall traps were used within the remnant forest of Wanngal Woodland.
The most abundant reptile species at the Park are the...
In contrast, species such as the Eastern Water Dragon, Eastern Bearded Dragon, Red-bellied Black Snake and Eastern Brown Snake appear to be uncommon at the Park as they are rarely recorded.
Some other species such as the Weasel Skink which are also recorded in low numbers, eg the Weasel Skink, are likely to be more common...
Conservation significance
Management
- To discover what reptiles live in the parklands now (the last comprehensive reptile survey was done in 1992, before the Park and its habitats were redeveloped)
- to identify priority reptile species and hotspots with high reptile value
- To build a base data set of reptile records within the various parts of the Park.
The survey showed that the Park's habitats continues to support many of the reptile species found in previous surveys. Freshwater ponds built as habitats for the Green and Golden Bell Frog are also proving popular with the Eastern Water Skink, and the Eastern Blue-tongue Lizard has moved into new grassland habitats. The Red-bellied Black Snake was recorded in 2005 after not being seen since the mid 1990s. Two reptile species identified in the 1992 survey - the Blind Snake and Wood Gecko - were not found in the 2005 surveys - future surveys will tell whether they still inhabit the Park.
To download the document 'Reptile Survey 2005-2006' and other surveys at Sydney Olympic Park, visit the Environment Reports
