interest was a small Monk Snake
(Parasuta monachus). Although
measuring only about 30 centimetres
in total length, this snake was in a
very angry mood, and wholly intent
on biting me.
Day 5.
We left our accommodation at Curtin
Springs at about 9:00 am, but did not
immediately head back to Alice
Springs. First, we wanted to cruise
the road to Uluru, which by all
accounts is quite productive, as we
had hopes of spotting a Thorny Devil
(Moloch horridus), which was one of
our prime target species. We didn’t
see a Thorny Devil, but we did
encounter a Dwarf Bearded Dragon
(Pogona minor) which was pretty
cool, together with a bunch of
Central Netted Dragons, and heaps
of Sand Monitors (Varanus gouldii).
We also came across a Western
Brown Snake (Pseudonaja
mengdeni), the back end of which
had recently been run over by a
vehicle. The snake was still alive so
we dragged it to the side of the road.
1.
On the way back to Alice Springs we
got hold of another Sand Monitor
and managed to take some good
photos. Lo and behold, we also
found a Thorny Devil!
After returning to our base in Alice
Springs, that night we drove out to
the West MacDonnell Ranges again
for a short walk. Near Simpsons Gap
we located a handful of Centralian
Tree Frogs (Litoria gilleni), some
near water but others amongst the
rocks.
Day 6.
2.
On this occasion, we decided to
drive east for around 200 kilometres,
to an area that we had been told was
good for Perenties (Varanus
giganteus). Once again, the land-
scape alternated between spinifex
plains, Mulga scrub and rocky
gorges, but there was perhaps a
higher proportion of the latter. We
saw nothing other than Central
Netted Dragons and Central Bearded
Dragons.
Just to be different, that night we
headed north for a couple of hundred
kilometres, to a part of the road that