NT Wildlife Guide
Know what you're looking at — and what to watch out for
Safety warning:The NT is home to some of Australia's most dangerous wildlife. Respect, awareness, and distance are your best protection.
Active in April
All Wildlife (16)
The world's largest living reptile and the Territory's apex predator. Present in every waterway in the Top End, including the ocean.
NEVER swim in unmonitored waterways. Stay 5m from water's edge. Never clean fish at the bank. Crocs can launch from the water in milliseconds.
A saltie can hold its breath for over an hour and has the strongest bite force of any animal — 3,700 PSI.
Smaller and more timid than salties. Narrow snout. Generally not dangerous but can bite if provoked or stepped on.
Safe to swim near in croc-monitored areas like Katherine Gorge. Don't approach or feed them.
Freshies can gallop on land at up to 18km/h — faster than most people can run.
Despite the name, it's actually a black snake species. Delivers large amounts of venom. Common across the Territory.
Watch where you step. Wear closed shoes in bush. If bitten: pressure bandage, don't wash, call 000.
Produces more venom per bite than almost any other Australian snake — up to 150mg.
The world's most venomous snake. Extremely shy and rarely encountered. Changes colour seasonally — darker in winter.
Extremely reclusive. Leave it alone and it will leave you alone. No recorded deaths from this species.
One bite contains enough venom to kill 100 adult humans — but it's so shy that encounters are incredibly rare.
The NT's most iconic reptile — featured on the old Australian 2-cent coin. Displays its spectacular frill when threatened.
Completely harmless. If you see one, enjoy the show!
Can run on its hind legs at up to 30km/h — one of the funniest sights in the bush.
Majestic raptor often seen soaring over Darwin Harbour and river systems. Catches fish with spectacular diving strikes.
No danger. Observe from a distance, especially near nests.
Mates for life and builds the same nest year after year — some nests weigh over 400kg.
Australia's only stork. Tall, elegant, with a spectacular iridescent neck. Often seen wading through shallow water hunting fish.
No danger. Can be approached cautiously for photography.
The only stork species native to Australia. Males have dark eyes, females have yellow eyes.
Striking black cockatoo with bright red tail panels. Travels in noisy flocks. One of the most beautiful Australian birds.
No danger. Don't feed — seeds only.
Can live over 50 years. The female's tail panels are yellow-orange, not red.
The Territory's most prized sportfish. Silver, powerful, and spectacular to catch. Changes sex from male to female at around 3-4 years old.
Beware of crocodiles when fishing — NEVER wade in NT waterways.
All barramundi start life as male, then change to female at around 80cm. Your big barra is definitely a girl.
Highly prized eating crab. Found in mangrove-lined creeks. Powerful claws can break fingers.
Handle with care — use tongs. Only take males (check flap shape). Minimum size 140mm. Bag limit: 10 per person.
A large mud crab's claw can exert 150kg of force — enough to crush a human finger.
Introduced from Asia in the 1800s. Now feral across the Top End. Can be aggressive, especially lone bulls.
Keep distance. Don't approach. If charged, get behind a tree or vehicle. Particularly dangerous on roads at night.
The NT buffalo population was once estimated at 350,000. The 'Buffalo Wars' of the 1980s culled most of them.
The Top End's most common large kangaroo. Reddish-tan colour, elegant build. Often seen at East Point Reserve at dusk.
Don't approach or feed. Watch for them on roads at dusk — major collision risk.
Unlike other kangaroos, antilopines are found only in the monsoonal tropics of northern Australia.
Huge fruit bats that form colonies of thousands in Darwin's parks. Watching them take flight at dusk is an unforgettable NT experience.
Don't touch — can carry Lyssavirus (rabies-like). Watch from a distance. The dusk flyout is spectacular.
A single colony at the Darwin Botanic Gardens can number over 200,000 animals.
Found only in Australian waters. Nests on NT beaches. Watching hatchlings make their way to the ocean is magical.
Don't approach nesting turtles. Don't use torches or flash photography. Keep beaches clean.
Flatback turtles are endemic to Australia — the only sea turtle species found nowhere else on Earth.
One of the world's most venomous creatures. Transparent and nearly invisible in the water. Stings cause excruciating pain and can be fatal.
DO NOT swim in the ocean Oct-May without a stinger suit. Pour vinegar on stings. Call 000 immediately.
Has 24 eyes, including some that can form images. Scientists believe they can see in colour.
Build tall, flat mounds perfectly aligned north-south to regulate internal temperature. A marvel of insect engineering.
Don't damage mounds. Stay on boardwalk at viewing sites.
Each mound contains up to 1 million termites and can take decades to build. The engineering is more sophisticated than most human buildings.
EXPLORE
ACTIVITIES
SAFETY & GUIDES