Open 10am to 5pm

The Reptile Encounter features more than 20 reptile species in 17 purpose-built reptile exhibits with landscaping to match each animal’s natural habitat.

Opened on World Environment Day 1997, the Reptile Encounter invites visitors into the fascinating world of snakes, lizards and tortoises. It is fully air conditioned and displays some of Western Australia's unique reptile fauna as well as some of the world's more interesting snakes and lizards.

Don't miss the Reticulated Python, one of the world's largest snakes, or the deadly Dugite! Watch the Fijian Crested Iguana change colour from green to black.

There are daily reptile special presentations by our experienced keepers. This is the perfect opportunity to cure any phobias and answer your questions about snakes.

What's in the Reptile Encounter ‘Nursery’?

Oblong Turtle
Chelodina oblonga

Born in early July 2006, our new Oblong Turtle can be seen exploring his new home. The Oblong Turtle, with its extraordinarily long neck, is commonly found in water ways around suburban Perth. Nesting takes place between September and January each year. Females will seek out suitable nesting sites near water bodies, sometimes even in residential backyards. During these times it is important to watch out for tortoises crossing the road.

Jacky Lizard
Amphibolurus muricatus 

These lizards are usually found perched on logs. Their skin colour helps them camouflage against the wood to avoid predators. Jacky Lizards belong to the same family as the Frilled Dragon. Like the Frilled Dragon and
other agamids, the Jacky Lizard runs on its
hind legs to escape its pursuers.

Discover some of the other animals on display in the Reptile Encounter...

Black-headed Python  
This python is one of the most distinctive in appearance with its shiny black head and yellow to beige coloured body, striped with orange to brown bands. While this python is often mistaken for a venomous snake, it actually feeds on large venomous snakes

Chameleon Dragon  
While the Chameleon Dragon is named for it resemblance to the chameleon, it does not have the ability to rapidly change colour. It is often found perched on fallen trees and low lying vegetation.

Diamond Python  
Diamond Pythons usually go undetected due to their nocturnal, slow- moving habits. During the day they can be seen lying in trees. Diamond Pythons often nest in the roofs of private homes. They pose no threat to humans and eat unwanted rodents.

Dugite  
Dugites are venomous snakes that vary in colour from grey to olive to brown on the top of their bodies, with an olive or yellowish belly. Dugites may be found sheltering beneath logs or rocks or living in abandoned burrows or hollow logs.

Fijian Crested Iguana  
When a Fijian Crested Iguana is aroused or disturbed, it rapidly changes colour from green to jet black. The reversal process takes much longer.

Frilled Dragon  
This lizard is the largest of Australia’s ‘dragon’ family of lizards, or agamids. It is most commonly known because of the large frill around its neck that extends when threatened.

Mertens Water Monitor  
As its name suggests, this monitor is rarely seen far from water. It is often found climbing on rocks or trees or basking on branches overhanging water.

Oblong Turtle  
Female Oblong Turtles sometimes travel long distances to find suitable laying sites on land during the breeding season. During this time, the turtles are often killed by unaware drivers as they cross roads.

Olive Python  
The Olive Python is one of Australia’s largest snakes. They prey on birds, mammals and reptiles. Adult pythons can consume mammals as large as rock wallabies.

Perentie  
The Perentie is Australia’s largest lizard. Perenties track their prey by sight or by sensing with their tongue. Once caught, the Perentie will violently shake the prey until it is dead and then swallow it whole.

Pilbara Death Adder  
The Pilbara Death Adder, along with many adders in the Acanthophis genus, is one of the most dangerous snakes in Australia and the world. The death adder is a carnivore and feeds on small lizards, frogs and geckos.

Pink-eared Turtle  
Also known as the Northern Red-Faced Turtle, young Pink-eared Turtles have a distinctive red stripe that extends from the eye to the back of the head. As the turtle ages, this stripe becomes pale pink and less prominent.

Pygmy Mulga Monitor  
This arboreal lizard is usually found under bark or in cracks of mulga, gum or desert oak trees. The monitor finds food by flicking its tongue to pick up scent particles in the air.

Pygmy Python  
The Pygmy Python is the world’s smallest python. These pythons are often found lying in the nooks and crannies of termite mounds or in rock crevices.

Red-eared Slider  
The Red-eared Slider is one of the top 100 ‘World’s Worst’ invaders as determined by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. It is considered a major threat to biodiversity.

South-west Carpet Python  
The South-west Carpet Python is mainly nocturnal but is sometimes seen basking in the sun and moving about during the day. The carpet python finds shelter in areas such as hollow tree limbs, rock crevices and even the burrows of other animals.

Tiger Snake  
Tiger Snakes are one of the world’s deadliest snakes. While they are most active during they day, these snakes can sometimes be found hunting at night.

Western Blue-tongue Skink  
Western Blue-tongued Skinks are smooth-scaled and have a broad, triangular shaped head. They also have a fleshy blue tongue, which gives them their name.

Woma  
The Woma is grey-brown or golden-brown on its back with dark brown bands across its body and a yellow or white belly. Unlike other pythons, the Woma has a narrow, pointed head causing it to often be mistaken for a venomous snake.