More than 30 protected wild animals including rare frogs and snakes worth more than $160,000 have been found by police in the car of two men in outback Queensland.

The officers pulled over the men, 19 and 27, during a patrol of Mt Isa on July 13, when they suspected suspicious behaviour.

"The police conducted an inquiry with these two males on the side of the road and something didn't sit right with them," Detective Acting Sergeant Jarrod Horne said.

The animals have been given to the Environment Department for release back into the wild. ( Supplied: Queensland Police Service )

"Upon making further inquiries they realised there was something further happening here and as a result the vehicle was searched and those animals were located."

A search of their car uncovered 32 animals including a black-headed python, blue-tongue lizard, rare frogs and lizards, snakes, geckos and skinks.

The two rare frogs died due to the poor conditions they were being kept in.

A black-headed python was among the 32 animals seized. ( Supplied: Queensland Police Service )

Detective Horne said police were yet to verify some of the animals.

He said the majority were believed to have been taken from the Northern Territory, but some had also come from north-west and south-west Queensland.

"Unfortunately we had two quite rare species of frogs," he said.

A spiny-tailed monitor was rescued from the men. ( Supplied: Queensland Police Service )

"They didn't make it. They perished. They just couldn't survive the conditions they were being kept in."

The creatures have been handed over to Environment and Heritage Protection staff and were released back into the wild.

A 19-year-old Dalby man and a 27-year-old Lower Beechmont man have been charged with nine counts of taking protected wildlife.

A centralian Blue-tongued lizard was also in the car. ( Supplied: Queensland Police Service )

Further charges are expected to be laid.

The two men are scheduled to appear in the Mount Isa Magistrates Court on August 7.

If found guilty they face a maximum of two years in prison.