Wildlife trapping and relocation, planned and delivered before clearing.
When a site is about to be developed or cleared, the animals living there need to be moved safely first. Fauna Spotters writes the trapping and relocation management plan, arranges the licences, then sends licensed crews to carry out the trapping and relocation works, so the habitat is clear before machinery arrives.
Trapping and relocation management plans
Our ecologists write a site-specific plan that sets out how resident fauna will be captured, held and moved before any habitat is disturbed. The plan is written to match your development approval, environmental conditions and the licence for your state, and it becomes the working document for the crew on site.
- Target species, based on desktop searches and a site habitat assessment
- Trap types, trap layout and trapping effort for each habitat zone
- Trap check timing, weather triggers and animal welfare controls
- Handling, holding, veterinary and injured-animal procedures
- Release sites, chosen and agreed with the landholder and regulator
- Threatened species protocols and stop-work triggers
- Records, registers and reporting for licence returns
Trapping and relocation works
Our licensed crews set, check and close out the trapping program, then relocate each animal to the approved release site. We stay on site through clearing as Fauna Spotter Catchers, so anything missed by the traps is still caught and moved.
- Cage, box, pitfall and funnel trap lines set and checked by licensed handlers
- Hand capture of reptiles, frogs and arboreal fauna from habitat features
- Hollow-bearing tree and habitat feature inspection before removal
- Same-day relocation to approved release sites, or care with a licensed rehabilitator
- Sequential clearing guidance so animals can move away from the works
- Daily capture, release and incident records in the client portal
When you need it
Trapping and relocation is usually required before residential and industrial subdivision, mine and quarry expansion, road, rail and pipeline corridors, renewable energy and transmission projects, dam and wetland dewatering, and any works that remove or interfere with fauna habitat. It is often written into development approval conditions or a Fauna Management Plan.
Licensed in every state
We hold the Rehabilitation permit (spotter catcher) in Queensland and the Wildlife Management (Controller) Permit in South Australia, and supply licensed personnel in both. In every other state and territory we obtain the correct licence for each project, with management plans and crew credentials ready to go and applications pre-filled, for the fastest possible path to approval.
Each state has its own licence for trapping and relocating native animals. Our state pages name the licence, the regulator and the lead time, so you can plan the program with your approval timeline.
What you receive
- Trapping and relocation management plan (PDF), ready to submit with your approval paperwork
- Licence application lodged in the names of the rostered crew, where the state requires it
- Trap register and daily capture and release records
- Completion report formatted for regulator returns and approval condition sign-off
Frequently asked questions
How far ahead should we plan trapping and relocation?
As early as you can. The plan, the licence and the trapping program all need to be finished before clearing starts, and trapping is usually run over consecutive nights. We set the trapping period in the plan to suit the species, season and your approval conditions, and build it into your clearing program.
Can you write the plan and carry out the works?
Yes. The same team writes the trapping and relocation management plan and delivers the trapping and relocation works, so what is approved on paper is exactly what happens on site. We can also deliver works under a plan written by your own consultant.
What happens to threatened species?
Threatened species are handled under the specific approvals for your state and any federal conditions under the EPBC Act. The plan sets out the extra protocols, release site requirements and stop-work triggers before trapping begins.
How is this different from fauna spotter catching?
Trapping and relocation moves animals out of the habitat before clearing begins. Fauna Spotter Catchers work alongside the machinery on clearing day to find and move anything that remains. Most projects need both, and we supply both.