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Ampurta (Dasycercus hillieri)

The ampurta is a small, nocturnal, burrowing dasyurid of the Eastern Simpson Desert in Queensland, the Northern Territory and South Australia. It uses spinifex hummocks, sand ridges and mulga shrubland, so clearing, removal of ground cover, altered fire regimes and introduced predators can affect both shelter and prey habitat on project sites.

Conservation status

Northern Territory, Territory Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 1976: Vulnerable.

Breeding season

The annual pattern below is based on the limited breeding and activity records available for ampurta. Timing may vary with rainfall and prey availability across the Simpson Desert.

There is no evidence in the supplied sources for a fixed annual torpor period, migration season or species-specific clearing window outside the breeding and dependent-young period.

  • Breeding: Females with pouch young have been captured in September and October. Lactating females without pouch young have been recorded in November.
  • Young: Pouch young are documented in September and October. Young may become independent after November, which may contribute to higher summer capture rates.
  • Activity and recruitment: Capture rates have been higher in summer in two studies, possibly because young become independent after November. Activity may also increase after good rain when prey becomes more available.
  • Highest clearing risk: September to November covers the documented period of pouch young and lactation. Clearing during this period can destroy breeding burrows, dependent young and surrounding cover. December remains a risk because young may only recently have become independent.

Identification

The ampurta is a small desert marsupial that is difficult to identify reliably in the field. Confirm records with an experienced mammal ecologist, photographs and, where necessary, hair, tissue or molecular analysis.

The ampurta is a small dasyurid with an estimated body weight similar to the mulgara, about 115 g. The supplied survey guidance does not provide body length, tail length, pelage measurements or a diagnostic field description.

It is nocturnal and ground-dwelling. Direct sightings are therefore most likely at night, particularly after rain or during periods when population activity is higher.

Body weight: Unknown, probably about 115 g.

Daily activity: Nocturnal.

Habit: Ground-dwelling and burrowing.

Identification: Similar species

The ampurta and mulgara are likely to be indistinguishable in the field. Their distributions and habitat use may overlap, and the extent of that overlap remains unclear.

The kowari is the other relevant similar species. It can be separated from ampurta and mulgara by its white tail base, black brush at the tail tip and four hind toes. Ampurta and mulgara have five hind toes.

Do not assign a Dasycercus track to ampurta from track size or gait alone. Tracks cannot reliably distinguish members of the Dasycercus genus. Consider hair or tissue sampling and molecular analysis where species-level confirmation is required, subject to permits.

Identification: Field signs

The most useful daytime signs are burrow complexes beneath raised dead spinifex hummocks, usually with several entrances. Between six and ten pop-holes may occur around the edge of a raised mound.

Active burrows may have fresh scoops of sand at the pop-hole entrances and scats scattered around the burrow complex. Tracks and scats can support a record, but indirect signs should be confirmed by an expert, preferably from scaled photographs.

There are no supplied records of a diagnostic call, nest, slough or eyeshine pattern. Spotlighting may detect active individuals on foot or from a vehicle, but capture or other confirmation is needed where ampurta and mulgara occur together.

  • Map every burrow complex, pop-hole and associated fresh sand.
  • Photograph tracks, scats and burrow entrances with a scale and record precise locations.
  • Do not excavate burrows or disturb active shelter sites for routine project surveys.
  • Use baited camera traps, hair sampling or permitted trapping when field signs cannot separate ampurta from mulgara.

Distribution

The supplied sources place the ampurta in arid central Australia, with records from Queensland, the Northern Territory and South Australia. The documented range is centred on the Eastern Simpson Desert and adjoining canegrass dune systems.

The recorded states and territories are Queensland, the Northern Territory and South Australia. The named region is the Eastern Simpson Desert.

Survey information from the Simpson Desert recorded ampurta or probable Dasycercus sign along the French Line, including canegrass covered sand dunes, and one female was captured near the intersection of the French Line and Rig Road. No Dasycercus sign was recorded at the ten Rig Road sites in that survey.

  • Northern Territory: Eastern Simpson Desert and adjoining arid country are within the documented state range.
  • Queensland: Eastern Simpson Desert is within the documented state range.
  • South Australia: Simpson Desert and Lake Eyre region records are documented.

Distribution: Strongholds and records

Canegrass covered sand dunes are considered preferred ampurta habitat in the Simpson Desert. In the 2006 survey, Dasycercus sign was recorded at six of nine sites along the French Line, although not all tracks could be confirmed as ampurta because mulgara may also occur in the area.

The same survey recorded one female ampurta in an Elliott trap near the intersection of the Rig Road and French Line. Records also included tracks and, at some sites, scats and burrows.

Confirmed capture in the cited Simpson Desert survey: One female ampurta.

French Line survey result: Dasycercus sign at six of nine sites.

Rig Road survey result: No Dasycercus sign at ten sites.

Distribution: Population size and trend

The supplied documents do not provide a national population estimate, density estimate, generation length or quantified population trend for the ampurta.

The species appears sedentary, with relatively small ranges compared with other dasyurids. Capture rates have been higher in summer in two studies, possibly because young become independent after November and recruitment increases detectability.

National population estimate: Not provided in the supplied sources.

Home range: Relatively small, but no numerical range is provided.

Population trend: Not quantified in the supplied sources.

Habitat

Ampurtas occupy arid sandy country where ground cover provides both burrow sites and prey habitat. The strongest habitat description in the supplied material is for the Eastern Simpson Desert.

Recorded habitat includes hummock grass plains, sand ridges and mulga shrubland. In the Simpson Desert, canegrass covered sand dunes and spinifex covered interdunes are particularly relevant.

The species is associated with raised dead spinifex hummocks and sandy substrates suitable for burrow construction. Aboriginal knowledge recorded in the supplied material also identifies the edges of recently burnt spinifex as used habitat, while senescent spinifex can become unsuitable.

  • Retain intact hummock grass plains and sand ridges.
  • Treat canegrass dunes, spinifex interdunes and mulga shrubland as potential habitat where they occur within the documented range.
  • Map recent burns, older spinifex cover and transitions between burnt and unburnt vegetation.

Habitat: Structural features

Important structures include raised dead spinifex hummocks, sand ridges, sandy dune systems and areas with enough stable ground cover to support burrow complexes.

Burrow complexes may extend across up to 1 km of suitable habitat. Construction layouts should avoid breaking up connected areas of suitable cover, even where no individual animal is seen.

Burrow complex extent: Up to 1 km of suitable habitat.

Elevation limit: No elevation limit is provided.

Climate setting: Arid central Australia, including the Simpson Desert, where rainfall is low and highly variable.

Foraging habitat

The ampurta is carnivorous and feeds at night across sandy desert habitats. The supplied sources do not identify particular plant food species or quantify its foraging range.

The diet consists of large invertebrates and small vertebrates. Food availability is expected to vary with rainfall and vegetation condition, and population increases in related Dasycercus populations have been recorded after rain when prey availability improves.

Foraging habitat includes hummock grass plains, sand ridges, mulga shrubland, canegrass dunes and spinifex covered interdunes. Retaining ground cover helps maintain the invertebrate and small vertebrate prey base.

Diet: Large invertebrates and small vertebrates.

Foraging period: Primarily at night.

Foraging range: No numerical range is provided. The species is described as sedentary with relatively small ranges.

  • Avoid clearing spinifex hummocks, canegrass dune cover and mulga shrubland where ampurta habitat is possible.
  • Limit disturbance around burrow complexes and adjacent ground cover, not only at individual burrow entrances.
  • Control introduced herbivore impacts where grazing removes cover or reduces prey habitat.

Breeding habitat

Breeding information is limited. The available records indicate seasonal breeding, with pouch young in spring and lactating females recorded in November.

Females with pouch young have been captured between September and October. Lactating females without pouch young have been captured in November, suggesting that young may leave the pouch around this time.

Breeding shelter is provided by burrows in complexes beneath raised dead spinifex hummocks. Retain the hummock, nearby ground cover and surrounding undisturbed habitat rather than protecting only the visible entrance.

Breeding season: Seasonal breeding is indicated, with pouch young recorded in September and October and lactation recorded in November.

Litter size: Not provided.

Gestation: Not provided.

Age at maturity: Not provided.

Lifespan: Not provided.

Young independence: The supplied guidance suggests young may become independent after November.

Breeding habitat: Project controls

Before clearing, inspect suitable spinifex and dune habitat during the day for burrow complexes, pop-holes, fresh sand and scats. Plan works to avoid active complexes and retain connected cover.

If clearing cannot avoid potential breeding habitat between September and November, obtain species-specific advice from the relevant wildlife authority and use an appropriately licensed fauna ecologist.

  • Mark and buffer active burrow complexes before machinery enters the site.
  • Do not use a lack of spotlight sightings as evidence that breeding habitat is unoccupied.
  • Where an animal is captured, follow approved fauna handling, release and welfare procedures.

Sheltering habitat

The ampurta shelters in burrows rather than tree hollows or caves. Burrows are concentrated beneath spinifex hummocks and can form extensive complexes.

Burrows are excavated beneath the raised mound of a dead spinifex hummock. A burrow may have six to ten pop-holes around the mound perimeter, and burrows can occur in complexes extending up to 1 km of suitable habitat.

During the day, inspect the edges of hummocks and the surrounding sand for active entrances, freshly moved sand, footprints and scats. Small burrows can be difficult to detect, so searches need to be systematic.

Burrow location: Under raised dead spinifex hummocks.

Pop-holes: Usually six to ten around the hummock mound.

Complex size: Up to 1 km of suitable habitat.

Recommended general search spacing: Transects 50 to 100 m apart on small sites.

  • Search all suitable hummock grassland, dune margins and mulga or spinifex interfaces before ground disturbance.
  • Record the whole burrow complex, not just individual pop-holes.
  • Keep vehicles, stockpiles, access tracks and trenching away from active entrances and connected cover.
  • Use daytime searches along 50 to 100 m spaced transects on small sites, adapted to site size and habitat visibility.

Sheltering habitat: Confirmation methods

Recommended methods include daytime searches for habitat and signs, predator scat or owl cast analysis, hair sampling, Elliott trapping, pitfall trapping, spotlighting, consultation with local people and baited camera traps.

Elliott trapping should not be used on its own because it may be ineffective in the Simpson Desert. If pitfall trapping is used without Elliott trapping, the survey guidance recommends four sampling sites within a 5 hectare area rather than two, with trap depth of 60 cm.

  • Use a mixture of rolled oats, peanut butter and tuna oil if Elliott trapping is approved and selected.
  • Use an experienced ecologist to confirm burrow, track and scat identifications.
  • Obtain the required permits and meet animal welfare requirements before trapping, handling or collecting samples.

Threats: Clearing and construction

The main documented pressures are altered fire regimes, introduced predators and grazing by introduced herbivores. Project clearing can add direct loss of burrows, ground cover and prey habitat, particularly in the breeding season.

Clearing can remove spinifex hummocks, destroy burrow entrances and break up burrow complexes. Tracks, pads, laydown areas, trenches and repeated vehicle movements can also compact sandy substrates and remove the cover used for shelter and foraging.

Fragmentation is a concern because burrow complexes may extend across up to 1 km of suitable habitat and individuals are described as sedentary with relatively small ranges.

  • Avoid clearing intact hummock grassland, canegrass dunes and mulga or spinifex interfaces where practicable.
  • Undertake a trained pre-clearance search for burrows, pop-holes, fresh sand, tracks and scats.
  • Fence or clearly mark exclusion areas around active burrow complexes before construction.
  • Keep temporary works, vehicle routes and spoil away from retained habitat and burrow complexes.

Threats: Fire and grazing

Changed fire regimes may reduce suitable shelter and alter the age structure of spinifex. Aboriginal knowledge in the supplied material identifies recently burnt edges as important, while senescent spinifex can become unsuitable.

Introduced herbivores can reduce ground cover and prey habitat. Rabbits, camels, cattle, horses and other introduced herbivores have been recorded in Simpson Desert survey areas.

  • Plan fire management to retain a mosaic of spinifex age classes and connected refuge cover.
  • Avoid broad, uniform burns that remove all hummocks across a project area.
  • Control grazing and manage access where introduced herbivores are removing cover around burrow habitat.

Threats: Predators and other pressures

Introduced foxes are identified as a threat, and feral cats are also recorded in the relevant desert survey areas. Dingoes, foxes and cats may occur at the same sites as ampurta, so predator presence does not by itself show that ampurta is absent.

The supplied sources do not identify a disease threat or a hydrology change mechanism specific to ampurta. The species occurs in an arid system with highly variable rainfall, so changes that remove sandy ground cover or alter prey availability should be assessed as site-specific risks.

Foxes: Documented or suspected threat and recorded in the broader threat-abatement material.

Cats: Recorded at five of 19 Simpson Desert survey sites.

Dingoes: Tracks recorded at 17 of 19 survey sites.

Disease: No species-specific disease threat is provided in the supplied sources.

  • Record fox, cat and dingo tracks, scats and camera detections during fauna surveys.
  • Do not rely on predator sign alone to infer ampurta absence.
  • Assess water infrastructure, drainage, erosion and altered surface water where they could change dune vegetation or ground cover.
  • Use predator scat analysis as a possible supplementary method for detecting ampurta remains or DNA.

Survey methodology: 1. Habitat and burrow searches

Survey the Ampurta, Dasycercus hillieri, as a small, nocturnal, burrowing mammal of hummock grass plains, sand ridges and mulga shrubland. Use several complementary methods because tracks and other signs can be confused with mulgara and other small mammals.

Search systematically for raised spinifex hummocks, sand ridges, mulga shrubland, burrow complexes, pop-holes, tracks and scats during daylight.

Ampurta burrows may occur in complexes extending for up to 1 kilometre of suitable habitat. Burrows are associated with raised dead spinifex hummocks and may have 6 to 10 pop-holes around the mound.

Look for freshly excavated sand at pop-hole entrances and scats near entrances or scattered through the surrounding area.

For sites up to 5 hectares, use transects spaced 50 to 100 metres apart, or quadrats in representative habitats. The guideline suggests 2 hours of searching for each hectare of stratified survey site within a 5 hectare area.

Photograph and map all suspected signs, including a scale and location information, and have tracks, scats and burrows confirmed by an experienced mammal ecologist.

Habitat: Hummock grass plains, sand ridges and mulga shrubland

Burrow structure: Raised dead spinifex hummock, commonly with 6 to 10 pop-holes

Suggested daylight search effort: 2 hours per hectare of stratified survey site, for sites up to 5 hectares

Transect spacing for small sites: 50 to 100 metres

  • Stratify the search across all relevant habitat types and target areas with suitable spinifex hummocks, sand ridges and mulga cover.
  • Inspect burrows for active signs, including fresh sand, tracks and recent scats, without damaging the burrow complex.

Survey methodology: 2. Track and scat searches

Use track and scat searches as an initial detection method, but do not identify Dasycercus tracks to species without supporting evidence. The available survey report states that tracks cannot reliably distinguish Dasycercus species.

A field survey in the Simpson Desert used 100 metre by 200 metre plots searched for 25 to 30 minutes. It required trapping to confirm whether Dasycercus tracks belonged to Ampurta or mulgara.

Record at least three consecutive gait imprints before assigning a mammal track identification, and photograph tracks and scats with a scale bar.

Example track-search plot: 100 metres by 200 metres

Example search time: 25 to 30 minutes per plot

Minimum track evidence used in the field report: Three consecutive gait imprints

  • Treat unconfirmed Dasycercus tracks as genus-level records until a qualified person confirms the species by capture, hair, tissue or other suitable evidence.
  • Collect predator scats, owl casts and remains from predator nests or dens where permitted, because these may provide additional evidence of occurrence.

Survey methodology: 3. Elliott trapping, pitfall trapping and hair sampling

Use Elliott trapping with a mixture of rolled oats, peanut butter and tuna oil, following the threatened mammal survey guideline for small ground-dwelling mammals.

Do not rely on Elliott trapping alone. The guideline states that it may be ineffective in the Simpson Desert and some other sites.

Pitfall trapping may be used with traps 60 centimetres deep. If pitfall trapping is not combined with Elliott trapping, use four sampling sites within a 5 hectare area rather than two.

Hair sampling may assist with identification because Ampurta is listed among the species that can be distinguished from hair samples, provided that a suitable sample is obtained and analysed by an experienced specialist.

Obtain all animal ethics, wildlife research and state or territory permits before trapping, and use experienced personnel who can check traps and manage captured animals appropriately.

Pitfall depth: 60 centimetres

Pitfall effort where Elliott trapping is not also used: Four sampling sites within 5 hectares

Elliott bait: Rolled oats, peanut butter and tuna oil

  • Use trapping to confirm Dasycercus tracks where Ampurta and mulgara may both occur.
  • Check traps at the legally required frequency and protect them from heat, cold, predators and flooding.
  • Record trap location, trap effort, bait, weather, captures, non-target species and trap failures.

Survey methodology: 4. Spotlighting, cameras and seasonal timing

Spotlight on foot or from a vehicle for active individuals, particularly after several consecutive good seasons when densities may be higher.

Use baited camera traps in suitable habitat where the species may occur at low density or where trapping is unsuitable. Cameras are useful for cryptic species and can help separate Ampurta from other sympatric species.

Plan surveys across the species' nocturnal activity period and consider additional effort in summer, when capture rates were higher in two studies. Females with pouch young have been recorded from September to October, and lactating females without pouch young in November.

Consult local people, including Traditional Owners and landholders, about Ampurta records, habitat and signs. Follow information ownership, access and cultural protocols.

Activity pattern: Nocturnal

Recorded pouch-young period: September to October

Recorded lactating period: November

Higher capture rates reported: Summer in two studies

  • Combine spotlighting with daylight searches and cameras rather than treating a failed spotlight survey as evidence of absence.
  • Increase survey attention after good rainfall and seasons that produce fresh vegetation and prey, while recording recent rainfall and habitat condition.

Survey methodology: Minimum effort and reporting

  • Use a stratified daylight habitat and sign search as the minimum investigation, applying the guideline effort of 2 hours per hectare for a site up to 5 hectares.
  • Add a species-confirmation method where signs are found or suitable habitat will be disturbed, such as trapping, hair sampling, cameras or expert-confirmed evidence.
  • Do not clear suspected Ampurta burrow complexes until the evidence has been assessed by a suitably experienced ecologist and the required approvals are in place.
  • Report survey dates, effort, weather, rainfall history, habitat types, search tracks, signs, photographs, trapping details, non-detections and taxonomic confidence.
  • Submit confirmed and appropriately qualified records to the relevant state or territory wildlife database, and provide records required by the project approval or fauna management plan.
  • Record the taxonomic uncertainty noted in the guideline, because Dasycercus hillieri has been treated as indistinguishable from crest-tailed mulgara in later genetic and morphological work, although the EPBC survey guideline treats it separately.

Before habitat disturbance: Avoid and minimise

Treat suitable Ampurta habitat and active burrow complexes as fauna constraints before clearing or ground disturbance. The species is associated with desert grass and shrub habitats, and its burrows and signs can be difficult to detect.

Avoid clearing hummock grass plains, sand ridges and mulga shrubland where practicable, particularly areas with raised spinifex hummocks and active-looking pop-holes.

Retain connected areas of suitable habitat around confirmed or suspected burrow complexes rather than isolating small patches.

Keep construction compounds, access tracks, spoil, laydown areas and vehicle movements out of retained habitat wherever practicable.

Do not disturb burrow mounds, pop-holes, surrounding scats or freshly excavated sand during preliminary works.

  • Map all suitable habitat and suspected burrow complexes in the project GIS and field plans.
  • Use clearly marked exclusion zones around habitat retained for Ampurta, with the extent set by the project ecologist and approval conditions.
  • Avoid unnecessary night lighting and night vehicle movements through retained habitat.

Before habitat disturbance: Approvals and fauna planning

Confirm the current Commonwealth and state or territory conservation status before works commence. The supplied material identifies Ampurta as EPBC Endangered in the survey guideline and threat documents, while the project brief states that it is not currently EPBC listed and is Vulnerable in the Northern Territory, so the current official registers must be checked.

Obtain any state or territory wildlife research, trapping, handling, relocation, clearing or rehabilitation permits that apply to the project.

Seek an EPBC Act referral or other Commonwealth approval advice if the current official listing or project impact assessment indicates that the action may affect a nationally listed species.

Prepare a fauna management plan that sets out survey results, exclusion areas, spotter catcher authority, equipment, stop-work triggers, handling arrangements, release sites, incident reporting and contacts.

  • Have a qualified ecologist review the current EPBC Act list and the relevant state or territory threatened species legislation before finalising the construction method.
  • Include Ampurta habitat and burrow protection measures in contractor inductions, clearing plans and daily pre-starts.
  • Stage clearing so that high-risk habitat is surveyed, cleared and checked before machinery enters the next work area.

Before habitat disturbance: Site preparation

Complete the pre-clearance survey using the methods above and repeat it close to clearing if the previous survey is no longer representative of current conditions.

Mark retained hummock grass, mulga, sand ridge habitat, suspected burrow complexes, access routes and no-go areas before machinery arrives.

Use exclusion fencing where it can prevent plant, vehicles and people entering retained habitat without creating a barrier that traps animals or cuts off movement.

Brief the fauna spotter catcher, operators and supervisors on Ampurta identification limits, burrow signs, capture authority and the project stop-work procedure.

  • Inspect the work area at the start of each clearing day for fresh pop-hole excavation, tracks, scats and newly detected burrows.
  • Avoid scheduling clearing during periods of extreme heat or other conditions that increase the risk to trapped or displaced small mammals.
  • Keep a suitable vehicle, first aid materials, holding equipment and contact details for an authorised wildlife carer or veterinarian available where handling is approved.

During habitat disturbance: Daily controls and machinery coordination

Use a controlled, supervised clearing sequence. The fauna spotter catcher must work ahead of machinery, maintain communication with operators and stop work whenever a suspected Ampurta, active burrow complex or other fauna hazard is found.

Conduct a pre-start inspection of the day's disturbance footprint and adjacent retained habitat.

Use one clearly defined clearing direction and keep machinery at walking speed where fauna may be present, subject to the approved method statement.

The fauna spotter catcher must remain in a position where the operator can see and hear the stop signal and must maintain radio or hand-signal communication.

Clear in stages, allowing the spotter catcher to inspect exposed ground, vegetation and burrows before machinery proceeds.

Keep machinery, spoil and personnel outside marked exclusion zones unless the fauna management plan specifically permits entry.

  • Stop work immediately when a suspected Ampurta, active burrow complex, injured animal, trapped animal or unidentified protected fauna is found.
  • Stop work if a marked habitat feature is damaged, an exclusion fence fails, or the spotter catcher cannot safely inspect the next section.
  • Record the time, location, machinery, activity, weather, habitat feature and response for every fauna event.

During habitat disturbance: Burrows and habitat features

Inspect raised spinifex hummocks, pop-holes, loose sand, scats and tracks before removing vegetation or grading sand.

Do not fill, collapse, drive over or excavate a suspected active Ampurta burrow until the spotter catcher and project ecologist have assessed it.

Retain logs, rocks, spinifex hummocks and other cover features within exclusion areas where they form part of suitable ground habitat.

If a feature must be removed under an approved method, move it only under the direction of the fauna spotter catcher and place it in nearby retained habitat where this is safe and authorised.

  • Do not assume that an empty-looking burrow is unused, because the species shelters in burrows during the day.
  • Do not use tree-hollow procedures as a substitute for Ampurta controls, because the species is a ground-dwelling burrowing mammal.
  • Keep cleared material from blocking retained burrow entrances or movement routes.

During habitat disturbance: Animal encounter and handling

The fauna spotter catcher must decide whether handling is authorised and safe under the relevant permit and project plan.

Do not chase, handle or relocate an Ampurta unless the person is authorised, trained and equipped for the task.

If an animal is captured or found, keep it quiet, shaded and at a stable temperature, minimise handling and obtain species confirmation where identification is uncertain.

Release a healthy animal only to nearby suitable retained habitat, at a location and time approved by the project ecologist and relevant authority.

Take an injured animal to an authorised veterinarian or wildlife carer as soon as practicable, and record the transfer.

  • Do not release an animal into isolated, cleared or unsuitable habitat.
  • Do not retain an animal overnight unless the permit, welfare advice and project plan allow it.
  • Keep cats, dogs and unauthorised personnel away from any captured or released animal.

During habitat disturbance: Stop-work records and escalation

Escalate a confirmed Ampurta record, repeated burrow detections or evidence of a breeding female to the project ecologist and the relevant wildlife authority where required.

Have the project ecologist reassess the exclusion area, clearing sequence and mitigation before work resumes in the affected location.

Photograph tracks, scats, pop-holes and burrows with a scale and record coordinates, habitat, freshness, confidence and supporting evidence.

Maintain a daily fauna log covering searches, effort, detections, captures, injuries, releases, mortalities, toolbox talks, stop-work events and corrective actions.

  • Treat unconfirmed Dasycercus tracks as genus-level evidence until a qualified person confirms the species.
  • Report any death, injury, unauthorised handling or breach of an approval condition through the project's environmental incident process.

After habitat disturbance: Post-clearance inspection

Post-clearance checks must confirm that no fauna remains in the disturbed area, that retained habitat and exclusion controls are intact, and that project records support any required regulatory reporting.

Inspect the cleared footprint, margins and retained habitat for live animals, injured fauna, fresh burrow exposure, blocked entrances and newly revealed tracks or scats.

Recheck areas around former burrow complexes after machinery has left, particularly where spinifex hummocks or sand ridges were disturbed.

Remove or repair temporary fencing only when the fauna spotter catcher or project ecologist confirms that it will not direct animals into the work area or create a trap.

  • Complete a final fauna sweep before the area is handed to construction or operations personnel.
  • Keep machinery and stored materials out of retained habitat and access routes identified in the fauna management plan.
  • Document the final condition of each exclusion area with photographs and mapped locations.

After habitat disturbance: Monitoring and reporting

Monitor retained Ampurta habitat for burrows, pop-holes, tracks, scats and camera detections using repeatable locations and methods.

Use the same search areas, effort and recording standards in follow-up surveys so that changes in detection can be interpreted against the baseline.

Interpret non-detection cautiously because the species is nocturnal, cryptic, burrowing and difficult to distinguish from mulgara in the field.

  • Set the monitoring schedule in the approval or fauna management plan, with additional surveys after major disturbance, fire or substantial rainfall where relevant.
  • Report confirmed records, injuries, mortalities, relocations, habitat loss, control failures and corrective actions to the regulator or approval holder as required.
  • Submit confirmed records to the relevant state or territory wildlife database and update the project GIS.

After habitat disturbance: Maintaining controls and offsets

Maintain no-go areas, access controls, predator controls and habitat protection measures for the period specified in the approval or fauna management plan.

Where residual impacts cannot be avoided or mitigated, obtain advice on any offset, restoration or conservation action required under Commonwealth or state legislation.

Use monitoring results to revise the clearing method, exclusion areas and rehabilitation actions if Ampurta signs decline or new burrow complexes are detected.

  • Do not close out fauna controls solely because no Ampurta was captured during clearing.
  • Keep all permits, approvals, survey data, photographs, incident reports and rehabilitation records with the project environmental record.

Rehabilitation actions: Recreate habitat structure

Rehabilitation should recreate the ground cover and burrowing conditions used by Ampurta, with locally appropriate desert vegetation and protection from processes that remove cover or prey resources.

Reinstate locally sourced hummock grasses, including locally appropriate Triodia where it naturally occurs, on sand ridges and hummock grass plains.

Re-establish mulga shrubland where it was cleared and retain or reintroduce suitable ground cover around restored areas.

Shape reinstated sandy areas to match surrounding landform and avoid compacting the surface where burrowing habitat is required.

Retain and place suitable logs, rocks, spinifex hummocks and other ground cover in rehabilitation areas where these features occur naturally.

  • Use local provenance seed or tubestock suited to the project region and existing plant community.
  • Keep rehabilitation areas connected to retained habitat rather than creating isolated planted patches.
  • Do not install nest boxes as a substitute for Ampurta habitat, because this species shelters in ground burrows.

Rehabilitation actions: Fire, grazing and predator management

Develop fire management with local land managers and Traditional Owners to maintain a mixture of spinifex age classes and suitable cover.

Avoid fire regimes that leave spinifex uniformly senescent or remove all cover from the site.

Where fire is used, retain unburnt refuge areas and manage the edges of recently burnt areas because Aboriginal knowledge identified these habitat transitions as important for mulgaras and Ampurta-type animals.

Control introduced herbivore impacts where they reduce cover or prey resources, and manage foxes and feral cats in accordance with approved pest management programs.

  • Do not apply broad fire or grazing treatments to restored Ampurta habitat without an ecological assessment and the required approvals.
  • Use predator control only under an approved program that considers impacts on native fauna and welfare requirements.
  • Record fire history, grazing pressure, predator activity and rainfall when interpreting rehabilitation results.

Rehabilitation actions: Monitoring and success measures

Monitor vegetation establishment, ground cover, spinifex age structure, burrow formation and Ampurta or Dasycercus detections at permanent photo points and mapped survey locations.

Use repeatable daylight searches for burrows, pop-holes, tracks and scats, supplemented by cameras or other approved methods where detections are needed.

Assess rehabilitation against the surrounding reference habitat, including vegetation cover, connected habitat, absence of erosion and the availability of suitable hummocks and sandy ground.

  • Set measurable project targets for area rehabilitated, vegetation establishment, ground-cover retention, weed control, erosion control and survival of planted vegetation.
  • Treat confirmed Ampurta records as a positive outcome, but do not use short-term non-detection as evidence that rehabilitation has failed or succeeded.
  • Continue monitoring for the period required by the approval or rehabilitation management plan and report results to the relevant regulator and wildlife database where records are confirmed.

Sources