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Brush-tailed Phascogale (Phascogale tapoatafa)

The brush-tailed phascogale is a small, nocturnal, tree-dwelling carnivorous marsupial found in scattered forests and woodlands across parts of Australia. It matters on development sites because it depends on mature hollow-bearing trees, uses many nest hollows, has large home ranges and is exposed to habitat clearing, fragmentation, fire and predation.

Conservation status

Commonwealth, EPBC Act 1999: Vulnerable.

New South Wales, Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016: Vulnerable.

Victoria, Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988: Vulnerable.

South Australia, National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972: Endangered.

Western Australia, Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016: Vulnerable.

Breeding season

Timing is based mainly on breeding information from eastern and south-western populations. Local timing may vary, and the Kimberley subspecies has limited direct ecological information.

The supplied sources do not establish a separate Kimberley breeding calendar. Apply the May to July breeding period as the best-supported general guide and refine it with regional records and survey results.

  • Breeding: Mating generally occurs from May to July, with the peak usually in June and the breeding period lasting about three weeks in some localities.
  • Births and pouch young: Gestation is about 29 to 30 days. Young are born around June to August after mating and remain in the pouch area for about seven weeks.
  • Young in maternal nest: After about seven weeks, young are deposited in a maternal nest and may remain dependent until about five months of age.
  • Dispersal: Juveniles disperse in mid-summer, with males generally moving farther than females.
  • Highest clearing risk: Clearing and tree removal are most likely to harm the species from May to November because mating, pouch young and dependent nest young may be present. Hollow-bearing trees can be used throughout the year, so daytime shelter checks remain necessary outside this period.

Identification

The brush-tailed phascogale is a squirrel-sized marsupial with a distinctive black bottle-brush tail. It is usually detected at night in trees, tree hollows or nest boxes rather than on the ground.

The upperparts are grizzled grey and the underparts are cream to white. The ears are large and mostly bare, and the distal two-thirds of the tail has long black hairs that can form a conspicuous bottle-brush. The head and body is about 160 to 230 mm long, the tail about 170 to 220 mm, and adults weigh about 110 to 235 g.

Tail hair length: Up to about 40 mm in the general species description, and up to 55 mm in the Kimberley subspecies description.

Sexual difference: Males are generally heavier than females and have larger home ranges. Females have a skin fold rather than a true pouch.

Identification: Similar species

The black bottle-brush tail separates this species from most other small mammals likely to be encountered during clearing surveys. In south-western Western Australia, the red-tailed phascogale has reddish fur at the base of the tail rather than the uniformly black tail of the brush-tailed phascogale. The closely related northern brush-tailed phascogale occurs in the Top End and may require specialist identification in northern Australia.

Identification: Field signs and detection

Direct sightings are most likely from dusk to dawn, when animals move through rough-barked tree canopies and between trunks. They may tear bark from trees while feeding, and an alarmed animal may tap its forefeet against bark, hiss, make repeated chit-chit sounds or rattle its tail.

Nests are made from bark, feathers and fur in tree hollows, hollow limbs, rotten stumps or occasionally birds' nests. Females may use more than 20 nest sites in a year, so one empty hollow does not indicate absence. Tracks and scats are not described as reliable identification signs in the supplied sources.

Camera traps, nest boxes and arboreal hair sampling can assist detection. If these methods do not detect the species, targeted arboreal trapping may be used only with appropriate approvals and animal welfare controls.

  • Inspect mature trees, hollow limbs, nest boxes and rough-barked trunks during a daytime habitat assessment.
  • Use camera traps and nest boxes with other survey methods because detection can be difficult and natural hollows can reduce nest-box use.
  • Treat a suspected animal, nest or hair sample as unconfirmed until identified by a suitably qualified ecologist.

Distribution: National range

The species has a fragmented distribution across several parts of Australia. Records and habitat associations differ between the eastern, south-western and Kimberley forms, so project assessment should use the relevant state or regional data rather than assuming continuous occupancy.

The brush-tailed phascogale occurs in parts of Western Australia, the Northern Territory, Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia. In New South Wales it is mainly east of the Great Dividing Range, with occasional records west of the divide.

Recorded or predicted NSW bioregions include the Sydney Basin, NSW North Coast, New England Tablelands, South Eastern Highlands, South East Corner and Riverina. The species is also recorded or reported from south-eastern Queensland, northern and south-western Western Australia, southern Victoria, isolated parts of South Australia and the northern Cape York and Top End regions.

NSW distribution: Known or predicted in 9 broad regions listed by the NSW profile, including the Sydney Basin, NSW North Coast and New England Tablelands.

Indicative range: Patchy rather than continuous, with local records restricted to suitable forest, woodland, heath, swamp or rainforest habitat.

Distribution: Known strongholds and subpopulations

In south-western Western Australia, the highest reported densities occur in the Perup and Kingston area, the Collie River valley, and near Margaret River and Busselton. In the Kimberley, recent records are very sparse and include Yampi Peninsula, Mitchell Plateau and Mount Hart in the King Leopold Ranges.

The Kimberley subspecies has also been recorded historically near Broome, the Dampier Peninsula, Drysdale River and Prince Regent National Park, but it has not been detected at several formerly occupied sites despite survey effort. The species is not known to occur on Kimberley islands, although an island insurance population has been proposed.

Recent Kimberley locations: Three post-1985 locations were used in the Kimberley assessment: Yampi Peninsula, Mitchell Plateau and Mount Hart.

Kimberley post-1985 extent: Estimated extent of occurrence was 29,190 km² and area of occupancy 40 km² using post-1985 records, although area of occupancy is probably underestimated.

Distribution: Population size and trend

There is no reliable national population estimate. The Kimberley subspecies is inferred to have fewer than 10,000 mature individuals, but the evidence is limited. The available information indicates historical contraction and continuing decline in parts of the range, although the rate of decline is not established.

Kimberley survey record: Six phascogale records were obtained from 91,695 trap nights at three Yampi Peninsula sites between 1994 and 2011.

Generation length: Assumed to be one year.

Habitat: Habitat types

Brush-tailed phascogales use forests and woodlands with mature trees, rough bark, sparse to moderate ground cover and suitable hollows. Habitat requirements vary across the range, but retention of old trees and future hollow-bearing trees is a consistent site consideration.

In eastern Australia, preferred habitat includes dry sclerophyll open forest with sparse herbs, grasses, shrubs or leaf litter. The species also uses heath, swamps, rainforest and wet sclerophyll forest.

In south-western Australia, records are associated mainly with dry sclerophyll forest and open woodland containing hollow-bearing trees. In the Kimberley, likely habitat includes Eucalyptus and Corymbia woodland, tropical forest woodland and savanna woodland with old and dead trees.

Habitat: Vegetation and structure

Important structural features include mature or old-growth trees, rough-barked trunks, dead trees, hollow limbs, multiple tree hollows and connected tree canopies. Kimberley records include tall Eucalyptus miniata and Corymbia nesophila forest with 32 to 46 percent projected canopy cover and an estimated 54 hollows per hectare at one Mitchell Plateau site.

On Yampi Peninsula, detections were associated with woollybutt woodland. Kimberley records also occurred in woodlands dominated by Darwin stringybark, small-fruited bloodwood, Darwin box, rusty bloodwood, northern white gum and scarlet gum.

Mitchell Plateau canopy cover: About 32 to 46 percent projected canopy cover at one recorded site.

Mitchell Plateau hollow density: Estimated 54 tree hollows per hectare at one recorded site.

Preferred foraging trees in NSW: Rough-barked trees at least 25 cm diameter at breast height are preferred for foraging.

  • Retain mature hollow-bearing trees and dead trees where safe to do so.
  • Retain recruitment trees that can develop hollows in the future.
  • Protect connected canopy and rough-barked trees within and around the clearing footprint.

Habitat: Climate and elevation

The species occurs in humid, dry and seasonally wet environments, with reported preferred habitat receiving about 500 to 2,000 mm of annual rainfall. The supplied documents do not provide a general elevation limit. Assess habitat condition and hollow availability at any elevation within the mapped regional range.

Reported rainfall range: About 500 to 2,000 mm annually for described preferred habitat.

Foraging habitat: Diet

The brush-tailed phascogale is primarily an arboreal, opportunistic predator. It usually forages in the canopy and on trunks, where rough bark, flowers and connected branches provide food and movement routes.

The diet consists mainly of invertebrates and arthropods found on or under bark, including beetles, cockroaches, centipedes, spiders, ants and moths. Nectar is also eaten and can be an important but patchy food source. Small birds, small mammals and other small vertebrates may be taken opportunistically.

Main food: Arthropods and other invertebrates.

Additional food: Eucalyptus nectar and occasional small vertebrates.

Foraging habitat: Foraging method and habitat

Individuals tear bark from trees to reach prey and move almost exclusively among the canopy in the supplied south-western and general species accounts. The species is an agile climber and can leap up to 2 m between branches or trunks.

Foraging habitat is associated with rough-barked trees, mature woodland, tree canopies and flowering resources. Nectar may be locally concentrated and scarce, so the loss of flowering trees can reduce food availability even where some tree cover remains.

Maximum reported leap: Up to 2 m between tree branches or trunks.

Foraging range: Female home ranges are commonly 20 to 40 ha, while male home ranges may exceed 100 ha; ranges can be smaller in high-quality forest.

  • Retain rough-barked mature trees and connected canopy around the work area.
  • Avoid removing flowering Eucalyptus and Corymbia trees where they form part of occupied or potential habitat.
  • Inspect trees for bark disturbance, camera detections and other signs before clearing.

Breeding habitat: Breeding biology

Breeding depends on mature trees and secure hollows, especially for nesting females and dependent young. The breeding season is concentrated in early winter, and the annual death of most males makes local breeding failure a significant concern for isolated populations.

Mating generally occurs from May to July. Gestation lasts about 30 days, after which 3 to 8 young are born. Young remain attached to the mother's pouch area for about seven weeks and then stay in a maternal nest while the mother forages.

Both sexes can breed at one year of age. Males generally die after their first breeding season, while females may breed for two years and can live to about three years in the wild, although many females produce only one litter.

Mating season: Generally May to July, with a mating period of about three weeks in some localities.

Litter size: 3 to 8 young; an average of 6.4 is reported in one secondary source.

Gestation: About 29 to 30 days.

Age at maturity: Both sexes can breed at one year of age.

Young in pouch area: About seven weeks.

Dependent nest period: Young may remain in the nest until about five months of age.

Lifespan: Females may live to about three years in the wild; males generally die after the first breeding season.

Breeding habitat: Breeding habitat features

Lactating females prefer large tree cavities with small entrances. Nesting females may use many different hollows during the year, so a breeding site can include several trees rather than one permanent den.

Suitable breeding habitat includes mature and dead trees, hollow limbs, rotten stumps and nearby canopy that allows the female to leave the nest to feed. Fire, clearing and removal of old trees can remove both nest sites and food sources.

  • Treat all suitable hollow-bearing trees as potential breeding habitat during May to November.
  • Retain a buffer around active or suspected nest trees where practicable and avoid vibration, lighting and noisy work near them during the dependent young period.
  • Install species-appropriate nest boxes only as a supplementary measure, not as a substitute for retaining natural hollows.

Sheltering habitat: Hollows and nest sites

Daytime shelter is mainly in tree hollows, although the species can use several types of enclosed or covered nest site. Shelter availability is often limiting because suitable hollows take many years to form.

The species shelters in tree hollows during the day. Nest sites include hollow tree limbs, standing tree hollows, rotten stumps and occasionally birds' nests. Nest entrances used by the species are reported at about 2.5 to 4 cm wide.

Individuals may use more than 20 nest sites across a year. Natural hollows are particularly important for lactating females, which prefer large cavities with small entrances.

Reported hollow entrance: About 2.5 to 4 cm wide.

Annual nest-site use: More than 20 nest sites may be used by one individual during a year.

Nest material: Bark, feathers and fur.

  • Retain live hollow-bearing trees, standing dead trees, fallen hollow limbs where they are safe to retain, and trees likely to develop hollows.
  • Before felling, inspect hollow-bearing trees for animals, nesting material, hair, odour and other evidence of use.
  • Where a hollow tree must be removed, seek advice on staged removal, fauna inspection and any approved relocation or artificial hollow measures.

Sheltering habitat: Survey and handling considerations

The species is difficult to detect with conventional ground-based trapping. Camera traps, nest boxes and arboreal hair sampling can improve detection, and targeted arboreal trapping may be considered where licensed and approved.

Nest boxes are less likely to be occupied where natural hollows are abundant. The Australian threatened mammal survey guidance identifies the brush-tailed phascogale as a species that can use nest boxes and recommends using this method with other survey techniques.

  • Do not assume that an absence of animals from a daytime hollow inspection means the tree is unused.
  • Use qualified fauna handlers for any animal found during tree removal or demolition of a known shelter.
  • Record hollow entrance size, height, tree species, tree condition and evidence of use for each retained or affected tree.

Threats: Clearing and fragmentation

The main project risks are removal of hollow-bearing trees, loss of connected canopy, predation after habitat disturbance and fire that removes hollows and food. Risk is highest where works affect isolated habitat or occur while females have pouch young or dependent nest young.

Clearing, logging, mining and infrastructure works can remove mature trees, hollow limbs, nest sites and foraging habitat. Fragmentation can isolate populations and reduce movement between female territories and breeding areas.

Because female territories commonly cover 20 to 40 ha and male territories may exceed 100 ha, small retained patches may not provide all resources needed by an individual.

Typical female territory: About 20 to 40 ha, with broader reported values of 20 to 70 ha.

Typical male territory: Often greater than 100 ha.

  • Retain mature and dead hollow-bearing trees, recruitment trees and canopy links within the project area.
  • Keep retained habitat connected where practicable and avoid creating isolated tree remnants surrounded by cleared ground.
  • Stage clearing so that fauna inspections, hollow checks and relocation procedures occur before each clearing front is opened.

Threats: Fire and altered habitat

Extensive, high-intensity fires can reduce tree hollows, canopy cover and nectar availability. Fire can also reduce ground and lower-canopy cover, increasing exposure to predators. Changed fire frequency is identified as a threat in northern Australia and may limit hollow availability.

  • Avoid high-intensity burns through occupied or potential hollow-bearing woodland.
  • Protect retained trees and nest sites from construction-related fire, hot works and fuel reduction activities.
  • Use fire planning that maintains a varied age structure and protects old trees and hollow-bearing habitat.

Threats: Predators, competitors and disease

Feral cats and foxes prey on brush-tailed phascogales, particularly when animals are weakened during breeding or food shortages. Feral honeybees may compete for hollows, as may possums, bats, carpet pythons and hollow-nesting birds. Cane toad poisoning is a possible threat in northern Australia, although direct evidence for the Kimberley subspecies is lacking.

  • Control feral cats and foxes where effective control is feasible and reinvasion can be managed.
  • Inspect retained hollows and nest boxes for feral honeybees before they become unavailable to phascogales.
  • Prevent construction activities from creating food, shelter or access conditions that increase feral predator activity.

Threats: Roads and hydrology

The supplied documents do not quantify road mortality or identify road construction as a separate major threat for this species. Roads can nevertheless remove habitat, divide territories and increase access for predators, so road alignments should avoid mature hollow-bearing woodland where practicable.

No species-specific evidence is provided for hydrology change as a primary threat. Swamps and gullies can support larger animals and better food resources in some regions, so drainage, dewatering and changes to wet forest should be assessed as potential habitat loss rather than treated as neutral.

  • Check road corridors for hollow-bearing trees, canopy continuity and known or potential movement routes before finalising the alignment.
  • Avoid draining or filling swamp, gully and wet forest habitat used for foraging or refuge.
  • Include predator access and road edge effects in the site risk assessment where habitat is fragmented by new infrastructure.

Survey methodology: 1. Habitat inspection and daytime searches

Survey for brush-tailed phascogales must account for their nocturnal, mostly arboreal behaviour, low density and use of multiple tree hollows. A single negative survey does not demonstrate absence, particularly where suitable hollow-bearing woodland remains.

Map and inspect dry sclerophyll forest, open woodland, heath, swamp, rainforest and wet sclerophyll forest that contain mature or dead trees with hollows.

Give priority to rough-barked trees at least 25 cm DBH, hollow-bearing trees, dead trees, hollow limbs, rotten stumps and areas with sparse groundcover.

Record tree hollows, hollow entrances, fallen timber, dense vegetation, likely movement routes and adjoining retained habitat before selecting survey points.

Activity period: Mainly dusk to dawn

Typical female home range: About 20 to 40 ha, with some sources reporting 20 to 70 ha

Typical male home range: Often greater than 100 ha

  • Inspect the full proposed disturbance area and connected retained habitat during the day before deploying detection equipment.
  • Treat suitable habitat between known records as potentially occupied because the species has low detectability and may be missed by standard trapping.

Survey methodology: 2. Camera trapping

Use motion-triggered cameras at baited stations, including arboreal stations where access and safety allow, because the species forages mainly in the canopy and may not enter conventional traps readily.

Place cameras near rough-barked trees, hollow-bearing trees, likely climbing routes, nest hollows and other signs of arboreal activity.

Run cameras overnight and retain them for a period that is appropriate to the site risk and project survey design, recording the number of cameras, deployment dates, camera height, bait and operating nights.

Recent Kimberley example: Targeted camera trapping recorded images on 3 of 8 cameras over 4 weeks

Guideline position: Camera traps are recommended as a standard method for arboreal mammals, but species-specific effort is not established for all threatened mammals

  • Use camera trapping with other methods rather than relying on one technique.
  • Use cooler night conditions where possible because infrared sensors perform better at cooler ambient temperatures and are less consistent in warm conditions.
  • Review images for the black bottle-brush tail, grey upperparts, pale underside, large bare ears and arboreal movement.

Survey methodology: 3. Nest boxes and hollow surveys

Use nest boxes as a supplementary detection method where natural hollows are scarce or where the project will remove hollow-bearing trees.

For this 110 to 235 g species, install boxes above 2 m, with a narrow entrance suited to the species. The NSW profile records natural hollow entrances of about 2.5 to 4 cm.

Use at least 5 nest boxes per hectare where nest boxes are selected as a survey method, and inspect each box on at least two visits.

Check boxes during the day for occupation, nesting material, fur, scats and other signs, and inspect natural hollows with care so that animals are not trapped or exposed.

General nest-box density in the guideline: At least 5 boxes per hectare

Recommended height for medium-sized mammals: Above 2 m

Species body mass: About 110 to 235 g

  • Do not treat nest boxes as a replacement for camera traps or other standard techniques.
  • Expect lower nest-box occupation where forests contain abundant natural hollows.
  • Record box dimensions, entrance diameter, height, location, installation date and every inspection result.

Survey methodology: 4. Spotlighting and arboreal trapping

Conduct spotlighting from dusk into the night along access tracks, retained forest edges, tree lines and suitable woodland, with repeated coverage where the project risk warrants it.

Record start and finish times, observers, route length or area searched, weather, moon conditions, wind, rain, canopy visibility and all detections or non-detections.

If other methods do not detect the species, consider a licensed arboreal trapping program using modified arboreal Elliott traps, subject to approval by the relevant Western Australian authority where applicable.

Use the recommended peanut butter, honey and rolled oats bait, with chopped bacon or sardines considered only where permitted and appropriate.

Breeding period: Generally May to July, with local variation

Gestation: About 30 days

Typical litter size: 3 to 8 young

  • Do not rely on ground-based spotlighting alone because the species forages almost exclusively in the canopy.
  • Use trapping only under an approved animal ethics, wildlife permit and project fauna management procedure.
  • Stop trapping during unsafe weather, excessive heat or conditions that increase animal welfare risk.

Survey methodology: Minimum effort and reporting

  • Use a combination of habitat inspection, camera trapping and spotlighting, adding nest boxes or licensed arboreal trapping where detection risk remains high.
  • Set out the survey area, dates, nights, hours, trap nights, camera nights, box numbers, search routes, weather and observers in the report.
  • Report every confirmed record with coordinates, date, time, detection method, photographs where available, habitat description and whether the animal was adult, juvenile, male or female.
  • Submit records to the relevant state wildlife database and to the project approval authority where required.
  • Report a non-detection with the same level of detail as a detection, including the methods used and their effort.

Before habitat disturbance: Avoid and minimise habitat loss

Plan the project around the species' dependence on mature trees, hollows and connected woodland. The Kimberley form is known from very few recent locations, while the species elsewhere occurs in patchy habitat and at low densities.

Redesign the disturbance footprint to retain mature and dead Eucalyptus and Corymbia trees, especially trees with multiple hollows or small entrances.

Retain rough-barked trees at least 25 cm DBH, hollow-bearing trees, recruitment trees and adjoining dry sclerophyll or open woodland wherever practicable.

Retain connected groups of trees and vegetation between occupied or suitable areas because habitat fragmentation can isolate populations and impede genetic exchange.

Do not clear hollow-bearing trees merely because no animal was detected during a survey.

  • Mark retained trees, hollow-bearing trees, movement routes and no-go areas before machinery enters the site.
  • Keep stockpiles, access tracks, lighting and temporary works outside retained habitat where practicable.
  • Avoid isolating a small patch of suitable woodland from larger retained areas.

Before habitat disturbance: Approvals and project planning

Confirm whether the proposed action may affect the nationally listed brush-tailed phascogale or a relevant subspecies, and obtain advice on whether an EPBC Act referral is required.

Check the current wildlife legislation, threatened species listing and scientific permit requirements in the state or territory where the work will occur.

Prepare a fauna management plan that identifies survey results, habitat to be retained, authorised fauna personnel, clearing controls, release sites, injury response and stop-work triggers.

Plan works outside the main May to July mating period where practicable, and avoid periods when females may be lactating or young are dependent if the risk assessment identifies that timing as practicable.

  • Include a staged clearing sequence so that retained habitat remains available while each work area is checked and cleared.
  • Specify who can inspect hollows, direct machinery, handle animals and approve a restart after a stop-work event.
  • Include contact details for the project ecologist, wildlife carer, veterinarian, relevant regulator and database custodian.

Before habitat disturbance: Pre-clearance preparation

Complete a pre-clearance inspection immediately before works, including a targeted search of trees, hollows, canopy routes, fallen timber and other suitable shelter features.

Mark each hollow-bearing tree and any tree or structure requiring staged removal, fauna inspection or specialist dismantling.

Install exclusion fencing around retained habitat and marked trees where fencing will not create a barrier to animal movement or cause entrapment.

Brief all workers on the species' appearance, nocturnal activity, arboreal behaviour, likely habitat and the procedure for a detection.

  • Do not use exclusion fencing in a way that traps an animal inside the work area or blocks access to retained habitat.
  • Confirm that cameras, nest boxes or other monitoring equipment have been checked and removed or retained under the fauna management plan before clearing.
  • Inspect the work area again after strong winds, fire or other events that may alter tree stability or animal shelter.

During habitat disturbance: Daily controls and machinery coordination

Clear slowly and under the direction of the fauna spotter catcher or supervising ecologist. The species may be in a tree hollow during the day and may not be visible from the ground.

Conduct a daily pre-start inspection of the work area and confirm that the fauna spotter catcher, machine operator and supervisor understand the day's exclusion zones and clearing sequence.

Keep machinery outside the exclusion zone until the spotter catcher has inspected the next tree, hollow or habitat feature and given a clear direction to proceed.

Use staged clearing, starting with low-risk vegetation and retaining escape routes to nearby suitable habitat.

Avoid night works in suitable habitat unless they are specifically assessed and managed, because the species is active from dusk to dawn.

  • Stop machinery immediately when the spotter catcher signals, reports an animal, identifies an uninspected hollow or loses visual control of the clearing face.
  • Never allow machinery to push, drop or crush a marked hollow-bearing tree without the approved staged-clearing procedure.
  • Maintain communication between the machine operator, spotter catcher and site supervisor throughout each tree removal.

During habitat disturbance: Hollows, logs and other habitat features

Inspect hollow-bearing trees and hollow limbs before felling, and use staged or sectional dismantling where this reduces the risk of injuring an animal.

Retain felled hollow limbs, logs and other shelter features within nearby suitable retained habitat where safe and consistent with the approved plan.

Check the ground, tree canopy, hollow openings, logs, stumps and dense vegetation after each removal and before machinery moves into the area.

Protect retained wetlands, swamp margins, heath and wet or dry forest patches from sediment, spoil, fire and unnecessary vehicle access.

  • Place relocated habitat features in a stable position that preserves hollow access and does not expose an animal to machinery, predators or excessive heat.
  • Do not seal, burn, chip or remove a hollow until the authorised fauna worker has completed the inspection and cleared it.
  • Treat an occupied hollow as a stop-work area until the animal has been safely managed.

During habitat disturbance: Animal response and stop-work triggers

If a brush-tailed phascogale is found, stop work around the detection and keep workers, vehicles and dogs away from the animal.

Allow the animal to move into nearby retained habitat where safe, or have it captured, examined and relocated only by a person authorised under the project plan and applicable permit.

Use a suitable ventilated container, minimise handling and heat exposure, and do not attempt treatment in the field.

Send an injured, cold, dehydrated or orphaned animal to an appropriate veterinarian or licensed wildlife carer as soon as practicable.

  • Stop work if an animal is detected, if a dependent young animal is found, if an occupied hollow is identified, or if the spotter catcher cannot safely inspect the next clearing feature.
  • Do not release an animal into isolated vegetation, an active work zone or habitat without suitable hollows and cover.
  • Record the detection, exact location, time, condition, sex or age if known, action taken, release location and names of authorised personnel.
  • Restart work only after the fauna spotter catcher and site supervisor confirm that the stop-work trigger has been resolved.

After habitat disturbance: Post-clearance checks

Post-clearance work must confirm that animals and habitat features have not been missed and that retained habitat remains usable. Continue controls until the site is stable and the approval conditions are met.

Inspect the cleared area, retained tree bases, felled hollow sections, logs, stumps and adjacent vegetation after each clearing stage.

Search for live animals, injured animals, carcasses, fur, nests, scats, tracks and signs of hollow occupation.

Recheck retained habitat after machinery demobilisation and after any accidental impact to a marked tree, hollow or exclusion fence.

  • Keep a fauna spotter catcher available for the period specified in the fauna management plan, particularly where clearing occurred in suitable hollow-bearing woodland.
  • Repair or replace damaged exclusion fencing and remove hazards such as open trenches, pipes and uncovered pits.
  • Escalate any late detection or injury to the project ecologist and relevant regulator in accordance with approval conditions.

After habitat disturbance: Monitoring and reporting

Monitor retained habitat and any release sites with cameras, nest boxes or spotlighting where the project risk assessment identifies a need for post-work monitoring.

Compare post-work detections with pre-clearance records, noting changes in tree hollows, canopy cover, ground cover, habitat connectivity and predator activity.

Report all confirmed records and translocations to the relevant state wildlife database and include them in the project completion report.

  • Record the number and condition of retained hollow-bearing trees and any replacement nest boxes at project completion.
  • Document all fauna incidents, stop-work events, injuries, mortalities, releases, veterinary outcomes and corrective actions.
  • Retain photographs, coordinates, survey data and clearance logs with the project environmental records.

After habitat disturbance: Maintain controls and offsets

Maintain no-go areas, fencing, tree protection, weed controls and erosion controls for the period set by the approval or fauna management plan.

Replace failed nest boxes and repair damaged retained habitat features where they form part of the approved mitigation.

Where residual impacts remain, apply the approved offset or other compensatory measure and ensure it protects suitable hollow-bearing woodland rather than isolated vegetation alone.

  • Review the management plan if monitoring shows declining use, repeated predator activity, loss of hollows or failure of relocated animals to persist.
  • Do not remove temporary controls until the project ecologist confirms that the site no longer presents a fauna hazard.
  • Use monitoring results to refine future clearing stages and rehabilitation actions.

Rehabilitation actions: Rebuild suitable woodland

Rehabilitation should rebuild connected, hollow-bearing woodland and reduce the threats identified for the species. Hollow development is slow, so existing mature and dead trees must be retained wherever possible and replacement structures should be used where appropriate.

Plant locally appropriate Eucalyptus and Corymbia species that match the pre-clearing woodland and provide future rough-barked, hollow-bearing trees.

Use a mix of canopy, mid-storey and ground-layer plants to restore dry sclerophyll or open woodland structure, while retaining open movement routes where they are part of the local habitat.

Reconnect retained woodland patches with continuous or stepping-stone vegetation where practicable, particularly where clearing has isolated suitable habitat.

Protect new plantings from browsing, vehicle damage, weeds, fire and excessive competition until they are established.

  • Use local provenance seed or tubestock where required by the approval or rehabilitation plan.
  • Do not rely on newly planted trees to replace mature hollows in the short term.
  • Measure survival, canopy development, weed cover and continuity between retained habitat patches.

Rehabilitation actions: Replace lost hollows and shelter

Retain and reinstate suitable hollow limbs, logs and dead timber from the clearing area in nearby safe locations.

Install insulated nest boxes or artificial hollows where hollow-bearing trees have been removed and the technique is included in the approved plan.

Use nest boxes with narrow entrances suited to this species, place them above 2 m and inspect them on at least two visits when monitoring occupation.

Record box condition, entrance size, height, location, occupation and maintenance actions.

Natural hollow entrance recorded for the species: About 2.5 to 4 cm

Nest-box height for medium-sized mammals: Above 2 m

General nest-box survey density: At least 5 boxes per hectare

  • Place replacement boxes in or beside retained woodland rather than exposed open ground.
  • Keep natural hollow recruitment trees and standing dead trees wherever they are safe to retain.
  • Treat an unoccupied box as a monitoring result, not proof that the habitat is unsuitable.

Rehabilitation actions: Manage predators, fire and weeds

Control feral cats and foxes where effective control is possible and reinvasion can be managed, prioritising retained habitat, release sites and known or detected populations.

Use a fire regime that maintains woodland structure, tree hollows, ground cover and food resources, and avoid extensive high-intensity fire through occupied or suitable habitat.

Assess the effect of fire management on hollow availability, nectar resources, canopy cover and shelter before applying prescribed fire near retained habitat.

Control weeds and maintain leaf litter, fallen timber and dense local ground cover where these features form part of the rehabilitated habitat.

  • Coordinate fire planning with the land manager and relevant Indigenous ranger groups where they manage the site.
  • Monitor cat activity, fire impacts, hollow condition and phascogale detections after rehabilitation.
  • Investigate cane toad impacts in northern Australia where research or monitoring identifies a risk.

Rehabilitation actions: Success measures and review

Set success measures for tree and shrub survival, retained and replacement hollow numbers, nest-box condition, habitat connectivity, weed cover, predator activity and confirmed phascogale use.

Use repeated camera trapping, nest-box inspections and spotlighting to assess whether the rehabilitated area is being used over time.

Review rehabilitation if monitoring finds no use despite suitable habitat, repeated predation, loss of hollows, failed plant establishment or continued isolation from retained woodland.

  • Report monitoring effort as camera nights, box inspections, spotlighting hours, search area and dates.
  • Keep rehabilitation and monitoring records with the project environmental file and submit required records to the relevant state wildlife database.
  • Continue monitoring for the period specified in the approval, offset plan or fauna management plan.

Sources