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Central Marsupial Mole (Notoryctes typhlops)

The Central Marsupial Mole is a small, blind, wholly fossorial marsupial of the sandy deserts of central and western Australia. On works sites, its backfilled tunnels can occur below dunes, sandplains and sandy river flats, even when the animal is not seen. It is profiled as an EVNT species, with a Rare equivalent listing in South Australia and Priority 4 status in Western Australia, so avoid disturbance and obtain state or territory advice before clearing or excavation.

Conservation status

Western Australia, WA Threatened and Priority Fauna List: Near threatened. Priority 4 (rare, near threatened) on the Western Australian priority fauna list. Priority species are not listed under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 but should be considered in assessments.

Breeding season

The Central Marsupial Mole is poorly known, and no defined breeding season has been recorded for Australia. Treat underground activity and potential breeding as possible in every month, with local timing likely to vary with rainfall, soil conditions and region.

Breeding mode: Marsupial. Young are born and raised in the female's posteriorly opening pouch.

Litter size: One or two young have been recorded.

Gestation: Not recorded.

Weaning and independence: Young are raised to independence in the pouch, but the weaning period is not recorded.

Age at maturity: Not recorded.

Breeding sites: Not recorded. No nest, maternity chamber, colony or other breeding structure has been described.

Breeding frequency: Not recorded.

Rainfall, soil moisture, local habitat and regional form may alter detectability and activity between years, so repeat surveys and local Traditional Owner and experienced tracker knowledge should guide timing.

  • Breeding and births: No month can be identified as a breeding peak, so breeding timing should be treated as unknown rather than absent.
  • Dependent young in pouch: Dependent young may occur in any month because the duration of pouch dependence and seasonal breeding pattern are not recorded.
  • Underground activity and foraging: The species spends virtually all of its time underground, moving through backfilled tunnels in search of prey.
  • Surface activity after rain or during cold weather: Occasional surface activity has been recorded after heavy rain or during cold weather, and may indicate stress rather than normal activity.
  • Highest clearing risk: For an EVNT species, including the Western Australian Priority 4 listing, clearing and construction should be managed as a year round risk because animals, tunnels and dependent young may be present at any time.

Identification: Appearance and size

The Central Marsupial Mole is a distinctive small mammal adapted to moving through loose sand. It is rarely seen above ground, so identification on a works site will usually depend on tracks, surface disturbance or moleholes exposed in a carefully dug trench.

The body is short, cylindrical and tubular, with a cone-shaped head that merges into the body. There is no obvious neck. The fur is short, dense and silky, ranging from pale cream to golden or reddish brown. Sand and iron compounds can stain the coat red.

The eyes are hidden beneath the skin and there are no external ear pinnae. The nose has a hard, heavily keratinised shield. The forefeet are short and powerful, with large shovel-like claws on the third and fourth digits. The tail is short, ringed and ends in a horny knob.

Body form: Small, tubular and strongly adapted for burrowing

Colour: Pale cream, golden or reddish brown

  • Head and body length up to 140 mm.
  • Weight about 30 to 60 g.
  • Female and male both have a pouch opening towards the rear.

Identification: Calls and similar species

There is no reliable call or echolocation feature used to find this species. It spends virtually all of its time underground.

The main similar species is the Northern Marsupial Mole, Notoryctes caurinus, also called Kakarratul or Karrkaratul. The two forms are difficult to separate in the field. Tracks may differ, but suspected records near areas of possible overlap should be photographed and checked by an experienced specialist. Hair or tissue samples may be needed for genetic identification.

  • Do not identify a molehole to species from its shape alone.
  • Tunnels cannot reliably distinguish the Central Marsupial Mole from the Northern Marsupial Mole.

Identification: Field signs

The main sign is a molehole, which is an old, sand-filled tunnel exposed in a trench wall. A suitable molehole is rounded, symmetrical, continuous and filled with sand, with little or no airspace. At least two thirds of the circumference should be visible. It should not flatten, disappear or reduce in size when gently rubbed.

Surface signs can include distinctive tracks, craters where an animal has entered the sand and raised lines from shallow burrowing. Tracks may show a zigzag tail mark and broken limb marks. Wind, rain and other animals can quickly reduce the reliability of surface signs.

Typical tunnel sign: Rounded, symmetrical, sand-filled and usually larger than 25 mm

Trench detection: Signs are clearer after the exposed sand has dried for about 3 to 5 days

  • Treat suspected moleholes as positive records until checked.
  • Photograph the entire trench wall and close views of each suspected sign.
  • Do not handle or excavate further if a live mole is found. Stop work and seek fauna advice.

Distribution: States and regions

The Central Marsupial Mole occurs across sandy desert country in central Australia. Records are scattered and often imprecise, and the species can be confused with the Northern Marsupial Mole, so an absence of records does not demonstrate absence from a site.

The confirmed distribution includes the Northern Territory, South Australia and Western Australia. The range broadly follows sandy soils and non-coastal aeolian dune systems.

In the Northern Territory, records include the Tanami Desert, the Finke region, the Simpson and Strzelecki Dunefields, Barrow Creek, Hermannsburg, Watarrka, Uluru, Andado and Deep Well. In South Australia, records include the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands, the Great Victoria Desert, Ooldea, Lake Everard, Granite Downs, Mintabie, Wilgena Station near Tarcoola, the western Simpson Desert and areas near Innamincka.

  • Western Australian records are associated with the Great Victoria Desert, Gibson Desert, Central Ranges and the Warburton area.
  • The species may occur in other suitable sandy country in north eastern South Australia and south western Western Australia.

Distribution: Range uncertainty

The northern and southern forms of Notoryctes typhlops are provisionally recognised, with an area of possible overlap around the MacDonnell Ranges and the South Australian border. The boundary with Notoryctes caurinus is also uncertain in parts of Western Australia and the Tanami Desert.

There are no confirmed records from Queensland or New South Wales in the material reviewed, although suitable habitat and unconfirmed reports occur near south western Queensland and the eastern Simpson Desert.

  • Use local Traditional Owner knowledge when planning surveys.
  • Check recent state and territory records before finalising a site assessment.
  • Treat old locality records cautiously, as some specimens may have originated 50 to 100 km from the recorded location.

Distribution: Protection and site planning

The species is profiled as an EVNT species. In South Australia it has a Rare equivalent listing. In Western Australia it is listed as Priority 4, a non statutory category for rare or near threatened species that need monitoring.

For proposed clearing, roads, trenching or earthworks in suitable sandy habitat, arrange a targeted assessment before disturbance. Retain records of all signs, including negative survey results, and refer confirmed or suspected records to the relevant wildlife authority and an experienced marsupial mole specialist.

Mapped states and territories: Northern Territory, South Australia and Western Australia

Western Australia status: Priority 4

  • The Central Marsupial Mole is not known to occur in Tasmania, despite the use of Rare as a threatened species category there.
  • Listing levels differ between jurisdictions. Apply the highest relevant approval, referral and survey requirement for the project location.

Habitat: Landforms and soils

Look for soft, deep sand that can be tunnelled easily. The best habitat is usually associated with dunes and swales, but sandy plains and river flats can also support signs where loose sand is present.

Prioritise aeolian sand dunes, sand ridges, sandy plains and sandy river flats. Dune crests and slopes often show more backfilled tunnels than hard ground at the base. Deep sand in swales may also be used, but hard or loamy substrates are generally unsuitable for tunnelling.

The species has been recorded in sandy country near the Finke River and in extensive desert dunefields. Potential habitat can therefore occur outside mapped dunes where loose sand has accumulated.

  • Soft, loose and deep sand.
  • Dune crests, slopes and vegetated swales.
  • Riverine dunes, sandy floodplains and sandy flats.
  • Avoid assuming that hard packed or loamy areas are suitable.

Habitat: Vegetation and habitat condition

Well vegetated dunes are commonly associated with underground signs. Look for spinifex, including Triodia and Plectrachne species, with acacias, mallee or other desert shrubs.

Signs have also been recorded in mallee patches with an open spinifex understorey and in some Desert Oak settings. Vegetation type alone is not diagnostic. Soil texture and the presence of loose sand are more useful when screening a site.

  • Spinifex hummocks and patches.
  • Acacia and other shrub covered dunes.
  • Mallee with open Triodia understorey.
  • Desert Oak on or near sandy dunes.

Habitat: Site screening for works

During the first site walk, map all dunes, sand ridges, sandy flats and riverine sand. Mark areas where vehicles, stock or construction equipment could compact the substrate.

Where suitable habitat is present, plan a targeted mole trench survey before clearing. Include dune crests, mid slopes and bases, and include sandy areas without obvious dunes where local knowledge indicates that moles occur.

  • Use existing access routes where practicable.
  • Keep heavy vehicles and laydown areas off loose sandy habitat.
  • Engage Traditional Owners and local trackers early in the assessment.

Foraging habitat: Prey and feeding signs

The Central Marsupial Mole forages below the surface, usually about 20 to 60 cm deep, while backfilling the sand behind it. Its diet is poorly understood, but it is largely insectivorous and depends on productive sandy soils.

Recorded prey includes ant larvae, sawfly larvae, beetles, beetle larvae and cossid moth larvae. Spiders, centipedes and geckoes have also been recorded, including in captivity. Ants, termites and beetle larvae are commonly cited in field profiles.

Feeding activity is not usually visible as a separate sign. Backfilled tunnels are the main indication of movement and likely foraging below ground.

  • Do not open tunnels to look for prey or follow a tunnel with machinery.
  • Record the location and density of moleholes as activity evidence, not as a direct count of animals.

Foraging habitat: Foraging habitat on a work site

Search loose sand on dune slopes and crests, vegetated swales and sandy plains. Sandy river flats can also be relevant, especially where aeolian sand or riverine dunes are present.

Hard loam between dunes is less likely to be used. However, habitat boundaries can be gradual, so avoid drawing a narrow exclusion line around only the most obvious dune features.

  • Map changes in substrate across the site.
  • Give particular attention to well vegetated dunes and areas with recent or persistent molehole signs.
  • Consider prey habitat and soil condition when assessing fire, grazing or compaction impacts.

Foraging habitat: Survey approach

The most useful survey method is to expose a vertical wall of sand and inspect it for rounded, sand-filled tunnels. A standard trench is about 80 cm deep, 120 cm long and 40 cm wide. It should be dug by hand or with extreme care, without mechanical excavation in sensitive areas.

On a dune, place trenches near the crest, mid slope and base, with the three locations less than 1 km apart where the site layout allows. Leave the trench to dry for about 3 to 5 days before inspection, because signs can be difficult to see in damp sand.

Usual movement depth: About 20 to 60 cm below the ground surface

Indicative sign density: About 2 to 6 tunnels per square metre of suitable vertical trench face has been reported

  • Avoid digging during or immediately after rain.
  • Smooth the inspection wall and inspect it carefully in good light.
  • Photograph and retain examples of suspected signs for expert confirmation.
  • Backfill trenches safely after inspection and minimise vegetation and root disturbance.

Breeding habitat: What to expect

Breeding biology is poorly known. The species has a rear opening pouch, and available records indicate one or two young, but no reliable breeding season or specific maternity habitat has been established.

There are no described nests, colonies, maternity chambers or above ground breeding structures. The animal appears to raise young while living and moving through subterranean sandy habitat.

Do not assume that a site is free of breeding activity because no young or adults are seen. A breeding animal is unlikely to be detected during ordinary clearing inspections.

Young: One or two young are reported

Breeding season: Not established

  • Treat suitable loose sandy habitat as potentially supporting breeding animals throughout the year.
  • Avoid opening or collapsing sand layers unnecessarily.
  • Stop hand excavation if a live animal or pouch young is encountered and seek specialist advice.

Breeding habitat: Works controls

Where clearing or construction cannot avoid suitable habitat, use a staged approach. Complete targeted survey and habitat mapping first, then confine disturbance to the smallest practicable footprint.

Keep fauna spotter catchers alert to surface animals after rain or during cold conditions. An animal on the surface may be stressed and should not be chased or handled unless directed by a licensed wildlife professional.

  • Schedule earthworks to avoid wet, unstable trench conditions where practicable.
  • Use hand methods around suspected moleholes and areas of high sign density.
  • Maintain a clear stop work procedure for live fauna and newly discovered signs.

Sheltering habitat: Subterranean habitat

The Central Marsupial Mole spends nearly all of its time underground. It does not appear to use a conventional open burrow, nest or hollow. Instead, it moves through sand and backfills the passage behind it.

Look for deep, loose sand in dunes, swales, sandy plains and river flats. Backfilled tunnels may persist for several years, although rainfall, soil moisture, wind and animal activity affect how long signs remain visible.

Moleholes can represent activity from an earlier period, so they should not be treated as a direct measure of the number of animals currently present.

  • Do not regard an apparently old molehole as insignificant.
  • Record the condition of each sign and the surrounding soil moisture.
  • Interpret repeated monitoring results using consistent observers and methods.

Sheltering habitat: Protection during excavation

Use the least disturbing survey method that will answer the project question. Avoid mechanical trenching in suspected habitat. If a trench is required, dig cautiously, keep the inspection wall smooth and stop immediately if a live animal is found.

Protect nearby dunes, spinifex and shrub cover from unnecessary vehicle movement. Place access tracks, compounds and spoil outside areas with loose sand wherever practicable.

  • Fence or mark sensitive habitat before earthworks begin.
  • Keep workers and vehicles on defined routes.
  • Prevent spoil, wash water and sediment from filling or compacting sandy habitat.
  • Reinstate hand dug survey trenches after inspection.

Sheltering habitat: Live animal response

A Central Marsupial Mole found above ground or during excavation should be treated as a significant fauna observation. Keep people and vehicles back, provide shade if safe to do so, and contact the project ecologist or relevant wildlife authority for direction.

Do not attempt to identify the animal by dissection, force it back into a tunnel or move it long distances. Record the location, time, weather, substrate and photographs from a safe distance.

  • Stop work in the immediate area.
  • Minimise handling and noise.
  • Use only licensed fauna personnel for capture, assessment or release.

Threats: Clearing and earthworks

The main risks on works sites are loss of sandy habitat, compaction and disturbance of the soil layer used for movement. Because the species is difficult to detect, controls should be applied before clearing where suitable habitat is present.

Roads, pads, borrow pits, trenches and infrastructure can remove dunes, sandplains and riverine sand. Cut and fill can also divide or bury suitable substrate.

Avoid clearing suitable sandy habitat where practicable. Keep the construction footprint tight, retain connected dunes and sandy swales, and use existing disturbed areas for compounds and access.

  • Complete habitat mapping before finalising the footprint.
  • Mark no go areas before machinery arrives.
  • Use a stop work and escalation process for suspected moleholes or live animals.

Threats: Compaction and vehicle access

Stock, cattle, camels, rabbits and vehicles can compact loose sand. Compaction may reduce the ability of moles to tunnel and can alter the invertebrate prey community.

Restrict traffic to defined routes and avoid repeated passes across dunes and sandy flats. Do not use loose sandy habitat for parking, laydown or turning unless approved controls are in place.

  • Use existing tracks where possible.
  • Keep heavy plant off dune crests and vegetated swales.
  • Repair accidental off route vehicle damage and monitor rehabilitation.

Threats: Predators and altered fire or grazing regimes

Foxes and cats prey on marsupial moles, particularly when animals surface. Dingoes may also take animals above ground. Clearing and linear corridors can increase predator movement through habitat.

Changed fire regimes and grazing can alter spinifex, shrub cover, soil condition and invertebrate prey. Manage fire and grazing to retain a mosaic of well vegetated sandy habitat, using local ecological and Traditional Owner knowledge.

  • Do not create unnecessary cleared corridors through dune systems.
  • Incorporate feral predator and grazing controls into the broader site management plan.
  • Avoid interpreting a recent fire or grazing impact from sign counts alone.

Threats: Survey and monitoring limits

A lack of moleholes or surface tracks does not prove that the species is absent. Signs can be obscured by wet soil, wind and sand movement, and old tunnels can persist for years.

For higher risk projects, use repeated surveys at the same sites and consistent trench methods. Survey before and after major management actions, and have suspected signs checked by an experienced marsupial mole specialist.

  • Survey early in the morning for surface tracks.
  • Avoid windy conditions and surveys immediately after rain.
  • Use regular repeat surveys, such as before the wet or hot season and in the early dry or cool period, where a monitoring program is required.
  • Record survey effort, soil condition, weather, trench position and observer experience.

Survey methodology: 1. Desktop assessment

The Central Marsupial Mole is almost entirely subterranean and is rarely seen during standard fauna searches. Survey effort should focus on backfilled tunnels, surface tracks and suitable soft sand, with advice from an experienced marsupial mole tracker and Traditional Owners.

Map dunes, sandplains, sandy river flats, riverine dunes and adjacent swales before planning works.

Identify areas with deep, loose sand, shrubs and spinifex. Exclude hard-packed or loamy ground from assumptions about habitat absence.

Review museum records, local ecological knowledge, previous trench surveys and nearby records. Treat locality information cautiously because some historical records are spatially imprecise.

Check whether the project occurs within the confirmed range in Western Australia, South Australia or the Northern Territory, or within an area of possible occurrence in adjoining desert country.

Survey methodology: 2. Surface searches and track surveys

Search dunes, swales and sandy flats in the early morning, before wind and heat reduce track definition.

Do not survey immediately after rain. Allow the surface to dry and avoid periods of strong wind.

Record tracks, tail marks, small craters, shallow surface uplift and other fresh signs. Photograph tracks with a scale and include the direction of travel.

Use an experienced tracker to distinguish marsupial mole signs from those of small reptiles and other animals. Surface signs alone should not be used for species identification where Central and Northern Marsupial Mole ranges may overlap.

Survey methodology: 3. Mole trench surveys

Use hand-dug trenches in suitable soft sand. A standard trench is about 120 cm long, 40 cm wide and 80 cm deep.

Place trenches near the dune crest, on the mid-slope and near the dune base. On dunes, place them on the northern or western side where sunlight can dry the inspection wall.

Where dunes are absent, use a set of three trenches about 100 m apart, subject to site constraints and advice from an experienced surveyor.

Keep trenches at least 3 m from shrub and tree trunks. Position them near, but not through, patches of spinifex, grass or debris that can protect the inspection wall.

Use hand tools and dig cautiously. Leave the trench for 3 to 5 days, or until the wall is dry, then inspect the smooth wall.

Survey methodology: 4. Recognising and recording moleholes

Count a suspected molehole only when it is rounded, symmetrical, continuous and sand-filled, with little or no air space. At least two thirds of the circumference should be visible, and the outline should not disappear or reduce when lightly rubbed.

Look for circular or oval structures generally larger than 25 mm. In the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands, moleholes commonly have a minimum diameter of about 38 to 42 mm.

Photograph each suspected molehole with a scale, record its position, trench number, depth, dimensions and condition, and retain the original images.

Have photographs checked by a recognised marsupial mole specialist. A tunnel cannot reliably identify the species or form.

Survey methodology: 5. Survey timing, effort and data

Repeat surveys at the same sites over several years where population trends or management outcomes are being assessed.

Use consistent trench locations, dimensions, drying periods, observers and counting rules on each visit.

Record date, recent rain, soil moisture, wind, fire history, grazing or vehicle disturbance, vegetation, substrate, dune position and the number of moleholes per square metre of trench face.

Record all negative results and survey limitations. A lack of signs may reflect detectability, wet sand, wind erosion or sign persistence rather than absence.

Do not excavate mechanically, and stop digging if a marsupial mole is encountered.

Before habitat disturbance: 1. Approvals and permits

Avoidance is the preferred response because the species is difficult to detect and its population status is poorly known. Plan works around the sandy habitat, obtain the right approvals and make sure all personnel understand the stop work procedure.

Check the current national listing before finalising the impact assessment. Refer the action under the EPBC Act if the project may have a significant impact on the species or its habitat.

For works in Western Australia, address the species as a Priority 4 taxon and apply the level of survey and management expected for a rare or near threatened species that requires monitoring.

Obtain all relevant state or territory permits for clearing, handling, capture, transport, tissue or hair sampling and release.

In Queensland, seek agency advice before any action that could tamper with a breeding place. Obtain a species management program where required. A Queensland occurrence is unconfirmed, so treat suitable sandy habitat conservatively.

Document consultation with Traditional Owners, local landholders, relevant agencies and an experienced marsupial mole specialist.

Before habitat disturbance: 2. Avoidance and site planning

Keep roads, compounds, laydown areas, borrow pits and utility corridors out of dunes, sandplains, sandy river flats and other areas of deep loose sand wherever practicable.

Use existing cleared or compacted areas for access and facilities. Keep vehicles and stock out of undisturbed soft sand.

Do not rely on a narrow fauna buffer around a suspected tunnel. Retain connected sandy habitat and avoid fragmenting dune fields.

Mark no go areas on construction drawings and on the ground. Use a site-specific exclusion area where a confirmed animal, concentration of moleholes or important sandy habitat is found.

Do not set a breeding season or migration window for this species. No reliable seasonal breeding or migration period is established. Use avoidance and specialist advice rather than timing alone.

Before habitat disturbance: 3. Pre-clearance survey

Complete the desktop assessment and field survey before final clearing limits are pegged.

Survey suitable habitat using surface searches and hand-dug mole trenches. Use the trench method in the survey methodology section and allow the inspection walls to dry before assessment.

Include dune crests, mid-slopes, bases, deep sandy swales, sandy plains and river flats where soft sand is present.

Have suspected signs photographed and independently checked. Arrange genetic or hair sampling only under the required permit and by authorised personnel.

If suitable habitat cannot be adequately surveyed, record it as a survey limitation and manage it as potential habitat.

Before habitat disturbance: 4. Exclusion zones and site controls

Fence or flag retained habitat and all approved no go areas before machinery arrives.

Install a clearly marked vehicle route and prohibit turning, parking, refuelling and stockpiling on retained sandy habitat.

Keep spoil, sediment, concrete washout, weeds and waste out of dunes and sandy flats.

Use a fauna spotter catcher with authority to stop work. Include the authority in the environmental management plan, work pack and contractor induction.

Brief crews that tunnels are backfilled and may be missed by a surface inspection.

Before habitat disturbance: 5. Crew induction

Show workers photographs of the animal, tracks, surface craters and moleholes.

Explain that the animal has a tubular body, pale dense fur, a horny nose, no visible eyes, reduced ears and large digging claws.

Tell workers not to handle, chase, dig for or retain an animal or specimen.

Provide the spotter catcher contact details and display the stop work sequence at work fronts.

Include Traditional Owner cultural protocols and instructions for reporting signs.

During habitat disturbance: 1. Sequential clearing

Clear only within approved limits and use a staged, supervised approach. Stop work immediately if a Central Marsupial Mole, a suspected active breeding place or significant new sign is found.

Clear in small, defined stages from the already disturbed edge towards retained habitat, where this is consistent with the approved method.

Remove overstorey and ground cover progressively and inspect each stage before soil disturbance proceeds.

Keep machinery on marked access routes. Do not blade, rip, trench or compact retained dunes and sandy habitat.

Avoid mechanical excavation for fauna searches or mole trench inspection.

During habitat disturbance: 2. Spotter catcher stop work authority

Give the fauna spotter catcher unrestricted authority to stop work for an animal, suspected tunnel concentration, unexpected habitat or unsafe fauna interaction.

Stop machinery, isolate the area and keep people and vehicles clear.

Do not resume until the spotter catcher, project ecologist and relevant approval holder have assessed the find and recorded the decision.

Escalate any find outside the approved impact area to the environmental manager and regulator where required.

During habitat disturbance: 3. Animal handling and breeding places

Only an appropriately authorised and trained person may capture, handle, sample, transport or release a Central Marsupial Mole.

Do not attempt to excavate around an animal. Do not expose it to heat, wind, direct sun, water or prolonged handling.

Place a found animal in a dark, secure, temperature-stable container with suitable clean substrate, and obtain specialist veterinary or wildlife advice immediately.

If an active breeding place, dependent young, occupied tunnel or other suspected breeding place is found, stop work and establish an exclusion area. Do not disturb, fill or collapse the feature until the relevant agency and qualified specialist have provided direction.

Treat all underground features as potentially occupied because breeding sites and shelter structures are poorly understood.

During habitat disturbance: 4. Injured or dead animals

Stop work and protect the animal from people, vehicles, dogs and predators.

Call the project fauna ecologist, authorised wildlife rehabilitator and relevant wildlife authority. Follow the state or territory wildlife rescue pathway.

Record the location, time, condition, suspected cause and photographs without delaying care.

Do not release an animal without specialist direction. Release location and timing must be approved and suitable for the animal and its local form.

During habitat disturbance: 5. Field records

Record the date, work area, habitat, weather, machinery, clearing stage, observer, animal or sign description, photographs and GPS location.

Record all stop work events, including findings that are not confirmed as marsupial mole signs.

Document the authority consulted, the decision made, any permit condition applied and the time work resumed.

Update the project fauna register and incident register before the end of the shift.

After habitat disturbance: 1. Immediate post-clearance checks

Post-clearance checks help identify missed signs, injured animals and unplanned habitat impacts. Monitoring should be scaled to the approval conditions, the amount of suitable habitat affected and the Priority 4 or other applicable listing.

Inspect the completed clearing footprint, access routes and soil stockpiles for tracks, craters, fresh uplift, exposed animals and damaged sandy habitat.

Check trenching, service corridors and spoil placement after work and after major rainfall events where signs may become visible.

Have suspected moleholes photographed and reviewed by an experienced specialist.

Confirm that no retained habitat has been driven over, compacted, contaminated or used for storage.

After habitat disturbance: 2. Monitoring program

Where suitable habitat remains near the project, repeat standardised surface and trench surveys at the same locations and under comparable conditions.

Use the same trench dimensions, drying period, inspection rules and trained observers at each visit.

Include monitoring before and after major management actions such as fire management, access changes or feral animal control.

For a Priority 4 population, use monitoring to test whether signs persist and whether project activities are changing habitat condition. Escalate the program if signs are confirmed or impacts exceed predictions.

After habitat disturbance: 3. Relocated or rescued animals

Record the release site, habitat, distance moved, date, time, handler, permit and condition of every relocated or rescued animal.

Release only on advice from the relevant authority and a suitably experienced specialist. Use nearby suitable soft sand within the animal's known distribution where authorised.

Do not release into hard, loamy, compacted or recently disturbed ground, or into an area exposed to immediate vehicle traffic, predators or construction activity.

Report follow-up observations and any mortality to the approval holder and relevant agency.

After habitat disturbance: 4. Reporting and compliance

Provide survey, clearing, incident and monitoring results to the project manager, approval holder, Traditional Owners and relevant regulators as required.

Report confirmed records with accurate coordinates, photographs, habitat description and identification evidence. State whether the record was based on an animal, track, molehole or genetic result.

Maintain the raw photographs, field sheets, trench counts, weather records and specialist correspondence.

Check EPBC and state reporting conditions before closing the environmental file.

After habitat disturbance: 5. Incident review

Review every unexpected find, injury, mortality, stop work event and habitat breach.

Identify whether the cause was poor survey timing, inadequate induction, unclear exclusion marking, machinery access, compaction or an unsuitable clearing method.

Update the environmental management plan, maps, induction and work method before the next stage.

Share lessons with fauna spotter catchers, supervisors, contractors and Traditional Owners.

Rehabilitation actions: 1. Restore sandy habitat

Rehabilitation should restore the physical conditions needed for underground movement and prey availability. The main targets are soft, connected sand, functioning dune and swale vegetation, low compaction and low predator and weed pressure.

Remove temporary roads, pads, fencing, spoil and other infrastructure from areas approved for rehabilitation.

Decompact disturbed sand where compaction prevents tunnelling, using a method that does not create erosion or further damage retained dunes.

Replace compatible sand and surface organic material in the correct landform position. Do not bury hard fill or contaminated material in potential habitat.

Reform dunes and swales to match surrounding landform and drainage. Prevent concentrated runoff across loose sand.

Rehabilitation actions: 2. Re-establish vegetation

Retain and respread local seed, spinifex material and other suitable local provenance plant material where approved.

Re-establish shrubs and spinifex that provide cover and help stabilise, but do not compact, the sand.

Use fire management that maintains a suitable mosaic of vegetation ages in consultation with Traditional Owners and land managers.

Prevent grazing, vehicle access and other disturbance until vegetation and soil structure have recovered.

Rehabilitation actions: 3. Breeding and shelter structures

Do not install nest boxes, bat boxes, artificial nests, roost structures or other above-ground replacement structures for this species. Central Marsupial Moles are subterranean and no suitable artificial breeding structure has been established.

Where a breeding place or occupied tunnel has been disturbed, seek site-specific direction from the relevant agency and a marsupial mole specialist rather than attempting to replace it with a structure.

Restore continuous soft sand and underground landform instead of constructing hollow tunnels or artificial chambers.

Keep rehabilitation works shallow and carefully supervised where an animal or suspected occupied tunnel is present.

Rehabilitation actions: 4. Weeds, predators and water

Control weeds that alter dune vegetation, soil surface condition or prey resources. Use methods that avoid poisoning or compacting occupied or potential habitat.

Manage foxes and cats under an approved predator control program, particularly around construction corridors and newly cleared pathways.

Limit stock, camel, rabbit and vehicle access where soil compaction is a risk.

Do not create permanent water points in or beside rehabilitation areas unless they are part of an approved regional management program. Prevent ponding, erosion and contaminated runoff.

Rehabilitation actions: 5. Completion and long-term monitoring

Set rehabilitation completion criteria for landform stability, soft soil condition, vegetation recovery, weed cover, access control and absence of construction waste.

Inspect rehabilitated areas after rainfall, fire, major vehicle use and other events that may change soil condition.

Repeat standardised track and mole trench surveys where the project affected confirmed or high quality potential habitat. Continue for several years where required by approval conditions or where recovery is uncertain.

Compare rehabilitated sites with nearby undisturbed reference sites and adapt management if sand remains compacted, vegetation fails or new predator pathways develop.

Sources