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Crack-dwelling Ctenotus (Ctenotus rimacola)

The Crack-dwelling Ctenotus is a moderately large, robust skink that lives in cracking clay grasslands in northern Australia. On works sites it may shelter in soil cracks and can be overlooked during clearing, particularly where grassland is being converted to horticulture or affected by grazing. The Keep-Ord Rivers subspecies, Ctenotus rimacola camptris, is Vulnerable in the Northern Territory and Priority 1 in Western Australia, while the Victoria River District subspecies is listed as Least Concern in the Northern Territory.

Conservation status

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

Breeding season

The Crack-dwelling Ctenotus is poorly known, and breeding months have not been recorded. For planning, use October to March as a broad warm-season breeding window, with local timing likely to vary between the lower Ord and Keep Rivers, the Kimberley and the Victoria River District. The Keep-Ord Rivers subspecies is Vulnerable in the Northern Territory and Priority 1 in Western Australia. The Victoria River District subspecies is listed as Least Concern in the Northern Territory.

Breeding mode: Not recorded. As a skink, it is expected to reproduce by laying eggs, but this should be confirmed for the Crack-dwelling Ctenotus.

Breeding sites: Not recorded. The species shelters in soil cracks within cracking clay grasslands. Do not assume that all cracks are breeding sites.

Clutch size: Not recorded.

Incubation period: Not recorded.

Young and weaning: Not recorded. Fledging does not apply to this reptile, and the period of dependence is unknown.

Breeding frequency and maturity: Not recorded.

Timing may shift between years and regions, so survey and clearing decisions should use local observations, weather conditions and the higher level of precaution appropriate for the Vulnerable Keep-Ord Rivers subspecies, including its Kimberley range.

  • Ground activity and foraging: Ground activity may occur in all months, subject to temperature, rainfall, vegetation cover and local site conditions.
  • Broad breeding window: October to March is a broad planning window only because species-specific breeding timing has not been established.
  • Possible eggs and young: If breeding occurs in the broad warm-season window, eggs or young may be present from late spring into autumn, but the timing is unconfirmed.
  • Sheltering in soil cracks: Soil cracks may be used for shelter throughout the year, so retain intact cracking clay habitat during all works.
  • Highest clearing risk: October to April should be treated as the highest seasonal risk period for works because eggs or young may be present, while habitat loss remains a risk in every month.

Identification: Appearance and size

The Crack-dwelling Ctenotus is a moderately large, robust skink. Identification should be confirmed by an experienced reptile ecologist where the species may be affected by clearing.

Adults have a snout to vent length of about 94 mm. The body has prominent broad, dark vertebral and laterodorsal stripes.

Ctenotus rimacola rimacola has a grey ground colour. Ctenotus rimacola camptris has an olive-brown ground colour, a narrower vertebral stripe and mottled hindlimbs.

Identification: Calls and similar species

No diagnostic call is used for field identification. This is a ground-active skink, not a species identified by echolocation.

The species may be confused with the Black-soil Ctenotus, Ctenotus joanae, on the Barkly Tablelands, or with the more widespread Robust Ctenotus, Ctenotus robustus. Size and scale characteristics should be checked together with colour and stripe pattern.

Identification: Field signs

Shelter cracks in clay soil are the main feature to look for. The animal may be difficult to detect when it is inside cracks or beneath dense ground cover.

There are no established nest, scat, stain, odour or other indirect field signs that can be used confidently to confirm presence. Treat suitable cracking clay grassland as potential habitat until a suitably qualified person has assessed it.

  • Record photographs, GPS locations and habitat details for any animal found.
  • Do not rely on a lack of sightings during a brief inspection as evidence that the species is absent.

Distribution: Northern Territory

The species is restricted to northern Australia. The two recognised subspecies have separate ranges, so the applicable listing should be checked against the location of the project.

Ctenotus rimacola camptris occurs in the floodplains of the lower Ord and Keep Rivers, including the Northern Territory portion of this region. Ctenotus rimacola rimacola is restricted to the Victoria River District.

The Keep-Ord Rivers subspecies is listed as Vulnerable under the Northern Territory legislation. The Victoria River District subspecies is listed as Least Concern in the Northern Territory.

Distribution: Western Australia

Ctenotus rimacola camptris extends into the adjacent far north-eastern Kimberley. In Western Australia it is recorded from the Kimberley region and is listed as Priority 1 by the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.

Priority 1 indicates a poorly known species with a very restricted or otherwise vulnerable occurrence. It is not the same as a statutory threatened species category, but it warrants careful survey and impact assessment.

Distribution: Site planning

Confirm the subspecies and regional range before works begin. Projects in the lower Ord, Keep River and adjacent Kimberley areas should assume that suitable cracking clay grassland may support the Keep-Ord Rivers subspecies.

The species is not listed under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, based on the current listing information described here. State and Territory requirements still apply.

  • Check current NT and WA fauna lists during project approvals.
  • Refer records to the relevant state or Territory database and land manager.

Habitat: Landforms and soils

Look for the Crack-dwelling Ctenotus in open grasslands formed on cracking clay soils. Habitat can also include grassland with a sparse woodland overstorey, especially across floodplains and valley systems.

Potential habitat includes floodplains, low-lying plains and valleys associated with the lower Ord and Keep River systems. The defining ground feature is heavy clay soil that forms cracks as it dries.

Inspect both intact areas and disturbed edges where cracking clay remains. A sparse tree layer does not exclude habitat if the grassland ground layer is still present.

Habitat: Vegetation structure

Retain areas with a native grassland ground layer, natural soil surface and a range of grass heights. Dense woody regrowth may reduce the amount of suitable open grassland.

Assess the condition and continuity of grassland across the whole work footprint, including access tracks, laydown areas, drainage lines and construction margins.

  • Map cracking clay grassland before finalising clearing limits.
  • Include nearby connected grassland in the impact assessment, not only the area proposed for direct clearing.

Habitat: Field assessment

A site may remain suitable even when animals are not seen. Give weight to soil type, grassland condition, crack availability and landscape connectivity when assessing habitat value.

For Vulnerable habitat in the Northern Territory, use a conservative approach and have an ecologist assess any proposed clearing of suitable grassland before disturbance.

Foraging habitat: Areas to inspect

The Crack-dwelling Ctenotus forages on the ground and eats a range of invertebrates. Ground disturbance and changes to grass cover can therefore affect both feeding areas and shelter.

Search open grassland on cracking clay, including the edges of woodland patches and areas around soil cracks. Examine places with intact ground cover and a relatively natural grassland structure.

Consider habitat within the full construction footprint, including vehicle routes, stockpile areas, temporary compounds and utility corridors.

Foraging habitat: Ground layer condition

Livestock and feral herbivores can reduce vegetation cover and alter the composition of the ground layer. Heavy use may also change the invertebrate resources available to a ground-foraging skink.

Avoid unnecessary grading, compaction, soil removal and repeated vehicle movements through suitable grassland.

  • Keep vehicles on defined routes where access is necessary.
  • Prevent construction materials and spoil from covering cracks or smothering the grass layer.
  • Reinstate native ground cover where temporary disturbance cannot be avoided.

Foraging habitat: Practical management

Retain connected patches of suitable grassland wherever practicable. Manage weeds and woody invasion so that open grassland and its soil structure are maintained.

Where clearing cannot be avoided, use a qualified fauna spotter catcher and ecologist to assess the area, search suitable microhabitats and apply the conditions of the project approval.

Breeding habitat: Potential breeding areas

Breeding requirements for the Crack-dwelling Ctenotus are poorly known. No confirmed breeding season, breeding place type, clutch size or other reproductive details should be assumed when planning works.

Treat intact cracking clay grassland as potential breeding habitat because the species depends on this habitat for shelter and ground activity. Soil cracks, undisturbed grass cover and connected grassland should be retained where possible.

Do not describe an area as having no breeding value simply because no nest or young animal is found.

Breeding habitat: Timing and disturbance

There is no reliable month by month breeding window available for project planning. Avoid unnecessary clearing of suitable habitat whenever practicable rather than relying on a seasonal restriction.

Before clearing, obtain advice from the project ecologist about current conditions, recent records and any permit or approval requirements.

  • Inspect the work area before vegetation removal and soil disturbance.
  • Stop work and seek advice if a skink, occupied crack or concentration of animals is found.
  • Keep retained habitat free from spoil, access tracks and unnecessary night works.

Breeding habitat: Listing-based response

In the Keep-Ord Rivers range, apply the higher level of care expected for a Vulnerable species in the Northern Territory and a Priority 1 species in Western Australia. Focus on avoiding loss of suitable habitat and improving knowledge through verified records.

For the Victoria River District subspecies, the Northern Territory listing is Least Concern, but site-based habitat protection and good fauna handling practice remain appropriate where animals are encountered.

Sheltering habitat: Shelter features

Soil cracks are the principal known shelter feature for this species. They can be hidden by grass, spoil, surface rubble or vehicle tracks, so shelter habitat needs to be assessed at ground level.

Inspect cracking clay across open grassland, floodplains and valley floors. Cracks may provide refuge from heat, predators and disturbance.

Retain natural soil profiles and avoid filling, sealing, compacting or otherwise disturbing cracks within areas identified for protection.

  • Mark retained crack habitat before machinery enters the site.
  • Keep spoil, mulch and construction materials away from retained grassland and soil cracks.
  • Use defined access routes to reduce broad soil disturbance.

Sheltering habitat: Clearing controls

Plan clearing from already disturbed areas towards retained habitat where this is consistent with the approved method. Keep the clearing footprint as small as practicable and prevent machinery from pushing animals into unsearched areas.

A fauna spotter catcher should inspect the active clearing area and any exposed cracks. Any captured animal should be handled and released only under the project approval and by an appropriately experienced person.

Sheltering habitat: Landscape connections

Shelter habitat is more valuable when it forms part of a connected grassland area. Avoid isolating small patches between horticultural blocks, roads, compounds or other cleared areas.

The species has no reported Northern Territory conservation reserve records in the material used for this profile, so habitat outside reserves may be especially relevant to project planning.

Threats: Clearing and horticulture

The main site risks are loss of cracking clay grassland, degradation of the ground layer and changes to vegetation structure. Management should be scaled to the regional listing, with strong avoidance measures in the Vulnerable and Priority 1 range.

Broad-scale clearing for horticulture in the lower Ord and Keep River systems could remove or fragment suitable habitat. Include grassland, soil cracks and connected areas in the pre-clearing assessment.

Avoid clearing suitable habitat in the Keep-Ord Rivers range where practicable. Where impacts cannot be avoided, document the habitat affected and apply the strongest feasible mitigation under the approval.

Threats: Grazing and pastoral management

Livestock and feral herbivores can reduce vegetation cover and alter the ground layer. Intensification of pastoral management may increase these effects.

Use grazing management that retains adequate grass cover and avoids prolonged heavy use of suitable cracking clay grassland. Monitor whether the ground layer is changing over time.

Threats: Fire, climate and woody invasion

Altered fire regimes, livestock management and climate change may cause long-term changes in vegetation structure and composition. Invasion by woody plants, including rosewood, Terminalia volucris, may reduce open grassland habitat.

Maintain a patchwork of suitable native grassland and prevent woody thickening from closing the open ground layer. Fire planning should be based on local ecological advice and the needs of the wider grassland community.

Threats: Predation and construction disturbance

Feral Cats may prey on the species. New roads, camps and cleared edges can also increase access for predators and create ongoing disturbance.

Control feral predators where part of an approved land management program. Keep construction activity, lighting, traffic and temporary infrastructure out of retained habitat as far as practicable.

  • Record all sightings and captured animals with precise location and habitat information.
  • For Vulnerable or Priority 1 populations, notify the project ecologist and relevant land manager promptly after a confirmed record.
  • Review the clearing method if animals are found during works.

Survey methodology: 1. Desktop assessment

The Crack-dwelling Ctenotus is poorly known, so surveys should be designed by an experienced reptile ecologist and adapted after an initial site inspection. Focus on cracking clay grasslands and lightly wooded grasslands in the lower Ord and Keep River systems, the adjacent Kimberley, and the Victoria River District.

Map cracking clay soils, native grassland, sparse woodland, soil cracks, drainage lines, floodplain habitat and areas of recent or proposed clearing.

Check records for the relevant subspecies. The Keep-Ord Rivers subspecies occurs in the lower Ord and Keep River systems and adjacent north-eastern Kimberley. The Victoria River District subspecies has a separate range and is listed as Least Concern in the Northern Territory.

Review grazing, fire, horticultural expansion, woody weed invasion, feral animal activity and changes to ground cover.

Northern Territory status: Vulnerable for the Keep-Ord Rivers subspecies

Western Australia status: DBCA Priority 1 for the listed Keep-Ord Rivers taxon

National status: Not listed under the EPBC Act

  • Obtain current threatened species records and confirm the species name used in the relevant jurisdiction.
  • Treat apparently suitable habitat as potentially occupied where records are sparse.
  • Use a qualified ecologist to confirm habitat mapping before finalising the disturbance footprint.

Survey methodology: 2. Field detection

Search on warm, suitable days when skinks are likely to be active, with attention to periods after rain when surface activity may increase. Avoid relying on a single visit or on searches during very cold, wet or excessively hot conditions.

Use slow visual searches along cracking clay grassland edges, under sparse woodland, beside soil cracks and around proposed clearing areas. Watch for a moderately large, robust skink with broad dark vertebral and laterodorsal stripes.

Use experienced observers and approved reptile trapping methods where visual searches are unlikely to provide adequate coverage. Trapping must be designed, installed and checked by a suitably qualified person, with weather protection and procedures for non-target animals.

  • Search all habitat types within the disturbance area and a suitable surrounding reference area.
  • Inspect surface refuges only where this can be done without damaging soil cracks or shelter habitat.
  • Do not fill, probe, widen or collapse cracks during a survey.
  • Stop trapping if weather or animal welfare conditions become unsuitable.

Survey methodology: 3. Survey effort and records

There is no established species-specific survey effort or seasonal detection protocol. Set effort according to the size and condition of the habitat, the level of proposed disturbance and the consequences of failing to detect an animal.

Use repeat visits where the first survey is affected by poor weather, low activity, dense cover, grazing or limited access. Increase effort in intact cracking clay grassland and in areas with recent records.

  • Record survey dates, start and finish times, weather, recent rainfall, temperature conditions, observers and methods.
  • Map every detection, potential shelter area, track, photograph and trapping location with coordinates.
  • Record habitat condition, soil type, crack availability, ground cover, grazing pressure, woody weeds, fire history and nearby disturbance.
  • Document search effort, trap numbers and checking frequency where trapping is used.
  • Retain photographs of animals and diagnostic features, and have uncertain identifications checked by a reptile specialist.

Before habitat disturbance: 1. Avoidance and approvals

Avoidance is the preferred protection measure because the species has a restricted range and limited survey information. Resolve the status of the affected population, approvals and habitat controls before machinery or ground crews enter the site.

Keep intact cracking clay grassland and known or potential shelter areas outside the disturbance footprint wherever practicable. Avoid broad-scale clearing in the lower Ord and Keep River systems and other occupied range areas.

Confirm whether the proposal requires an EPBC Act referral. The species is not nationally listed, but other listed matters may trigger referral requirements.

Obtain all required Northern Territory or Western Australian approvals, fauna permits and land access permissions before survey, trapping, handling or clearing begins.

  • Have the project ecologist confirm the applicable state listing and conditions for the site.
  • Treat the Northern Territory Vulnerable listing as a high conservation management constraint.
  • Treat the Western Australian Priority 1 listing as a poorly known taxon requiring urgent survey and careful habitat protection.
  • If works occur in Queensland and protected wildlife or a breeding place could be affected, obtain advice on any required Species Management Program and associated authorisation.

Before habitat disturbance: 2. Pre-clearance survey and work limits

Complete a targeted pre-clearance inspection shortly before works begin. The inspection should cover the approved clearing boundary, access tracks, stockpile areas, laydown areas and machinery routes.

Use the results to refine the clearing footprint and identify areas requiring hand clearing, staged clearing or additional supervision. There is no confirmed breeding season or migration period for this species, so do not assume that a particular month is low risk.

  • Mark no-go habitat, soil cracks and known detections clearly on plans and on the ground.
  • Fence or flag exclusion areas before machinery arrives.
  • Keep vehicles, spoil, fill, chemicals and firebreak works out of retained cracking clay habitat.
  • Set site-specific buffers through the approval process and ecological risk assessment. Do not apply an informal buffer as a substitute for an approved control.
  • Schedule clearing when weather allows safe detection and animal handling, and revise the schedule if conditions reduce detectability.

Before habitat disturbance: 3. Induction and contingency planning

Give all workers a short species briefing before entering the site. Explain the animal's appearance, its use of soil cracks for shelter and the requirement to stop work when directed by the fauna spotter catcher.

Prepare a written fauna management plan that identifies the authorised spotter catcher, stop-work authority, handling pathway, veterinary contacts and reporting requirements.

  • Show workers photographs or approved identification material for the Crack-dwelling Ctenotus and similar Ctenotus species.
  • Tell workers not to handle reptiles, disturb soil cracks or move animals without authorisation.
  • Brief operators on exclusion areas, sequential clearing and the location of first aid, wildlife containers and shade.
  • Confirm emergency contacts for an injured animal and for an unexpected breeding place or concentrated shelter area.

During habitat disturbance: 1. Sequential clearing

Use a slow, staged clearing process that gives animals an opportunity to move into retained habitat and allows the spotter catcher to inspect shelter areas. The spotter catcher must have authority to stop work whenever an animal, occupied shelter or unexpected habitat feature is found.

Clear vegetation progressively toward retained habitat, using small work areas rather than opening the whole site at once. Keep retained habitat connected where possible.

Remove above-ground vegetation first, then pause for inspection before disturbing the soil profile. Soil cracking habitat can be damaged by grading, ripping, compaction and uncontrolled vehicle movement.

  • Fence the approved clearing boundary and check it each day.
  • Use a fauna spotter catcher to inspect the active work area, machinery path and immediate refuge habitat.
  • Keep machinery at low speed where directed and avoid driving over visible cracks.
  • Do not push spoil into cracks, drainage depressions or retained grassland.
  • Stop work if visibility, weather or site conditions prevent effective supervision.

During habitat disturbance: 2. Animal handling and breeding places

Only an appropriately authorised and experienced person should capture or handle a Crack-dwelling Ctenotus. The animal should be kept briefly in a secure, ventilated, shaded container and released as soon as the ecologist confirms a suitable nearby location.

Breeding information for this species is limited. Treat any suspected nest, eggs, young, concentrated shelter area or repeatedly occupied crack system as a potential breeding place until assessed by a qualified ecologist.

  • Stop all disturbance around a suspected breeding place or occupied shelter.
  • Establish an exclusion area and obtain project-specific ecological and regulatory advice before work resumes.
  • Do not excavate, flood, burn, seal or fill a suspected breeding place.
  • Record the location, condition, photographs, animal details and action taken.
  • Release healthy animals into nearby suitable retained habitat, only where this is authorised and considered safe by the project ecologist.

During habitat disturbance: 3. Injured animals and unexpected finds

Treat injured animals as a wildlife incident. Minimise handling, keep the animal shaded and quiet, and seek advice from a wildlife veterinarian or the relevant wildlife authority.

If an animal cannot be identified confidently, retain it safely for identification by the fauna spotter catcher or reptile specialist. Do not release it at an unassessed location.

  • Stop nearby work and protect the animal from machinery, heat, dogs and people.
  • Use a clean, secure container suitable for a small to moderately large skink, with no loose water container that could cause drowning.
  • Record the injury, location, time, suspected cause, photographs and destination.
  • Notify the site supervisor and regulator where required by approval conditions.
  • Record all captures, relocations, mortalities, escapes, breeding-place findings and stop-work events before the end of the shift.

After habitat disturbance: 1. Post-clearance inspection

Post-clearance checks confirm that animals, shelter areas and boundary controls have been managed as planned. Use the results to correct site controls and improve future work in this poorly known species' range.

Have the fauna spotter catcher and ecologist inspect the cleared area, retained habitat edges, soil stockpiles, drainage lines and exclusion fencing after clearing and after major earthworks.

Look for live or injured animals, trapped fauna, exposed or collapsed cracks, isolated habitat patches and new risks caused by erosion, compaction or water ponding.

  • Complete a final walkover before the area is handed to construction or operations.
  • Check that no animal is trapped in trenches, excavations, pipes, pits, stockpiles or temporary fencing.
  • Cover, ramp or fence excavations when they are unattended, as directed by the fauna management plan.
  • Remove temporary equipment and waste from retained habitat.
  • Keep exclusion fencing in place until the risk of further disturbance has passed.

After habitat disturbance: 2. Reporting and monitoring

Submit fauna records and compliance reports within the timeframes set by approvals and the project environmental management plan. Share verified records with the relevant state biodiversity database or authority.

Because population size, breeding ecology and seasonal activity are poorly understood, monitoring should be scaled to the disturbance risk and the size of retained habitat.

  • Report survey effort, detections, non-detections, captures, relocations, mortalities, incidents, weather and habitat condition.
  • Map the final disturbance footprint and all retained or rehabilitated cracking clay habitat.
  • Monitor retained habitat for grazing pressure, woody weeds, erosion, fire impacts and loss of ground cover.
  • Use repeat monitoring where the project removes or fragments known habitat, or where animals were relocated.
  • Review monitoring results with the project ecologist and amend controls if animals continue to enter work areas.

After habitat disturbance: 3. Incident review

Review every fauna incident with the supervisor, spotter catcher and ecologist. Focus on how the animal was detected, why the control did or did not work, and whether the work method needs to change.

Escalate repeated detections, mortality, habitat damage or suspected breeding activity to the relevant regulator and approval holder.

  • Update the induction, clearing sequence, exclusion areas or supervision arrangements after an incident.
  • Stop similar work until the revised controls are briefed and implemented.
  • Keep a complete incident register with photographs, coordinates, witness details and corrective actions.
  • Use verified records to improve future survey design and regional species knowledge.

Rehabilitation actions: 1. Restore habitat structure

Rehabilitation should restore the ground layer and soil structure used by the Crack-dwelling Ctenotus for foraging and shelter. The best replacement refuge is usually functioning cracking clay grassland, not a nest box or bat roost structure.

Retain and rebuild cracking clay soil wherever practicable. Avoid excessive compaction, imported fill, deep ripping and surface treatments that prevent natural cracking.

Re-establish native grassland with a sparse woodland structure where that matches the surrounding habitat. Use locally appropriate native species and protect the site while vegetation establishes.

  • Salvage and reuse suitable topsoil according to the rehabilitation plan.
  • Shape disturbed ground to drain naturally without creating prolonged waterlogging or erosion.
  • Maintain a varied native ground layer with open foraging areas and sheltered soil cracks.
  • Keep rehabilitation areas free from vehicles, stockpiles and unnecessary pedestrian traffic.
  • Do not create artificial cracks by unsafe excavation or leave unstable trenches as refuge.

Rehabilitation actions: 2. Refuges and breeding structures

This skink shelters in soil cracks, and no species-specific need for nest boxes, bat boxes, artificial nest sites or roost structures has been established. Do not install those structures as a routine replacement measure.

Where natural cracks cannot be restored, ask a reptile ecologist to design and monitor a small, site-specific refuge trial using stable soil or ground-level materials that do not trap animals or obstruct movement.

  • Prioritise intact and connected cracking clay habitat over constructed refuges.
  • Do not use bird nest boxes, bat boxes, hollows, caves or elevated roost structures for this species.
  • Inspect any trial refuge after installation and remove or modify it if it overheats, floods, traps animals or attracts predators.
  • Record refuge use and include the results in rehabilitation monitoring.
  • Obtain approval before moving soil, rocks or other material into retained habitat.

Rehabilitation actions: 3. Weeds, grazing, fire and predators

Control woody invasion, including rosewood where it is reducing grassland habitat. Manage grazing so that ground cover and the composition of the native ground layer are retained.

Plan fire and pastoral management with an ecologist and land manager. The appropriate fire pattern for this species is not established, so avoid broad assumptions about fire frequency or season.

  • Remove priority weeds before they set seed and dispose of them without spreading soil or propagules.
  • Prevent livestock and feral herbivores from damaging newly rehabilitated grassland until it is stable.
  • Monitor feral cat activity and use approved control programs where appropriate.
  • Prevent uncontrolled fires, soil disturbance and repeated heavy grazing in retained habitat.
  • Record changes in ground cover, woody plant density, soil cracking and predator activity.

Rehabilitation actions: 4. Water, lighting and long-term care

Maintain natural drainage and avoid concentrating runoff into cracks, shelter areas or rehabilitation plots. Excess water, erosion and soil sealing can reduce the value of cracking clay habitat.

Use low-impact lighting around retained and rehabilitated habitat. Artificial light can alter reptile activity and may increase exposure to predators.

  • Keep lights directed away from grassland and soil cracks.
  • Use the minimum lighting needed for safety and switch off temporary lights when they are not required.
  • Avoid unnecessary night works beside retained habitat.
  • Inspect drainage, fencing, weeds, ground cover and soil condition at intervals set by the rehabilitation plan.
  • Continue monitoring until the habitat is stable and management outcomes are demonstrated.

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