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Dugite (Pseudonaja affinis)

The Dugite is a large, highly venomous brown snake found in southern Western Australia and western coastal South Australia. It uses bushland, farmland, degraded land and developed sites, so clearing and construction crews may encounter it under cover or while it is moving through grass and scrub. In Western Australia it is listed as Priority 4, a rare and near threatened category requiring monitoring, and it is profiled as an EVNT species.

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

Dugites mate from September to November, with mainland females laying from mid December to the end of January. Surface activity is highest from October to April, although timing can vary with temperature, rainfall, habitat and locality.

Breeding mode: Oviparous. Females lay eggs that are abandoned to incubate without parental care.

Mating and male combat: Mating normally occurs from early September to late November. Male combat and mating have also been recorded in September, including mid spring for the tanneri subspecies.

Egg laying: Wild caught mainland females lay from mid December to the end of January.

Clutch size: Mainland females lay 11 to 35 eggs, with an average clutch of 21. The tanneri subspecies lays 12 to 15 eggs.

Incubation: Mainland eggs hatch after about 53 days at 30°C or 105 days at 23°C.

Age at maturity: Males appear to mature at about 581 mm snout to vent length. Females appear to mature at about 680 mm snout to vent length.

Breeding place: A specific nest or breeding site type is not recorded. Eggs are abandoned after laying. Fledging and weaning do not apply.

Timing may shift between mainland and island populations and between years, and warm captive conditions can permit mating outside the normal wild season.

  • Mating and male combat: Mating and combat are concentrated in spring, with encounter risk increasing during this period.
  • Egg laying: Mainland females lay mainly from mid December to the end of January.
  • Eggs incubating: Eggs may remain in the ground from December into April or May, depending on laying date and incubation temperature.
  • Surface activity: Dugites are generally most active from October to April and less active from May to August, with activity also influenced by daily temperature.
  • Reduced winter activity and shelter: During the cooler months, dugites are much less active at the surface and use burrows and other sheltered sites for overwintering.
  • Highest clearing risk: Schedule clearing and pre clearance checks carefully from December to April, when eggs may be present, and use licensed fauna handlers for any capture or relocation; WA Priority 4 populations warrant targeted monitoring and conservative disturbance planning.

Identification: Appearance and size

The Dugite is a long, slender snake with a relatively small head that is not strongly distinct from the neck. Colour varies widely, so identification should not rely on colour alone.

Adults are commonly about 1.5 m long and may reach about 2 m. The scales are relatively large and semi glossy.

The body may be grey, green, olive brown or brown, often with irregular dark spotting. Some individuals, particularly on islands, are uniformly dark.

Mainland form: Pseudonaja affinis affinis, often brown, olive brown or brownish grey with dark spotting.

Island forms: Pseudonaja affinis exilis and Pseudonaja affinis tanneri are generally smaller and usually darker above.

  • Strong brow ridge over the eye.
  • Blackish brown eye with a golden orange rim around the round pupil.
  • Pale grey to brown underside, often with brownish orange or dark grey blotches.
  • Long, slender body and a head that may appear only slightly wider than the neck.

Identification: Similar species

Dugites can be confused with other brown snakes. Similar species include the Peninsular Brown Snake, Western Brown Snake and Eastern Brown Snake.

Colour is unreliable, especially where brown snakes overlap. Treat an unidentified brown snake as potentially venomous and do not attempt to handle it.

  • Use a licensed snake catcher for removal.
  • Do not approach, corner, kill or relocate the snake yourself.
  • Keep workers and the public clear until the animal has moved away or been removed by a licensed person.

Identification: Calls and field signs

Dugites do not have calls or echolocation. They are normally detected by direct sightings, camera records or movement through grass, scrub and surface cover.

Droppings, nests, whitewash, stains and odour are not reliable field signs for this species. A shed skin or a brief sighting should be treated cautiously because other snakes may be present.

  • Record the location, date, time and habitat of any sighting.
  • Use a photograph taken from a safe distance for confirmation where practical.
  • Avoid relying on body colour alone for identification.

Distribution: Australian range

The Dugite occurs in southern Western Australia and extends into western coastal South Australia. It is not an overseas species.

The species occurs across southwestern Australia, including several offshore islands. On the mainland, its range extends from the far southwest of Western Australia eastwards into western coastal South Australia.

It is recorded around Perth, where it is one of the more common snakes found near buildings.

Mapped states and territories: South Australia and Western Australia.

  • Western Australia, including the Perth region and the far southwest.
  • Western coastal South Australia.
  • Rottnest Island.
  • Boxer Island, Figure of Eight Island and other islands in the Recherche Archipelago.

Distribution: Subspecies and locations

The mainland subspecies, Pseudonaja affinis affinis, occurs in coastal mainland Western Australia and extends into western coastal South Australia.

Pseudonaja affinis exilis occurs on Rottnest Island and the Western Australian mainland. Pseudonaja affinis tanneri occurs on Boxer Island, Figure of Eight Island and other islands in the Recherche Archipelago.

  • Check local records before clearing, particularly in large vegetation blocks, coastal areas and island populations.
  • Do not assume that developed or degraded land is unsuitable. Dugites use a wide range of modified habitats.

Distribution: Site planning

For a Priority 4 species, survey and management should be proportionate to the likely habitat and the scale of disturbance. Retain connected vegetation and avoid unnecessary removal of cover where practicable.

Where a project may affect a known population or large vegetation block, seek advice from the relevant Western Australian conservation authority and use suitably experienced fauna personnel.

  • Review NatureMap and local records during project planning.
  • Map sightings and suitable habitat within and around the work area.
  • Include the species in inductions where records or suitable habitat are present.

Habitat: Natural habitat

Dugites use both natural and modified terrestrial habitats. On works sites, look for suitable cover, prey and movement routes rather than relying on a single vegetation type.

Suitable habitats include coastal dunes, heathland, shrubland, grassland, open forest, woodland and open heath. The species also occurs in open agricultural country and heavily degraded habitats.

Large vegetation blocks may retain habitat value even where the surrounding landscape has been cleared.

  • Low coastal scrub and dunes.
  • Open woodland and forest edges.
  • Tussock grass and dense low vegetation.
  • Rural remnants, paddocks and disturbed margins.

Habitat: Modified and developed land

Dugites may occur on golf courses, industrial parks, house blocks and other developed sites. Around buildings, they can use temporary cover created by stored materials and building debris.

House mice and other small prey can attract Dugites to semi rural and urban work areas.

  • Construction compounds and material storage areas.
  • Long grass around buildings and access tracks.
  • Edges between remnant vegetation and cleared ground.
  • Areas with discarded sheets, slabs, timber or other surface cover.

Habitat: Habitat checks before works

Before clearing, inspect the work area for long grass, rocks, logs, debris, burrows and abandoned termite mounds. Maintain clear sightlines for workers where practicable.

Stage clearing where operationally feasible and keep personnel alert when working near cover and vegetation edges.

  • Brief crews on identification, safe behaviour and reporting.
  • Keep access paths and active work areas free of avoidable surface debris.
  • Use a fauna spotter catcher where the risk assessment identifies suitable habitat or recent records.

Foraging habitat: Prey and feeding areas

Dugites actively search for prey in holes, crevices, tussock grasses and under surface debris. Areas with abundant lizards or house mice are more likely to attract them.

The main prey groups are lizards and house mice. Dugites also eat frogs, other snakes, birds and mammals, and may be cannibalistic.

Foraging can occur across open ground, grassland, woodland edges, rubbish storage areas and other places where prey shelter is available.

Foraging behaviour: Actively searches through holes, crevices, tussock grasses and surface debris.

  • Tussock grass and dense low vegetation.
  • Rock piles, logs and ground debris.
  • Rodent burrows, holes and crevices.
  • Edges of buildings, sheds and food or waste storage areas.

Foraging habitat: Site risk factors

Poorly managed waste, spilled food and grain can support mice and increase prey availability. Long grass and stored materials provide additional cover.

Reduce these attractants as part of ordinary site housekeeping, without disturbing suspected snakes.

  • Contain waste and remove it regularly.
  • Control mice around buildings and compounds.
  • Keep grass managed around occupied work areas.
  • Store materials off the ground where practicable and inspect them before moving.

Foraging habitat: Survey considerations

Dugites are diurnal, although encounters can vary with temperature and season. They are more active in warmer months and may be seen in the morning or afternoon on hot days.

Camera trapping has recorded the species in fauna surveys, but no Dugite specific survey effort is established here. Use a combination of habitat assessment, targeted visual searching by experienced personnel and review of local records.

  • Give additional attention to sunny edges, grass, debris and burrow entrances.
  • Schedule active searches around suitable weather and site safety constraints.
  • Record effort as well as sightings so results can inform future works.

Breeding habitat: Breeding period

The Dugite is egg laying. Known breeding information is stronger for mainland animals than for the island subspecies, so avoid disturbing likely shelter and egg laying areas where practicable.

Male combat and mating occur in late winter to early spring, with September records. Mating risk and activity can remain elevated through October and November.

Mainland females lay eggs from mid December to the end of January.

Mainland clutch size: 11 to 35 eggs, with an average of 21.

Incubation: About 53 days at 30 degrees Celsius and about 105 days at 23 degrees Celsius.

  • Plan intensive vegetation disturbance carefully during the September to January period where the species is known or likely to occur.
  • Maintain a clear exclusion area around any snake or suspected egg laying site until assessed by a qualified person.

Breeding habitat: Breeding places

Specific nest sites are not well defined. Eggs are abandoned to self incubate, and the species uses a range of concealed ground shelters.

Potentially suitable places include undisturbed ground cover, burrows, termite mounds and areas beneath logs, rocks or stored materials.

  • Abandoned termite mounds.
  • Rabbit and rodent burrows.
  • Dense tussock grass and surface debris.
  • Sheltered ground within vegetation remnants.

Breeding habitat: Management during breeding season

There is no species specific clearing buffer or exclusion distance established for Dugites in the available project guidance. Apply a precautionary approach where breeding activity, eggs or a repeatedly used shelter are suspected.

Use staged clearing and qualified, licensed fauna personnel for capture and release where required. Follow the relevant Western Australian Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions procedures and licence conditions.

  • Stop work locally if a snake is found in the immediate work area.
  • Keep workers away and arrange assessment by a licensed snake catcher or qualified fauna handler.
  • Do not search for, handle or move eggs unless authorised and appropriately trained.
  • Report injuries and arrange veterinary or wildlife carer assistance in accordance with the site procedure.

Sheltering habitat: Natural shelter

Dugites shelter in concealed ground locations and may use both natural cover and construction materials. Winter shelter and burrows can be difficult to detect, so use caution when moving objects or entering dense vegetation.

Natural shelter includes spaces beneath rocks and logs, abandoned termite mounds, abandoned stick ant nests, rabbit burrows and rodent burrows.

Burrows are also used for overwintering. The species is less active from May to August.

  • Rock piles and fallen timber.
  • Burrow entrances and hollow ground.
  • Abandoned termite mounds and stick ant nests.
  • Dense grass, scrub and leaf or surface debris.

Sheltering habitat: Artificial cover

Around houses and work sites, Dugites may shelter beneath concrete slabs, fibro sheets, roofing tin and similar materials. Long grass and items left on the ground also provide cover.

Do not place hands beneath materials or step over them without checking the area.

  • Lift or move materials only with suitable tools and a safe method.
  • Keep stored materials orderly and inspect them before handling.
  • Remove unnecessary debris as part of planned site housekeeping.
  • Use enclosed footwear and long trousers when working in bushland or long grass.

Sheltering habitat: Encounter response

Most bites occur when people accidentally step on a snake or try to kill it. Dugites are usually shy and often move away when given space, but they may defend themselves if cornered.

If a snake is sighted, stop nearby work, move people away calmly and contact a licensed snake catcher if removal is needed. Do not attempt relocation yourself.

  • Keep the snake in sight only from a safe distance.
  • Do not approach or aggravate it.
  • Do not allow workers, visitors or pets into the area.
  • Apply the site snakebite first aid and emergency response procedure for any suspected bite.

Threats: Clearing and construction encounters

The main works site risk is an encounter between a snake and a person, rather than a known population threat specific to one activity. Priority 4 status supports monitoring, careful planning and avoidance of unnecessary habitat disturbance.

Clearing, earthworks and material handling can expose snakes using burrows, debris, long grass and other cover. Workers may also encounter Dugites on access tracks, around buildings or at vegetation edges.

Stage clearing where practicable and use a fauna spotter catcher when the site assessment identifies suitable habitat, recent records or a high likelihood of encounters.

  • Inspect work areas before starting each shift.
  • Maintain visible walking routes and avoid stepping into dense grass or concealed cover.
  • Use extra care during warmer months and around September to January.

Threats: Habitat loss and fragmentation

The species uses large vegetation blocks as well as modified and degraded habitats. Clearing can remove cover, prey habitat and movement routes, even where the land is not pristine.

Retain vegetation links and natural shelter where possible. Keep clearing to the approved footprint and avoid unnecessary removal of logs, rocks and other habitat features.

  • Map retained vegetation and suitable shelter before works.
  • Limit disturbance around remnant edges.
  • Use staged clearing and reinstate suitable habitat features where this is consistent with the project design.

Threats: Roads, machinery and site housekeeping

Vehicles and machinery can injure snakes on roads and within clearing areas. Rubbish, stored materials and poor mouse control can increase shelter and prey around compounds.

Keep waste contained, remove it regularly and manage mice around buildings. Induct drivers who travel at dawn or dusk to reduce speed and watch for fauna on roads.

  • Do not feed native fauna or keep pets on site.
  • Use covered bins and prevent access by predator species.
  • Check materials and machinery before moving them.
  • Record injured or dead animals and notify the environmental representative.

Threats: Venom and worker safety

Dugite venom can cause serious coagulopathy and the species is potentially lethal. Every project in suitable habitat should have a clear snake encounter and snakebite response.

Provide site inductions, enclosed footwear requirements and access to trained first aid personnel. Any suspected bite requires immediate first aid and urgent medical attention.

Western Australian listing: Priority 4, rare and near threatened, a non statutory DBCA category for rare and near threatened species that need monitoring.

Survey and management scale: Scale effort to habitat quality, local records, project footprint and the likelihood of direct disturbance. Use qualified, licensed personnel for capture and release.

  • Do not attempt to catch or kill the snake.
  • Use a licensed snake catcher for removal.
  • Keep a record of sightings and responses to support Priority 4 monitoring.
  • Escalate repeated sightings or a suspected breeding site to the project ecologist and relevant conservation authority.

Survey methodology: 1. Desktop assessment

Survey for Dugites should focus on warm, dry conditions and on places that provide shelter or prey. The species is terrestrial and diurnal, but detection can be difficult, so use more than one method where clearing risk is high.

Confirm the mapped occurrence, habitat condition and conservation status before planning works. The Dugite is mapped in Western Australia and South Australia, with a Western Australian Priority 4 listing and a Rare listing applying in South Australia.

Review recent fauna records, aerial imagery and site plans for coastal dunes, heath, shrubland, woodland, grassland, open farmland, degraded areas and habitat near buildings. Map rocks, logs, dense tussocks, surface debris, rabbit or rodent burrows, abandoned termite mounds and other likely shelter sites.

Check whether the proposal may affect a conservation-listed population, important habitat or a place protected under state legislation. Obtain advice from the relevant state agency where the listing or project approval pathway is unclear.

  • Map proposed clearing, access tracks, laydown areas, stockpiles, drainage lines and retained vegetation.
  • Identify areas where cover, mice or other prey are concentrated.
  • Include seasonal access and safety constraints in the survey plan.

Survey methodology: 2. Field detection

Use experienced ecologists or fauna spotter catchers to conduct systematic visual searches in suitable habitat. Search slowly through ground cover, tussocks, rock piles, logs, discarded materials, termite mounds and visible burrows without placing hands into cover.

Plan searches during the warmer part of the year, when Dugites are more active. On hot days, concentrate on the morning and, to a lesser extent, the afternoon. Maintain vigilance throughout the year because snakes may still be encountered outside the main activity period.

Use motion-sensing cameras where the site is large, access is difficult or the species is a target of concern. Camera trapping has recorded Dugites on large vegetation blocks, but cameras should supplement, not replace, ground searches.

  • Wear fully enclosed footwear and suitable protective clothing.
  • Keep eyes on the ground and do not disturb cover unnecessarily.
  • Use a licensed snake catcher for any planned capture or removal.
  • Do not use unapproved traps or handle suspected Dugites.

Survey methodology: 3. Survey effort and conditions

There is no established Dugite-specific survey effort or detection probability that can be applied to every project. Set the effort according to the area to be cleared, habitat quality, cover abundance, season, access and the consequences of a missed animal.

Repeat searches where the first survey is undertaken in cool, wet or otherwise unsuitable conditions. For high-risk clearing, combine a desktop assessment, targeted ground searches and pre-clearance checks immediately before works.

Record the survey conditions and limitations so that the level of confidence is clear to the project manager and approval authority.

  • Record date, start and finish time, weather, temperature if measured, recent rain, ground condition and survey personnel.
  • Map search tracks, camera locations and areas that could not be safely searched.
  • Record all observations, including live animals, skins, tracks, shelter sites, burrows, prey concentrations and road records.
  • Photograph records where this can be done safely, without approaching the snake.

Survey methodology: 4. Identification and records

Dugites are long, slender snakes that may be grey, green, brown or heavily dark-spotted. Colour is variable, and Western Brown Snakes, Eastern Brown Snakes and other brown snakes can overlap the range, so record diagnostic features only when this can be done safely.

Treat an uncertain sighting as a potentially venomous snake until identified by a suitably experienced person. Do not attempt close inspection or collection for identification.

  • Record the location using GPS or a mapped site reference.
  • Record the animal's direction of travel and the nearby habitat or shelter feature.
  • Record the basis for identification and retain photographs only when obtained from a safe distance.
  • Report conservation-significant records through the project fauna reporting system and to the relevant agency where required.

Before habitat disturbance: 1. Approvals and permits

Avoidance is the preferred control for Dugites because the species is venomous and can use both natural and artificial cover. Plan clearing around seasonal activity and breeding considerations, while recognising that no species-specific migration period or standard buffer is established.

Check the state conservation listing before finalising the disturbance footprint. In Western Australia, treat the Priority 4 listing as a trigger for proportionate survey, impact assessment and management. In South Australia, check the requirements associated with the Rare listing.

Assess whether the action requires an EPBC Act referral. Do not assume that a state listing removes the need for a Commonwealth assessment, or that a referral is required without checking the current protected matter information and project impacts.

Obtain all relevant state approvals, fauna licences and relocation or capture authorisations before work starts. In Queensland, where the species or a relevant population is affected under the applicable framework, obtain a species management program before tampering with a breeding place. Use the relevant state process for the actual project location.

  • Nominate the approval holder and person responsible for compliance.
  • Keep copies of permits, licences, approvals and fauna management plans on site.
  • Include stop-work and reporting conditions in the construction environmental management plan.
  • Use only authorised personnel for capture, handling and release.

Before habitat disturbance: 2. Avoidance and work timing

Retain natural shelter, including logs, rocks, termite mounds, burrows and dense native ground cover, wherever practicable. Keep clearing footprints as small as possible and avoid unnecessary removal of connected vegetation blocks.

Dugites mate from early September to late November. Mainland females may lay eggs from mid-December to the end of January. Schedule high-risk clearing outside these periods where practicable, especially in areas with suitable shelter and prey.

The species uses burrows for overwintering and has no known migration schedule. Do not treat the absence of a seasonal movement record as evidence that animals are absent from the site.

  • Stage works so that animals can move towards retained habitat before disturbance.
  • Avoid isolating retained habitat with roads, fencing, spoil or stockpiles.
  • Keep waste, building materials and loose sheeting contained because they can create temporary snake shelter.
  • Use a project ecologist to set any site-specific exclusion area around a confirmed animal, burrow or suspected egg-laying site.

Before habitat disturbance: 3. Pre-clearance survey and exclusion

Complete a pre-clearance inspection immediately before vegetation or ground disturbance. Search the work area, access routes and material storage areas under the direction of the fauna spotter catcher.

There is no universal Dugite buffer. Set an exclusion area around any animal, burrow, egg-laying site or retained shelter feature using the animal's location, terrain, work type and advice from the project ecologist and relevant authority.

Do not seal, fill or collapse a burrow until it has been assessed. Do not move rocks, logs, sheets or other cover during the pre-clearance inspection unless the spotter catcher has confirmed that it can be done safely.

  • Mark exclusion areas clearly on plans and in the field.
  • Use temporary fencing or other visible controls where people or machinery could enter an exclusion area.
  • Recheck exclusion areas after rain, high winds, earthworks or changes to the work footprint.
  • Release the area to construction only after the authorised spotter catcher records it as clear or provides a written management direction.

Before habitat disturbance: 4. Induction and site controls

Induct all workers in Dugite identification, likely shelter locations, seasonal activity, first aid and stop-work requirements. Emphasise that workers must never approach, corner, kill or attempt to catch a snake.

Keep work areas tidy and remove long grass, loose materials and refuse around buildings and active work zones where this can be done without disturbing an animal. Manage mice and other attractants around site facilities.

  • Require long trousers and fully enclosed footwear in areas where snakes may occur.
  • Use spotters for personnel and machinery entering uncleared habitat.
  • Set low vehicle speeds and increase driver awareness at dawn, dusk and in warm conditions.
  • Display emergency contacts for the project manager, licensed snake catcher, first aid officer and nearest medical facility.

During habitat disturbance: 1. Sequential clearing

Clearing should proceed in small, controlled stages with an authorised fauna spotter catcher present. Any Dugite sighting, suspected breeding place or unsafe situation is a reason to pause and reassess the work area.

Clear from the least disturbed edge towards retained habitat where the site layout allows. Work in short stages and inspect each stage before machinery advances.

Remove vegetation and ground cover progressively. Do not push large piles of cover into retained habitat, as this can trap animals or create new shelter close to workers.

Keep the fauna spotter catcher in a position with a clear view of the work area and authority to stop machinery immediately.

  • Stop work if visibility is poor, the spotter catcher loses sight of the ground or an animal enters the work zone.
  • Inspect stockpiles, trenches, pipes, culverts and machinery before they are moved or used.
  • Cover or barricade trenches and other ground openings when they are unattended.
  • Do not permit workers to handle, pin, chase or kill a snake.

During habitat disturbance: 2. Animal encounter and handling

If a Dugite is found, stop work, move people away and allow the animal a clear route to retained habitat where safe. Contact a licensed and appropriately authorised snake catcher if capture or relocation is required.

Only a suitably qualified and licensed person may capture, handle or relocate the animal. The release location must be selected in accordance with the applicable approval, licence and fauna management plan.

Do not relocate a snake informally, transport it in a vehicle without authorisation or release it into an unsuitable or occupied work area.

  • Establish a temporary exclusion area around the animal.
  • Keep workers, pets and vehicles outside the exclusion area.
  • Record the animal's location, direction of travel, action taken and final outcome.
  • Obtain written confirmation before restarting work in the encounter area.

During habitat disturbance: 3. Breeding places and other sensitive features

Stop work if eggs, an active egg-laying site, a suspected breeding place or a repeatedly occupied shelter is found. Dugites lay eggs, but a distinctive nest, colony or communal breeding structure should not be assumed from a single observation.

Have the project ecologist and relevant approval holder assess the feature. Obtain agency advice or approval before disturbing, moving, covering or destroying it.

If a breeding place is protected under the applicable legislation, follow the required species management program, permit condition or other statutory process before work resumes.

  • Fence the feature and prevent access by machinery and workers.
  • Record the location, photographs from a safe distance, habitat description and the decision made by the authorised person.
  • Do not excavate, fill, burn or flood a suspected breeding place without written authorisation.
  • Keep the area under supervision if work must occur nearby.

During habitat disturbance: 4. Injury, safety and incident records

Treat every bite or suspected bite as a medical emergency. Keep the person still, apply pressure immobilisation first aid if trained and follow the site emergency plan. Call emergency services immediately and arrange urgent hospital treatment.

For an injured Dugite, stop work and keep people away. Contact a licensed wildlife carer, veterinarian or other authorised fauna professional. Do not attempt treatment or transport without authorisation.

  • Record the time, location, circumstances, people involved and first aid provided.
  • Record whether the animal was injured, captured, released, taken for treatment or found dead.
  • Notify the project manager, environmental representative and relevant authority when required by an approval or permit.
  • Preserve photographs, GPS points, witness details and spotter catcher notes for the incident report.

After habitat disturbance: 1. Post-clearance checks

Completion of clearing does not remove the need for checks. Dugites may remain under materials, in burrows or around disturbed edges, particularly where new cover and prey are available.

Inspect the cleared area, retained edges, stockpiles, trenches, culverts and temporary buildings after each clearing stage. Complete a final check before demobilising the spotter catcher.

Repeat checks after material is moved, fill is placed, drainage is excavated or new cover is stored. Keep access controls in place until the area is safe and released by the authorised person.

  • Check that no animal is trapped in an excavation, pipe, pit or temporary barrier.
  • Remove loose materials that are no longer needed.
  • Maintain safe access around retained habitat and known shelter features.
  • Record the date, personnel, areas checked and results.

After habitat disturbance: 2. Reporting and compliance

Prepare a completion record for each work area. Include survey effort, sightings, exclusion areas, captures, relocations, injuries, breeding-place findings, unexpected impacts and any departures from the approved method.

Provide records to the environmental manager and approval holder. Submit statutory reports to the relevant agency within the required timeframe.

  • Map all Dugite records and relocation points where permitted.
  • Retain licences, permits, photographs, GPS data, daily fauna logs and incident forms.
  • Report repeat sightings or mortality clusters so that controls can be reviewed.
  • Update the construction environmental management plan when the site risk changes.

After habitat disturbance: 3. Relocated animals

Confirm that every relocation was undertaken by an authorised person and in accordance with the relevant licence and approval. Record the release habitat and any conditions attached to the release.

Do not use relocation as a substitute for avoidance. Review the work method if animals are repeatedly captured from the same area or if animals are being moved from suitable habitat because of preventable disturbance.

  • Check that release sites contain suitable shelter and are away from active machinery and people.
  • Do not release animals into buildings, work compounds or areas with high traffic risk.
  • Record the number of animals moved and their outcome where the authorised handler permits this information to be shared.
  • Monitor the work area for further encounters after relocation.

After habitat disturbance: 4. Incident review

Review every bite, near miss, injury, death, unexpected breeding-place finding and unplanned capture. Include the spotter catcher, site supervisor and environmental representative in the review.

Use the findings to improve inductions, clearing sequence, cover management, access controls and emergency arrangements.

  • Identify the immediate and contributing causes.
  • Check whether the survey timing, search method and exclusion controls were adequate.
  • Close out corrective actions before the next clearing stage.
  • Share lessons with all crews working in similar habitat.

Rehabilitation actions: 1. Restore habitat structure

Rehabilitation should restore connected ground cover and natural shelter while avoiding conditions that increase risk around people and infrastructure. Dugites use a broad range of habitats, including degraded areas, but restoration should be guided by the original vegetation community and the approved rehabilitation objectives.

Re-establish native ground cover, shrubs and open woodland structure appropriate to the site. Retain or reinstate natural shelter such as stable logs, rocks and suitable burrows where this is safe and consistent with the rehabilitation design.

Reconnect retained vegetation blocks where practicable. Avoid creating isolated strips or narrow habitat remnants surrounded by roads, hardstand or regularly mown areas.

Use local native species and control erosion so that ground cover develops without burying or blocking retained shelter features.

  • Remove construction waste, scrap metal, roofing materials and other artificial cover after works.
  • Keep rehabilitation areas free of unnecessary lighting, vehicle access and repeated soil disturbance.
  • Protect revegetation from grazing, compaction and fire during establishment.
  • Manage weeds before they form dense, continuous cover that interferes with safe site inspections.

Rehabilitation actions: 2. Breeding and shelter structures

Dugites lay eggs, but there is no established requirement for nest boxes, bat boxes, artificial roosts or other manufactured breeding structures. Do not install these structures as a generic mitigation measure.

Where a project ecologist identifies a genuine shortage of suitable shelter, use natural materials such as retained logs, rocks or habitat piles only after considering worker safety, fire risk, drainage and the possibility of attracting snakes close to occupied buildings.

Do not create artificial shelter beside offices, walkways, compounds or other high-use areas. Any habitat feature should be placed in a planned conservation area with clear management responsibilities.

  • Retain suitable natural burrows where they are stable and outside the construction footprint.
  • Do not fill or seal a suspected occupied burrow without assessment.
  • Use fencing or signage where restored shelter is close to areas used by workers.
  • Review the feature after installation and remove it if it creates an unmanaged safety hazard.

Rehabilitation actions: 3. Water, weeds and lighting

Use water-sensitive rehabilitation that reflects the natural site. Avoid creating permanent artificial water sources unless they are part of an approved ecological design, because water can attract prey, people and other fauna to work areas.

Control introduced weeds and reinvasion along access tracks, drainage lines and disturbed edges. Keep maintenance methods consistent with fauna safety and avoid indiscriminate chemical use near retained shelter or prey habitat.

Use only the lighting needed for safety and operations. Direct lights away from retained habitat, rehabilitation areas and movement routes, and avoid leaving unnecessary lights on overnight.

  • Inspect drainage structures for trapped fauna after rainfall and construction changes.
  • Keep rehabilitation watering equipment and hoses managed so they do not create cover or entanglement hazards.
  • Use fauna-safe erosion and sediment controls.
  • Record weed treatment, watering, lighting changes and fauna incidents during maintenance.

Rehabilitation actions: 4. Long-term monitoring

Monitor rehabilitation during establishment and after major maintenance. The monitoring design should match the Priority 4 or Rare listing, the impact risk and the approval conditions, rather than relying on a fixed Dugite-specific protocol.

Use repeat visual searches and motion-sensing cameras where they are suitable. Sample during warmer conditions as well as at other times needed to assess shelter use and construction risks.

  • Record Dugite sightings, shelter use, mortality, vehicle interactions and changes in habitat condition.
  • Compare records with the pre-construction baseline and reference areas where available.
  • Review monitoring results with the project ecologist and relevant agency when required.
  • Adapt weed control, access, lighting, shelter retention and maintenance if monitoring shows increased risk or loss of habitat function.

Rehabilitation actions: 5. Community and worker awareness

Maintain clear snake safety information for workers and future land managers. People should know that Dugites may occur in natural, agricultural, industrial and residential settings and can shelter under ground materials.

Keep a current response procedure for sightings, bites and requests for snake removal. Use a licensed snake catcher rather than asking staff or contractors to remove an animal.

  • Include snake awareness in annual inductions and contractor briefings.
  • Keep emergency contacts visible in site offices and vehicles.
  • Maintain tidy compounds and reduce mouse attractants around buildings.
  • Record and review recurring sightings near occupied areas.

Sources