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Dusky Hopping Mouse (Notomys fuscus)

The dusky hopping mouse is a small, nocturnal native rodent of arid sandy environments in South Australia, Queensland, New South Wales and historically the Northern Territory. It is listed as Vulnerable under the EPBC Act, has a fragmented range, and can be difficult to detect during dry periods, so sandy dunes, hummocks, burrows, tracks and pop-holes should be assessed before clearing or construction.

Conservation status

Commonwealth, EPBC Act 1999: Vulnerable.

Queensland, Nature Conservation Act 1992: Endangered.

New South Wales, Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016: Endangered.

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

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

Breeding season

There is no fixed breeding season. Activity, abundance and dispersal are strongly influenced by rainfall, so the calendar below is a practical risk guide rather than a prediction of local occupancy.

Survey and clearing decisions should account for recent rainfall, because detection probability and the area occupied can change substantially between wet and dry periods.

  • Breeding: Breeding has been observed throughout the year, including summer and during wet and dry conditions. Peak months are not documented.
  • Young: Litters can occur throughout the year because breeding is opportunistic. Dependent young may therefore be present in burrows in any month.
  • Highest clearing risk: Risk applies throughout the year because breeding and dependent young may occur year round. Clearing during dry conditions also risks removing the small number of burrow systems that remain occupied in local refuges.

Identification

The dusky hopping mouse is a small, lightly built rodent with long hindfeet and a long, tufted tail. It is usually detected more reliably from tracks and burrow systems than from trapping, particularly when numbers are low.

Adults have pale orange, pale sandy brown, yellowish brown, greyish or ashy upperparts and white underparts. They have large rounded ears, prominent dark eyes, strong incisors, extremely long narrow hindfeet and a long tail ending in a dark hair brush.

Both sexes have a well-developed circular throat or chest pouch with fleshy margins and stiff white hairs pointing inwards. Females have four nipples.

Head and body: 91 to 177 mm

Tail: 125 to 225 mm

Weight: About 20 to 50 g

Identification: Similar species

The species overlaps with the fawn hopping mouse, Notomys cervinus, and the spinifex hopping mouse, Notomys alexis. Habitat helps with initial assessment, but should not be used alone for identification.

The dusky hopping mouse has a well-developed throat pouch in both sexes. In the fawn hopping mouse the pouch is less prominent and occurs only in males, while the spinifex hopping mouse has a male chest gland rather than this type of pouch.

The hindfoot lacks a thumb-pad. In the fawn hopping mouse, burrows are more associated with clay soils and gibber plains, while dusky hopping mouse burrows are mainly in sandy dunes and hummocks.

Identification: Field signs

Tracks are a useful detection method and are often the most obvious sign. Look for tracks and runways on suitable sand, especially around dunes, sand rises and burrow entrances.

Burrow systems occur in sand hummocks and may have a main entrance of about 10 cm diameter connected to up to six smaller vertical pop-holes, each about 2 to 3 cm wide. The burrows can include chambers and tunnels extending to about 1 m below the surface.

No diagnostic call or scat description is provided in the supplied sources. Conventional trapping can miss the species at low density, so track transects, pop-hole searches, sand plots, camera traps and targeted trapping should be combined.

  • Search sandy ground for hopping tracks, runways, burrow entrances and multiple small pop-holes.
  • Inspect stable Nitraria billardierei hummocks and Sandhill Cane-grass hummocks for burrow systems.
  • Use track transects and other non-capture methods when conditions are dry or when trapping success is likely to be low.

Distribution: National range

The current range is patchy and concentrated in the eastern Lake Eyre Basin and Simpson-Strzelecki Dunefields. The species has undergone a substantial range contraction, with historic records extending much farther west and north.

Current or recent records are from north-eastern South Australia, south-west Queensland and western New South Wales. In South Australia, records include the Strzelecki Regional Reserve, Innamincka Regional Reserve, Cobbler Sandhills, areas around Lake Frome, Boolcoomatta Reserve, Beverley Mine Lease and other sandy sites.

In Queensland, the known population near Betoota occurs on a patch of red sand ridges near Pelican Waterhole. In New South Wales, records include Sturt National Park and sites near Broken Hill, with a 2003 record being the first in the state since 1845.

The species was formerly recorded in the Northern Territory, including Maryvale and Andado stations, but has not been recorded there since 1939. Historic South Australian records extended to Ooldea, and the former range extended east towards the Victoria and New South Wales border.

Main bioregional setting: Eastern Lake Eyre Basin and Simpson-Strzelecki Dunefields

States and territories with current or historical records: South Australia, Queensland, New South Wales and Northern Territory

Distribution: Strongholds and subpopulations

The most persistent known areas are associated with the Strzelecki Desert, Strzelecki Regional Reserve, Cobbler Dunes and adjacent continuous sandy country. The Betoota population is isolated by about 300 km from the next nearest known record in the profile.

After exceptional rainfall in 2010 and 2011, the species expanded into sandy creek lines, sand rises and some gibber plain areas in South Australia. Follow-up surveys in 2012 found that abundance and sign had declined, although the species remained broadly distributed.

  • Treat remaining sandy refuges and persistent dune systems as high-priority habitat, even when recent records are absent.
  • Interpret a lack of records cautiously during dry conditions because local populations can become very small and difficult to detect.

Distribution: Population size and trend

The species has irruptive demography. Abundance and occupied area can increase rapidly after substantial rainfall and contract during dry periods. This produces large differences in detectability between seasons.

The range is highly fragmented and has contracted over the past century. The causes of the present fragmented distribution are not fully resolved.

Estimated total population in 1990s surveys: About 2,500 to 10,000 individuals, particularly during dry periods

Recorded density at Montecollina Bore: Up to 6 animals per hectare in 1994, followed by local extinction two years later during a dry period

Recorded density in the 2011 South Australian survey: Up to 10 individuals per hectare at Wooltana and 7 individuals per hectare at Mulyungarie

2012 survey trend: Track presence declined by 44 percent compared with 2011, and trapping and spotlighting detections fell markedly

Habitat: Habitat types

The dusky hopping mouse is associated mainly with arid sandy substrates, consolidated dunes and sand plains with perennial vegetation. Suitable habitat is often close to lakes, drainage lines or other sources of local productivity, although the species can move across clay flats within its home range.

Core habitat includes dune crests, sand ridges, sand plains and sandy rises. The species is usually restricted to sandy areas rather than open gibber or scalded ground, but it can occupy atypical habitats after good rainfall.

Records after rainfall include chenopod shrubland on gibber plains, acacia shrubland and sandy creek lines. The species may cross inter-dune clay flats within its home range.

Habitat: Vegetation and structure

Important vegetation includes Sandhill Cane-grass, Zygochloa paradoxa, and Nitraria billardierei hummocks. Dune wattle, Acacia ligulata, may form a sparse shrub layer at the Betoota population.

Persistent populations are associated with stable hummocks, perennial plant cover and loose sand suitable for burrowing. Continuous dune systems support more sign than isolated dune patches.

  • Map and ground-check dune crests, sand ridges, hummocks, sandy creek lines and connected dune systems before works.
  • Retain perennial grass and shrub cover where possible, especially around established burrows and runways.
  • Check nearby productive areas and water-associated features because dense aggregations are often close to lakes or drainage lines.

Habitat: Climate and elevation

The species occurs in arid areas with unpredictable rainfall and responds opportunistically to wet conditions. No specific elevation limit is provided in the supplied sources.

Habitat suitability changes markedly with rainfall. Following rain, animals may disperse into less typical habitats, while dry conditions can restrict them to a small number of sandy refuges.

Foraging habitat: Food

The dusky hopping mouse is an omnivore that forages at night on and around sandy dunes, hummocks, creek lines and nearby productive areas. It obtains sufficient moisture from food and does not need to drink free water.

The diet includes seeds, grains, green plants and other vegetation, with some insects and small lizards. Food availability is likely to increase after substantial rainfall, supporting rapid population growth and dispersal.

The species can live without drinking water when its food provides sufficient moisture. It shelters underground during intense heat and is mainly active at night.

Diet: Seeds, grains, green vegetation, insects and small lizards

Free water requirement: Not required when sufficient moisture is obtained from food

Foraging habitat: Foraging sites

Likely foraging habitat includes dune crests, sand plains, sand rises, perennial grass cover, Nitraria hummocks and sandy creek lines. Animals may move across inter-dune clay flats within their home range.

No measured foraging distance or home-range size is provided in the supplied sources. At project sites, assess connected sandy habitat rather than treating an isolated burrow or dune as the full area used by the species.

  • Retain seed-producing grasses, shrubs and other ground cover around burrow systems.
  • Avoid removing vegetation from dune crests and hummocks where tracks, runways or pop-holes are present.
  • Survey after rainfall where practicable, because food resources, abundance and the area occupied may increase.

Breeding habitat: Breeding biology

The species is an opportunistic breeder and can reproduce in wet or dry conditions, including summer. Breeding occurs in burrow systems within stable sandy habitat.

Females are polyoestrous in captivity and breeding has been observed throughout the year. Both sexes can breed from about 70 days of age.

Litters are produced in burrows. The supplied sources provide captive breeding data but do not provide a reliable field estimate of lifespan.

Breeding season: Throughout the year; opportunistic and not restricted to a documented season

Litter size: 1 to 5 young, mean 2.7 in captivity

Gestation: 32 to 38 days, average 34.3 days

Interval between litters: About 42 days on average

Age at maturity: About 70 days for both sexes

Maximum reproductive life in captivity: About 24 months for females and 36 months for males

Lifespan: Not known from the supplied sources

Breeding habitat: Breeding habitat

Breeding habitat consists of stable sand hummocks, dune systems and sandy rises that support burrows. Nitraria billardierei hummocks and Sandhill Cane-grass can provide both burrow stability and food resources.

Burrow systems may be used communally by groups of up to five animals. Maintain connected sandy habitat around burrows because local breeding groups can be small and populations can decline rapidly during dry periods.

  • Search for active burrows and pop-holes before clearing, grading, trenching or vehicle access is planned.
  • Avoid disturbing occupied burrow systems and adjacent hummock vegetation during works.
  • Schedule unavoidable disturbance outside areas with active tracks, fresh spoil, recently used pop-holes or other evidence of current occupation.

Sheltering habitat: Burrow structure

The dusky hopping mouse shelters in deep communal burrows during the day. Burrow systems are concentrated in relatively stable sandy hummocks and dune habitat.

Individuals live in groups of up to five in one or two burrows. A main entrance of about 10 cm diameter can lead to a main shaft, chambers and tunnels up to about 1 m below the surface.

The main shaft may connect to up to six vertical pop-holes with entrances about 2 to 3 cm in diameter. These openings may provide escape routes from predators.

Group size: Up to five animals

Burrows per group: One or two burrows

Approximate main entrance diameter: 10 cm

Approximate pop-hole diameter: 2 to 3 cm

Maximum tunnel depth reported: About 1 m below the surface

  • Inspect both large entrances and small pop-holes because a burrow system may have several openings.
  • Treat apparently inactive burrows cautiously during dry periods, when animals may be present at low density or may use deeper parts of the system.
  • Keep heavy vehicles, stockpiles and temporary access tracks away from burrow systems and stable hummocks.

Sheltering habitat: Day shelter and cover

Most burrows occur in Nitraria billardierei hummocks interspersed with loose unstable white sand and scalded clay areas. The animals shelter in deep burrows during the day and forage at night.

Stable dunes and perennial vegetation help maintain the burrow structure. Loss of plant cover can destabilise sand and reduce shelter and food resources.

  • Protect Nitraria hummocks, Sandhill Cane-grass and other perennial cover around burrows.
  • Do not fill, collapse or compact burrows unless authorised fauna management procedures require it.
  • Use daytime habitat and sign searches before deciding that a site is unoccupied.

Threats: Predators and introduced herbivores

The main pressures are predation, loss and degradation of sandy habitat, grazing by rabbits and domestic stock, and prolonged dry conditions. The species' boom and bust population pattern means that impacts can be severe when animals are concentrated in a few refuges.

Feral cats and red foxes are identified threats. Predation risk is likely to increase when dry conditions concentrate animals in remaining refuges and when vegetation cover is reduced.

Rabbits and domestic stock can remove plant cover, degrade dunes, reduce food resources and contribute to erosion and scalding. Rabbit control may also reduce predator numbers indirectly.

  • Manage feral cats and red foxes in and around known refuges in accordance with approved control programs.
  • Limit grazing pressure and provide pasture spells where livestock use overlaps suitable sandy habitat.
  • Control rabbits where they are degrading hummocks, dunes or food plants, using approved methods.

Threats: Clearing, fragmentation and construction

Clearing of dune vegetation, hummocks, sandy creek lines and connected sand plains can remove burrows, food resources and movement routes. The species already has a patchy and highly fragmented distribution.

The supplied sources do not provide species-specific road mortality data. Roads, tracks, borrow pits, pipelines and construction pads can nevertheless disturb or remove the sandy habitat used for burrowing and can increase vehicle access through refuges.

  • Avoid clearing continuous dune systems, stable hummocks and known burrow concentrations.
  • Keep temporary access, laydown areas, stockpiles and vehicle movements off sandy rises and dune crests where practicable.
  • Inspect proposed clearing areas for tracks, runways, burrows and pop-holes before works commence.
  • Retain links between sandy habitat patches, especially where the project crosses a dune system or sandy drainage line.

Threats: Rainfall, fire and other pressures

Extended drought can cause major declines or local extinction through low food availability and increased exposure to predators. Exceptional rainfall can produce rapid expansion, but this does not indicate that the species is secure.

A patchy fire regime has been suggested as a possible management benefit, but the supplied sources do not define a fire interval or identify a single fire response. Large or poorly timed fires may remove food plants and cover across small refuges.

No species-specific disease threat is identified in the supplied sources. Rabbit calicivirus affected rabbit abundance and may indirectly benefit the species by reducing competition and predator numbers.

  • Avoid broad, intense or unnecessary fire across remaining sandy refuges and retain unburnt perennial cover where practicable.
  • Consider rainfall and recent conditions when interpreting survey results, because detection and occupancy can change rapidly.
  • Treat hydrology changes cautiously near lakes, drainage lines and sandy creek lines; the sources identify these areas as associated with dense populations but do not quantify impacts from altered water regimes.

Survey methodology: 1. Habitat, tracks and burrows

Survey the Dusky Hopping-mouse, Notomys fuscus, as a small, nocturnal ground-dwelling mammal of sandy arid habitats. Use several methods because detectability is low during dry conditions and populations can expand or contract rapidly after rainfall.

Complete a desktop assessment using vegetation mapping, aerial photography, satellite imagery and habitat modelling, then ground-truth the results across the project area.

Target consolidated sand dunes, sand plains, sandy rises, creek lines and inter-dune areas with perennial vegetation, particularly where Nitraria billardierei hummocks, Sandhill Cane-grass, Zygochloa paradoxa, or Dune Wattle, Acacia ligulata, occur.

Search for tracks, burrows and pop-holes during the day and at night. Tracks are among the most obvious signs, and burrow entrances may lead to several vertical pop-holes.

Record sandy habitat connected to other suitable areas, as well as isolated dunes, gaps, degraded areas and potential refugia.

Typical burrow group: Small groups of about five individuals may use one burrow system.

Burrow features: A main entrance is about 10 centimetres in diameter and may connect to up to six pop-holes with entrances about 2 to 3 centimetres in diameter.

  • Use systematic transects or quadrats so the search covers all representative habitat types and can be repeated.
  • For small sites, use transects spaced 50 to 100 metres apart, or quadrats in representative habitats.
  • For a 5 hectare survey area, allow about 2 hours for each hectare of stratified survey site, combining the habitat search with searches for signs.

Survey methodology: 2. Spotlighting and track-based monitoring

Conduct nocturnal spotlighting along fixed transects through dunes, sandy rises, creek lines and other suitable habitat. Record effort as transect length, time, weather, surface condition and number of animals observed.

Use sand tracks or soil plots where the site lacks suitable loose sand. Record tracks, direction of travel, activity and the location of burrows or pop-holes.

Survey after rainfall or during other conditions when food and cover are available, because the species can be extremely difficult to detect at low density during dry periods.

Recorded survey example: A South Australian survey used spotlighting, trapping and track-based monitoring in 2011 and 2012; more than 100 kilometres of spotlight transects in 2012 produced no observations, despite the species still being detected by tracks.

  • Repeat track plots where the project could affect a population or a potential refuge, rather than relying on one negative survey.
  • Use consistent track conditions between survey rounds and document rain, wind and disturbance that could affect track persistence.
  • Use local landholders, station staff and Indigenous knowledge holders to identify recent records, burrow systems and areas where the species may persist during dry periods.

Survey methodology: 3. Trapping and supplementary detection

Use Elliott A traps with a mixture of rolled oats and peanut butter where trapping is appropriate and authorised. Trapping can be difficult during summer, so account for heat and animal welfare conditions before deployment.

Use pitfall traps in accordance with the threatened mammal survey guideline. For this species, modify the design to at least 60 centimetres deep and use narrow PVC pipe about 16 centimetres in diameter to reduce escapes.

Consider hair sampling devices, because the species can be identified from hair when a reasonable sample is available. Send samples to an appropriately qualified specialist.

Consider baited camera traps in suitable habitat, concentrating on well-used runways identified by track abundance. Collect predator scats, owl casts or remains from predator nests and dens where this can be done safely and lawfully.

Guideline survey area: The species profile provides recommendations for areas up to 5 hectares; larger areas should be replicated within habitat types or plant communities.

Body mass for survey planning: About 32 g in the survey guideline, with a broader documented range of about 20 to 50 g.

  • Use a stratified sampling design and replicate survey effort within each relevant habitat type when the project area exceeds 5 hectares.
  • Do not treat a negative trapping result as evidence that the species is absent when tracks, burrows, recent rainfall patterns or local information indicate possible occurrence.
  • Obtain the required wildlife research, trapping and animal ethics approvals before setting traps or handling animals.

Survey methodology: Minimum effort and reporting

  • Use a combination of habitat assessment, daytime sign searches and nocturnal track or spotlighting surveys, adding trapping or other methods where the risk of impact warrants them.
  • Survey all suitable sandy habitat within the disturbance footprint and assess connected retained habitat and nearby potential refugia.
  • Plan repeat surveys when conditions change, especially after substantial rainfall and during the subsequent contraction phase, because occupancy and abundance fluctuate markedly.
  • Record survey dates, start and finish times, personnel, methods, transect or plot locations, area searched, trap effort, weather, rainfall, substrate condition, detection results and photographs of diagnostic signs.
  • Have animal identifications and hair samples checked by a suitably qualified person, particularly where Fawn Hopping-mouse, Spinifex Hopping-mouse or other small rodents occur.
  • Submit confirmed records, including reliable sign records where accepted, to the relevant state or territory wildlife database and the Australian Government species record system where appropriate.
  • Report the species as a potential impact under the project approval process because it is listed as Vulnerable under the EPBC Act.

Before habitat disturbance: Avoid and minimise

Treat suitable sandy habitat, burrow systems and connected dune areas as potential Dusky Hopping-mouse habitat before finalising the disturbance footprint. The species may be absent from a site during dry conditions and return or disperse after rainfall.

  • Keep the disturbance footprint away from consolidated dunes, sandy rises, Sandhill Cane-grass, Nitraria hummocks, permanent or semi-permanent burrow systems and sandy creek lines wherever practicable.
  • Retain continuous sandy habitat between occupied or potentially occupied areas, and avoid creating isolated patches separated by roads, compounds or cleared corridors.
  • Retain food and cover plants, ground cover and stable dune structure, particularly during dry periods when food resources and shelter are limited.
  • Avoid disturbing known refugia and areas with repeated records, because local populations can contract to a small number of core sites.

Before habitat disturbance: Approvals and work planning

National status: Vulnerable under the EPBC Act, effective from 16 July 2000.

Recovery planning: There is no adopted or made recovery plan for the species.

  • Check whether the action requires referral or approval under the EPBC Act because the Dusky Hopping-mouse is nationally listed as Vulnerable.
  • Confirm the current threatened species listing, survey, trapping, handling, relocation and rehabilitation requirements in every state or territory affected by the project.
  • Prepare a species-specific fauna management plan covering survey results, habitat retention, pre-clearance procedures, fauna handling, stop-work triggers, reporting and rehabilitation.
  • Use the survey results to stage works around retained habitat and known activity areas. There is no documented seasonal breeding break to rely on, because breeding may occur throughout the year.
  • Schedule detection work when conditions provide a reasonable chance of finding the species, and document any dry-period limitations on the confidence of a negative result.

Before habitat disturbance: Site preparation

  • Complete the approved pre-clearance survey immediately before works, covering the full impact area and any access tracks, laydown areas, stockpiles and temporary compounds.
  • Mark retained dunes, sandy rises, burrow systems, track plots, exclusion areas and access routes on plans and on the ground.
  • Use exclusion fencing or clearly marked no-go areas where fencing can protect retained sandy habitat and burrow systems without trapping animals or blocking essential movement.
  • Brief machinery operators and the fauna spotter catcher on the species’ appearance, tracks, pop-holes, burrows, stop-work triggers and reporting process.
  • Inspect proposed clearing areas after rainfall or new records, because animals may move into areas that were previously inactive.

During habitat disturbance: Daily controls and spotter procedures

Use a controlled clearing sequence that allows the fauna spotter catcher to inspect habitat and respond to detections before machinery enters each work area. The species is nocturnal, shelters in burrows during the day and may live communally in complex burrow systems.

  • Hold a daily pre-start briefing covering the approved work area, retained habitat, current records, weather, access routes, equipment and stop-work requirements.
  • Inspect the active work area for fresh tracks, open pop-holes, burrows, animals and newly occupied sandy habitat before clearing begins.
  • Keep the fauna spotter catcher close enough to observe the vegetation and substrate being disturbed, while remaining outside the machinery exclusion zone and maintaining direct communication with the operator.
  • Clear progressively in small sections towards retained habitat, where this is safe and consistent with the approved fauna management plan.
  • Use low-speed machinery and pause when the spotter catcher needs to inspect a burrow, track, animal or habitat feature.

During habitat disturbance: Burrows and habitat features

  • Do not fill, collapse or drive over a confirmed or suspected burrow system until it has been inspected and cleared under the approved procedure.
  • Treat burrows associated with Nitraria hummocks, Sandhill Cane-grass, stable dune faces and sandy rises as potential shelter sites.
  • Protect retained vegetation, loose sand, dune structure and ground cover from unnecessary vehicle movement and stockpiling.
  • Apply the project fauna procedure to any logs, rocks, litter piles, dense grass clumps or other shelter features encountered during clearing, even though this species is primarily associated with sandy burrows rather than tree hollows.
  • Do not move soil, sand, vegetation or burrow material into retained habitat unless the approved plan specifically permits it.

During habitat disturbance: Animal handling and stop-work response

  • Stop work in the immediate area if a Dusky Hopping-mouse is seen, captured, injured, found in machinery or located in a burrow that will be disturbed.
  • Keep people, vehicles and dogs away from the animal and do not chase it into a burrow or retained habitat.
  • Allow only an appropriately authorised fauna handler to capture, examine, hold or relocate the animal, using the approved equipment and animal welfare procedure.
  • Relocate an uninjured animal only where authorised, to nearby suitable retained sandy habitat that is outside the work area and connected to suitable cover.
  • Send an injured animal promptly to an authorised wildlife carer or veterinarian, following the relevant state or territory requirements.
  • Resume work only after the fauna spotter catcher has cleared the immediate area and the authorised project ecologist or other nominated decision-maker has approved the restart.
  • Stop work across the relevant work area if more than one animal is found, if a communal burrow system is exposed, if repeated fresh sign is detected, or if the approved fauna management plan threshold is reached.

During habitat disturbance: Records and incident reporting

  • Record every live observation, capture, injury, death, relocation, burrow encounter and confirmed track record with coordinates, date, time, habitat, work activity and photographs where safe.
  • Record the machinery involved, the operator, the fauna spotter catcher, handling details, destination of any relocation and the condition of the animal when released or transferred.
  • Notify the project environmental officer and approval authority of any mortality, injury, unauthorised habitat disturbance or breach of the fauna management plan.
  • Submit confirmed records to the relevant state or territory wildlife database and retain the field data with the project environmental records.

After habitat disturbance: Post-clearance checks

Post-clearance work should confirm that no animals or active burrow systems remain within the disturbed area and should test whether retained habitat continues to provide cover and movement opportunities.

  • Complete a final inspection of the cleared footprint, batters, spoil areas, access tracks and retained habitat edges for animals, fresh tracks, pop-holes and exposed burrows.
  • Reinspect any area where the spotter catcher recorded sign, where soil was moved or where clearing occurred during dry conditions that reduced detection confidence.
  • Repair or remove temporary exclusion fencing when it is no longer needed, ensuring that fencing has not trapped animals or blocked movement between retained sandy areas.
  • Record any new sign and compare it with the pre-clearance survey, including changes in the location or continuity of suitable sandy habitat.

After habitat disturbance: Monitoring and controls

Documented fluctuation: At Montecollina Bore, density reached 6 animals per hectare in 1994 and the local population became extinct two years later during a dry period.

  • Monitor retained habitat and rehabilitation areas using repeat track plots, searches for pop-holes and, where appropriate, spotlighting, cameras or trapping under approval.
  • Repeat monitoring after rainfall and during dry conditions where the project could affect a known population or potential refuge, because presence and abundance can change substantially between periods.
  • Maintain weed, rabbit, stock and feral predator controls required by the approved management plan, particularly around retained refugia.
  • Keep erosion, vehicle access, stockpiling and drainage controls in place until sandy habitat and ground cover are stable.

After habitat disturbance: Reporting and offsets

  • Provide the regulator and project environmental officer with the final survey, clearing, handling, mortality, rehabilitation and monitoring records.
  • Report whether the approved avoidance and mitigation measures were implemented and whether any occupied or potential refuge habitat was disturbed.
  • Apply any offset, conservation payment or additional protection measure required by the EPBC Act approval or state approval conditions.
  • Do not count a temporary post-rainfall expansion as evidence that habitat loss is acceptable, because broad occurrence can contract again when conditions become dry.

Rehabilitation actions: Restore sandy habitat and vegetation

Rehabilitation should rebuild stable sandy habitat with cover, food plants and connected burrow opportunities. Aim to restore the features used during both population expansion and dry-period contraction, rather than simply revegetating the cleared surface.

  • Reinstate stable sandy rises, dune form and sandy creek-line habitat where these features were disturbed, using locally appropriate material and erosion controls.
  • Re-establish Sandhill Cane-grass, Zygochloa paradoxa, Nitraria billardierei and other locally occurring native grasses and shrubs recorded from suitable reference habitat.
  • Include Dune Wattle, Acacia ligulata, where it is part of the local reference community, and retain natural regeneration wherever possible.
  • Maintain enough ground cover to stabilise sand, provide food and reduce exposure to predators during dry periods.
  • Control weeds and prevent stock, vehicle traffic and other disturbance from removing recovering vegetation.

Rehabilitation actions: Reinstate shelter and connectivity

Shelter used by the species: Individuals live in burrows in small groups, with burrows commonly associated with Nitraria hummocks and loose sandy habitat.

  • Reinstate or protect natural hummocks, loose sand margins and stable burrow areas rather than compacting the entire rehabilitation surface.
  • Reconnect retained dunes, sandy rises, creek lines and other suitable patches wherever the project has severed movement routes.
  • Do not install nest boxes as a substitute for the sandy burrow systems used by this species unless an approved specialist plan identifies a specific purpose.
  • Use locally sourced soil and plant material where permitted, and prevent imported material from introducing weeds, rabbits or other hazards.

Rehabilitation actions: Predator, grazing and fire management

  • Control rabbits and limit domestic stock grazing in rehabilitation and refuge areas so food plants and protective ground cover can recover.
  • Implement approved feral Cat and Red Fox control around key refuge areas where these predators threaten the species.
  • Use grazing exclusion or pasture spelling where required to protect recovering vegetation and stabilise dunes.
  • Apply a patchy fire regime only where it is consistent with the approved ecological fire plan, local fuel conditions and protection of burrows and retained cover.

Rehabilitation actions: Success measures and monitoring

  • Set measurable rehabilitation targets for native plant cover, Sandhill Cane-grass and Nitraria establishment, dune stability, weed and rabbit abundance, and continuity with retained sandy habitat.
  • Inspect rehabilitation areas after rainfall for tracks, pop-holes, burrows and other evidence of use, and repeat monitoring during drier conditions to identify refuge value.
  • Use the same track plots, search effort and recording methods over time so results can be compared with pre-clearance surveys.
  • Escalate weed, erosion, grazing, rabbit or predator controls if vegetation cover declines or if rehabilitation becomes unsuitable for burrow construction.
  • Continue monitoring until the environmental officer and relevant approval authority accept that the habitat structure and management outcomes meet the project commitments.

Sources