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Finlayson's Cave Bat (Vespadelus finlaysoni)

Finlayson’s Cave Bat is a small insectivorous microbat found across arid, semi-arid and some wetter parts of Australia, including the Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia. Caves, crevices, mines and other sheltered structures can support colonies, so clearing, blasting, bridge or culvert works may affect many bats at one site. The species is least concern nationally, but in Queensland it is a least concern colonial breeder and tampering with a breeding place requires a high risk species management program.

Conservation status

Queensland, Nature Conservation Act 1992: Colonial breeder. Least concern in Queensland, but it breeds in colonies, so tampering with a breeding place needs a high risk species management program rather than the low risk program.

Breeding season

Finlayson’s Cave Bat is a colonial microbat that breeds in the warmer months. Births have been recorded in late November or early December, but timing may vary between regions and years.

Breeding mode: Colonial breeder. Females form larger groups, while males may occupy smaller groups in tight crevices.

Litter size: One pup.

Breeding frequency: Not recorded. General microbat guidance indicates that most species produce one pup each year.

Gestation: Not recorded.

Fledging and weaning: Not recorded. Young may remain clustered separately from adults.

Roosts and breeding places: Caves, rock crevices, abandoned mines and disused fairy martin mud-bottle nests. Nests may occur on rock walls, cave ceilings, overhung banks, drains, bridges and building eaves.

Colony size and active maternity roosts: Colonies of about 20 are common. Colonies may reach 500 or more individuals. Confirm a maternity roost by finding pregnant or lactating females, pups, or repeated use by females with young. Protect these sites from disturbance and avoid clearing or exclusion during the maternity period.

Breeding timing can shift between years and regions, so treat occupied caves, mines, crevices, nests and other roosts as potentially sensitive until surveys confirm that breeding has finished.

  • Roost and colony activity: Colonies and roosts may be occupied throughout the year, although group composition and roost use can change seasonally.
  • Breeding and births: Breeding activity is expected in the warmer months, with births documented in late November or early December.
  • Dependent pups: Dependent young are most likely after the late spring and early summer birth period, with timing inferred from the general microbat breeding pattern.
  • Adult foraging and roost movements: Adults are expected to forage and move between suitable roosts year round, with no documented migration period for this species.
  • Highest clearing risk: Clearing, demolition, tree or structure removal and roost exclusion have the greatest potential to harm pregnant females, newborn pups and dependent young from spring to late summer.

Identification: Appearance

Finlayson’s Cave Bat is a small, dark microbat with rusty or yellow brown fur tips. It can be difficult to separate from other small cave associated bats in the field, so use more than one identification method where the result affects clearing or construction decisions.

The fur is black, with paler rusty brown or yellow brown tips. The paler colour continues over the head to the muzzle. The belly is lighter than the back.

This species is fragile when captured and can stress and dehydrate quickly. Keep handling time short and release bats at the point of capture where safe and appropriate.

Identification: Calls and similar species

Finlayson’s Cave Bat produces ultrasonic echolocation calls. Automated call identification can confuse its very high frequency calls with Pilbara Leaf-nosed Bat calls, so call results should be checked by an experienced bat ecologist.

Small bats recorded at cave entrances may include Finlayson’s Cave Bat, Small Broad-nosed Bat or Pilbara Leaf-nosed Bat. Harp trapping and, where suitable, mist netting can help confirm identity, but capture should be undertaken by appropriately trained personnel.

Identification: Field signs

Look for repeated bat emergence and re-entry, small droppings below roost entrances, dark staining around cracks, and bat odour in enclosed roost spaces. These signs are not diagnostic on their own.

Mud-bottle nests made by Fairy Martins may be occupied by this bat. Newborn pups have been observed resting outside nest entrances, so inspect suitable nests carefully before removal or disturbance.

  • Repeated activity at dusk or before civil twilight
  • Droppings or staining below cracks, cave entrances, bridge joints or nest entrances
  • Bats crawling into small crevices or disused Fairy Martin nests

Distribution: Australian range

Finlayson’s Cave Bat has a broad Australian distribution. Project records and conservation information place it in the Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia, from dry inland country to some high rainfall coastal areas.

The species is associated with arid and semi-arid landscapes, but it also occurs in high rainfall coastal areas. It is often recorded near rocky outcrops, hills, ranges and cave systems.

Records include the Pilbara and Great Sandy Desert regions, as well as inland and northern parts of Australia. The mapped state and territory range includes the Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia.

Mapped jurisdictions: Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia

Broad environmental range: Desert, semi-arid country and some high rainfall coastal areas

Distribution: What the range means on a project

A site does not need to contain a large obvious cave to support the species. Small cracks, overhangs, mine workings, bridge structures and bird nests can provide shelter.

Treat suitable roost features as potential bat habitat until they have been checked. Absence from one survey night does not rule out use of another nearby feature.

  • Rocky ridges, cliffs and gorges
  • Caves, mine workings and drainage structures
  • Clusters of Fairy Martin mud-bottle nests
  • Bridges, culverts and buildings with sheltered joints

Habitat: Vegetation and landscape

Look for Finlayson’s Cave Bat in landscapes that combine sheltered roosts with nearby insect rich habitat and water. On works sites, the most useful initial task is to map rocky features, old structures and hollow or crevice bearing vegetation before clearing begins.

The species occurs in grasslands, savannah woodlands, open forests, mulga and other shrub communities. It is also recorded in spinifex grasslands, open Eucalypt woodland and Acacia shrubland around rocky ranges and gorges.

Suitable sites often have a mixture of rocky shelter, native vegetation and drainage lines or pools. Retain connected vegetation around known or potential roosts where practicable.

  • Spinifex grassland and tussock grassland
  • Mulga, Acacia shrubland and open Eucalypt woodland
  • Savannah woodland and open forest
  • Gullies, dry creeks, wet creeks and pools

Habitat: Landforms and site features

Rocky escarpments, ridges, cliffs, gorges and hilly terrain should be checked for caves, overhangs and narrow fissures. Old mines and abandoned industrial structures may provide similar shelter.

At some sites, bats have been recorded around cave entrances in banded ironstone ranges and around pools. These records show the value of checking both the roost feature and the surrounding habitat.

Features to map before works: Caves, fissures, overhangs, mines, bridge structures, culverts, Fairy Martin nests and water points

Habitat: Site inspection

Before vegetation clearing or earthworks, inspect the proposed footprint and nearby retained habitat during daylight. Use an endoscope or pole camera where a hollow, crack or nest cannot be safely viewed from the ground.

Do not enter unstable caves, narrow passages or steep gorges simply to confirm bat use. Use a qualified person and a site specific safe work method.

  • Record the feature location and access route
  • Photograph entrances and surrounding vegetation where safe
  • Mark exclusion areas before machinery arrives

Foraging habitat: Food and feeding areas

Finlayson’s Cave Bat eats flying insects and generally forages close to its roost. Protecting the vegetation, water points and dark movement routes around a roost can help maintain feeding habitat during and after construction.

The diet includes flying insects, probably including small moths, mosquitoes and flying ants. The species has a fluttery flight with rapid, apparently erratic changes in direction.

It is commonly seen around waterholes. Retain native vegetation around pools, creeks and drainage lines, and avoid unnecessary lighting of these areas.

  • Waterholes, pools and creek lines
  • Open woodland, shrubland and grassland near roosts
  • Vegetated gullies and rocky drainage lines
  • Edges around caves, mines and other roost structures

Foraging habitat: Lighting, noise and dust

Bright lighting can alter bat movement and insect availability around roost entrances and feeding areas. Keep lights directed away from cave mouths, crevices, bridges, culverts and retained vegetation.

Limit dust, vibration and unnecessary night work near known roosts. Schedule noisy or high vibration activities away from active entrances where the ecologist and project approvals identify a risk.

  • Use the lowest practical light intensity
  • Shield lights and direct them away from roost entrances
  • Keep lighting warm and localised where project standards allow
  • Avoid lighting water points and movement corridors

Foraging habitat: Acoustic survey

Anabat or similar ultrasonic detectors can identify bat activity and help locate flight paths and frequently used entrances. Call analysis should be undertaken by a competent analyst because small cave associated bats can be difficult to separate acoustically.

Use repeated recordings where a decision depends on presence or absence. Combine acoustic data with emergence observations and inspection of potential roosts.

  • Place detectors at cave, mine, bridge and culvert entrances
  • Sample around water points and likely flight paths
  • Record weather, time, detector location and nearby works

Breeding habitat: Known and potential breeding places

The species is a colonial breeder and can raise young in sheltered roost features. A roost where young are raised is a breeding place, even if it is a small structure such as a bird nest or culvert.

Finlayson’s Cave Bat has been recorded breeding in disused Fairy Martin mud-bottle nests. Newborn pups have been observed outside nest entrances, and the nests may be attached to rock walls, cave ceilings, overhung banks, drains, bridges or building eaves.

Caves, rock fissures and abandoned mines are also important potential maternity features. Do not assume that a cave used by adults is not a maternity roost.

  • Caves and twilight zone fissures
  • Disused mines and mine adits
  • Disused Fairy Martin nests
  • Sheltered bridge, drain, culvert and building structures
  • Tree hollows, loose bark and other microbat features where present

Breeding habitat: Breeding timing and confirmation

Most microbats give birth to one pup in the warmer months, usually from spring to late summer. For this species, births have been recorded in late November or early December.

Confirm a maternity roost by finding pregnant or lactating females, pups, or dependent young. A single adult bat or a series of calls does not by itself confirm a breeding place.

Recorded birth period: Late November to early December

Typical litter: One young

  • Pregnant females
  • Lactating females
  • Pups at the roost or near the entrance
  • Young bats that are unable to fly strongly
  • Adults repeatedly entering a feature before dawn or after dusk

Breeding habitat: Construction planning

Plan intrusive work outside the maternity period where practicable. If a potential maternity feature is within the works area, obtain species advice before sealing, dismantling, removing or felling it.

Queensland transport guidance treats microbats as colonial breeders during the breeding season. In Queensland, tampering with the breeding place of a least concern colonial breeder requires a high risk species management program rather than the low risk program used for other least concern animals.

  • Stop work if pups or dependent young are found
  • Keep machinery and people away from the entrance until the feature is assessed
  • Use a documented method for inspection, exclusion and staged removal

Sheltering habitat: Natural roosts

The species roosts in dark, sheltered spaces, often near the twilight zone of caves. Roost features can be natural or built, and several features may be used across a local area.

Known natural roosts include caves, rock cracks and fissures, overhangs and abandoned mines. The species is often associated with rocky outcrops, cliffs, ridges and hilly terrain.

Males may occur in smaller groups in tight crevices. Females can cluster in larger groups, while young may cluster separately from adults.

  • Cave ceilings and twilight zones
  • Rock fissures and narrow crevices
  • Cliff overhangs and ridge lines
  • Abandoned mine workings
  • Disused Fairy Martin nests

Sheltering habitat: Built structures and trees

Microbats may use sheltered joints and cavities in culverts, bridges, drains and buildings. Tree hollows, loose bark and fissures should also be checked where they occur, although species specific use of these features has not been established for Finlayson’s Cave Bat.

Inspect structures before demolition, refurbishment, bridge replacement or sealing. Check both the visible entrance and concealed voids behind panels, joints or masonry.

  • Culverts and large road drains
  • Bridge decks, joints and abutments
  • Building eaves and wall cavities
  • Tree hollows and loose bark
  • Artificial bat boxes as supplementary habitat

Sheltering habitat: Inspection and exclusion

Use emergence watches, internal inspection from a safe position, and an endoscope or pole camera where suitable. Harp traps or mist nets may assist with identification, but capture is not a substitute for checking a potential breeding place.

If exclusion is approved, use one way devices outside the maternity season and confirm that bats are not trapped inside. Never seal a feature with bats, pups or dependent young present.

  • Conduct emergence watches at dusk and, where needed, pre dawn checks
  • Use soft or staged removal for hollow bearing trees
  • Install one way exclusion devices only after inspection
  • Keep replacement habitat available where a roost must be removed

Colonies and breeding places: Colony size and structure

Colonies can hold a substantial part of the local population, even though the species is least concern nationally. Treat every active shared roost as a site level asset, especially when females and young are present.

Colonies of about 20 individuals are common. Colonies can increase to 500 individuals, and a single colony of more than 500 has been recorded.

Females may gather in large groups, males may use smaller crevices, and young may cluster separately. A quiet entrance does not show how many bats are inside.

Common colony size: About 20 individuals

Larger colonies: Up to 500 individuals has been reported

Largest reported colony: More than 500 individuals

Colonies and breeding places: How to recognise an active site

An active roost may show repeated emergence and return, fresh droppings, staining, odour, worn surfaces around an entrance, or bats visible in cracks. A maternity roost is confirmed by pregnant or lactating females, pups or dependent young.

Use an emergence watch at dusk and acoustic recording at the entrance. Where safe, inspect the feature during daylight with an endoscope or pole camera. Repeat surveys may be needed because use can vary with weather and season.

  • Repeated emergence from one entrance
  • Bats entering before dawn or after dusk
  • Fresh droppings below an entrance
  • Pups, lactating females or dependent young
  • Sustained ultrasonic activity at the feature

Colonies and breeding places: Colony care on works sites

Avoid blasting, demolition, sealing, tree felling and heavy vibration at an active colony. Establish a practical exclusion area based on the feature, access routes and the proposed activity, with advice from the project ecologist.

For hollow bearing trees, use two stage or soft felling where approved. Lower sections slowly, allow inspection between stages, and stop if bats or dependent young are found. Bat boxes can provide supplementary habitat, but they do not replace protection of an occupied maternity roost.

  • Plan high disturbance work outside the maternity season where practicable
  • Keep cave and structure entrances unobstructed
  • Retain nearby vegetation and water points
  • Monitor any approved exclusion or replacement habitat

Colonies and breeding places: Site fidelity and survey decisions

Individual and colony movement patterns are poorly documented for this species. Do not assume that a roost is temporary because bats are absent on one visit, or assume that a known roost is no longer used after one quiet night.

Map all nearby suitable features and use seasonally appropriate repeat surveys where a project could affect a colony or breeding place.

  • Check adjacent caves, cracks, mines and structures
  • Compare activity before and during works
  • Record weather, temperature, wind and lighting during surveys

Threats: Clearing and loss of roost features

The main project risks are loss of roosts, disturbance at occupied colonies and loss of nearby feeding habitat. The species is least concern, but local colonies can still be affected quickly by a single clearing or construction event.

Land clearing can remove rocky shelter, hollow bearing trees, loose bark, vegetation around caves and disused Fairy Martin nests. Clearing can also isolate a roost from feeding habitat and water.

Before clearing, survey the full disturbance footprint and nearby retained areas. Mark all potential roosts and maintain practical buffers around occupied features.

  • Do not remove hollow bearing trees without inspection
  • Check nests, caves, crevices, bridges and culverts
  • Retain native vegetation around roosts and water points

Threats: Mining, blasting and earthworks

Mining can destroy caves and rock shelter. Blasting, vibration and excavation near a roost may cause bats to abandon a feature or may injure bats inside cracks and voids.

Use exclusion zones, timing controls and vibration management around known or potential roosts. Do not enter unstable or unsafe mine workings merely to confirm use.

  • Map caves, overhangs and mine workings before design finalisation
  • Keep blasting away from active roost entrances
  • Use a specialist assessment where subsurface voids may be affected

Threats: Disturbance, lighting and access

Frequent entry into caves, bright lighting, noise and vibration can disturb roosting bats. This is especially concerning when females and young are present.

Control worker access to caves and structures. Shield lights from entrances and avoid night works close to active maternity features unless specifically assessed and approved.

  • Restrict recreational and worker access to roosts
  • Avoid directing lights into entrances
  • Limit unnecessary noise and vibration near colonies
  • Maintain dark movement routes between roosts and feeding areas

Threats: Habitat degradation and fire

Clearing, agricultural degradation, altered fire regimes, weeds, dust and changes to drainage can reduce insect prey and feeding habitat. Roads and construction traffic can also cause direct mortality.

Retain native vegetation, manage erosion and dust, protect pools and drainage lines, and include bat habitat in rehabilitation plans. In Queensland, seek advice before any action that could disturb a breeding place because the species is regulated as a least concern colonial breeder.

  • Protect creek lines, pools and waterholes
  • Manage weeds, dust and sediment
  • Avoid unnecessary changes to fire and drainage patterns
  • Include roost features and native vegetation in rehabilitation

Survey methodology: 1. Desktop assessment

Finlayson’s Cave Bat is a small microbat that can be difficult to identify by sight and by call. Use more than one survey method where habitat may support a roost, colony or maternity site.

Map caves, rock fissures, abandoned mines, fairy martin mud-bottle nests, hollow-bearing trees, loose bark, culverts, bridges, buildings and other enclosed structures.

Check records for known colonies, cave roosts, mine workings and previous acoustic detections. Treat a site as potentially reused where suitable roost habitat remains, even if bats are not detected on one visit.

Review the proposed clearing footprint, access tracks, blasting areas, lighting, vibration sources, drainage works and construction timing. Identify links between roosts, water, woodland, grassland, savannah, mulga and other insect-rich habitat.

Known colony observations: Colonies of about 20 are common. Colonies may reach 500, and colonies of more than 500 have been recorded.

Known breeding timing: A single young is reported in late November or early December. Queensland microbat guidance treats spring to late summer as the usual period when young are raised.

  • Record the location, condition and accessibility of every potential roost.
  • Identify any fairy martin nests attached to rock walls, cave ceilings, overhung banks, drains, bridges or buildings.
  • Seek advice from the relevant state authority where a cave, mine, colony or suspected breeding place may be affected.

Survey methodology: 2. Acoustic and capture surveys

Use Anabat or similar ultrasonic detectors at cave entrances, mine portals, rock lines, waterholes, drainage structures and likely commuting routes. Place detectors where bats can pass without obstruction.

Run detectors through the evening activity period and, where practicable, overnight. Repeat surveys under suitable weather conditions because wind, rain and temperature affect bat activity and call quality.

Use harp traps or mist nets only under the authority of appropriately trained and authorised personnel. Monitor traps continuously, process bats quickly and release them at the capture point unless an approved rescue or relocation procedure applies.

Survey records: The species has been detected by ultrasonic recording, harp trapping and mist netting in cave and rocky habitat.

  • Record detector model, placement, height, date, start and finish time, weather, habitat, call files and identification confidence.
  • Record all captured species, sex, reproductive condition, age class, body condition, injuries, release location and handling time.
  • Take extra care with captured animals. Finlayson’s Cave Bat can stress and dehydrate quickly.

Survey methodology: 3. Emergence and roost inspection

Watch potential roost entrances from before sunset until bat activity has reduced. Use a thermal camera or night vision equipment where available, while avoiding bright lights at the entrance.

Inspect accessible roost trees, structures and cavities with an endoscope or pole camera. Do not enter unstable caves, narrow passages, steep gorges or unsafe mine workings to improve a survey result.

A maternity roost is confirmed by pregnant or lactating females, pups, dependent young, or repeated observations of adults carrying or attending young. Pups clustered near an entrance are a strong warning that the site is being used for breeding.

Roost types: Recorded roosts include caves, rock cracks and fissures, abandoned mines and disused fairy martin nests. General microbat roosts may also include tree hollows, loose bark, culverts, bridges and buildings.

  • Keep observers quiet and away from the entrance.
  • Record emergence direction, approximate activity, entry and exit points, species confidence, numbers where they can be counted reliably, and evidence of young.
  • Do not block, smoke, spray, touch or enter an occupied roost.

Survey methodology: 4. Interpreting survey results

Do not treat a failed emergence watch or a zero acoustic result as proof that a roost is unused. Bats may be quiet, roost deep in a cavity, use another entrance or be away foraging.

Where a colony or maternity roost may be affected, combine acoustic monitoring, emergence watches and direct inspection. Repeat the work when conditions are suitable and have the results reviewed by a qualified bat ecologist.

Map the roost and the surrounding flight paths. Record whether the site is a day roost, night refuge, maternity site, potential breeding place or unconfirmed roost.

  • Use conservative decisions where survey confidence is low.
  • Retain raw recordings, photographs, inspection notes and maps with the project environmental records.
  • Escalate any suspected active breeding place before clearing or construction proceeds.

Before habitat disturbance: 1. Avoidance, approvals and permits

Plan works to retain roosts and colonies wherever practicable. Finlayson’s Cave Bat is not listed as threatened, but Queensland treats least concern colonial breeders differently because one breeding place can support a large part of a local population.

Redesign the footprint, access route, blasting area, lighting layout or construction method to retain occupied caves, mines, fissures, hollow-bearing trees, fairy martin nests and other roost structures.

Assess whether the action may have a significant impact on a matter protected under the EPBC Act. Make an EPBC referral where the assessment indicates one is required.

Obtain all relevant state, territory and local approvals before disturbance. In Queensland, tampering with the breeding place of this least concern colonial breeder requires the high risk species management program pathway under the Nature Conservation (Animals) Regulation 2020, rather than the low risk pathway used for other least concern animals.

Queensland classification: Colonial breeders are animals of the same kind that co-exist in close association for breeding.

  • Confirm whether a Queensland SMP is required before any disturbance to a suspected breeding place.
  • Obtain state fauna, wildlife, cave, mine, vegetation clearing and animal handling permits that apply to the site and proposed method.
  • Keep permit conditions, survey reports, maps, contacts and approval expiry dates in the site environmental file.

Before habitat disturbance: 2. Colonies and breeding places

A colony may be a group of bats sharing a cave, mine, fissure, hollow, structure or cluster of fairy martin nests. Females may gather in larger groups, while males may use smaller, tight crevices and young may cluster separately.

Treat every roost that contains young, pregnant females or lactating females as an active breeding place. A roost can be important even when the visible number of bats is small, because much of the local population may use one site.

There is limited species-specific information on site fidelity. Manage suitable roosts as potentially reused until a competent ecologist has demonstrated that the site is inactive and the proposed action is approved.

Colony size: Colonies of about 20 are common. Colonies can increase to 500, and colonies exceeding 500 have been recorded.

  • Mark a no-go area around an active colony or maternity roost using the project ecologist’s written advice and approval conditions.
  • Keep workers, vehicles, vibration, dust, noise and artificial light away from roost entrances.
  • Do not assume a disused mine, cave, culvert, bridge, building or fairy martin nest is vacant because no bats are visible during daylight.

Before habitat disturbance: 3. Timing, exclusion and tree work

Schedule high-impact work outside the period when young are dependent, wherever practicable. For this species, late November and early December are reported birth times. Queensland guidance identifies spring to late summer as the usual period when microbat young are raised.

Never exclude bats from a maternity roost while young may be flightless or dependent. If exclusion is approved, use one-way devices outside the maternity season and confirm that bats have left before sealing the structure.

For hollow-bearing trees, use a two-stage or soft-felling method directed by the fauna ecologist. Retain the hollow section where safe, lower sections slowly and inspect cavities before final removal.

  • Stop and reassess if pregnant or lactating females, pups or dependent young are found.
  • Avoid clearing during periods of extreme heat, cold, heavy rain or strong wind when released bats may be vulnerable.
  • Do not seal a cave, mine, cavity, bridge joint or building void until the ecologist confirms that exclusion is complete and lawful.

Before habitat disturbance: 4. Induction and site controls

Give the clearing crew, supervisors, machine operators, electricians, blasting team and fauna spotter catchers a site induction before work starts.

Show workers the mapped roosts, exclusion areas, stop-work process, approved access routes and contact details for the ecologist, fauna spotter catcher and wildlife carer.

Explain that bats must not be handled by untrained workers. Workers must report bats, pups, unusual bat activity, damaged nests, blocked entrances and injured wildlife immediately.

  • Fence or sign exclusion areas before machinery arrives.
  • Use downward-directed, warm lighting where lighting is needed near retained habitat, and turn lights away from roost entrances.
  • Confirm that the spotter catcher has authority to stop work and that the supervisor will support that decision.

During habitat disturbance: 1. Sequential clearing

Clear in a controlled sequence and keep a qualified fauna spotter catcher present wherever roost habitat or colonies may be affected. Work must stop when conditions differ from the approved method or when an active breeding place is found.

Clear non-habitat vegetation first, then work towards retained habitat so animals have an escape route. Use staged clearing around caves, rock fissures, hollow-bearing trees, loose bark, bridges, culverts, buildings and fairy martin nests.

Use two-stage or soft felling for hollow-bearing trees. Lower limbs and hollow sections slowly, place them safely on the ground, and allow time for any bats to leave before inspection and removal.

Keep machinery outside mapped buffers and prevent spoil, sediment, dust, vibration and debris from entering roost entrances.

  • Inspect each tree, structure and cavity immediately before disturbance.
  • Retain roost features wherever the approved design allows.
  • Keep a clear escape path to open air and nearby retained vegetation.

During habitat disturbance: 2. Stop-work response

The fauna spotter catcher must stop work if a colony, maternity roost, active breeding place, injured bat, pup, occupied cavity or unexpected roost is found.

Protect the location from people, machinery, vibration, dust, water, fire and lighting. Do not chase bats into another cavity or seal an entrance to contain them.

Contact the project ecologist and approval holder. Reassess the method, timing, buffer and permit requirements before restarting.

  • Photograph the site from a safe distance.
  • Record the species identification, number of bats if reliable, signs of breeding, location, activity, disturbance and time found.
  • Obtain written clearance from the authorised ecologist or relevant authority before work resumes.

During habitat disturbance: 3. Handling and release

Only authorised and trained personnel may capture, handle, examine or relocate a bat. Use clean equipment and minimise handling time.

Place a bat in a suitable clean, breathable holding bag only when directed by the fauna spotter catcher or wildlife carer. Keep it shaded, quiet and protected from heat, dehydration, predators and unnecessary inspection.

Release a healthy bat at the point of capture, or at another approved location selected by the ecologist. Do not relocate a maternity colony or dependent pup without a specific approved procedure.

Handling risk: Finlayson’s Cave Bat can stress and dehydrate quickly when captured for research.

  • Do not handle bats with bare hands.
  • Do not offer food or water unless directed by a wildlife carer or veterinarian.
  • Record the capture, condition, treatment, release or transfer details.

During habitat disturbance: 4. Injured or dead animals

Keep people and machinery clear of an injured bat. Do not attempt treatment in the field unless you are trained and authorised to do so.

Contact the nominated wildlife carer, veterinarian, fauna ecologist or relevant wildlife authority. Follow the project wildlife rescue procedure and any permit conditions.

If a bat is dead, leave it in place until the ecologist has recorded it, unless leaving it creates a safety or biosecurity risk. Use gloves and avoid direct contact.

  • Record the location, time, apparent cause, photographs, weather and nearby activity.
  • Package and transport an injured bat only as directed by an authorised wildlife carer or veterinarian.
  • Report a cluster of sick or dead bats promptly, especially at cave or mine sites, because wildlife disease surveillance may be required.

After habitat disturbance: 1. Post-clearance inspection

Post-clearance checks confirm that the approved controls worked and that no roost, colony or animal was missed. Keep records that can be audited and use them to improve the next work stage.

Inspect the work area, retained trees, structures, cave entrances, mine portals, culverts and fairy martin nests after clearing and again before construction begins in adjacent areas.

Check for stranded bats, pups, injured animals, damaged cavities, blocked entrances, fallen nests, exposed roost chambers and new roost use.

Use an emergence watch or acoustic detector where the ecologist considers that a retained roost may have been affected.

  • Confirm that exclusion fencing and no-go signs remain in place.
  • Remove spoil, debris and sediment that restricts an approved roost entrance, but only under ecological direction.
  • Record the condition of each retained roost and any corrective action.

After habitat disturbance: 2. Monitoring and relocated animals

Monitor retained colonies, maternity roosts and replacement structures at the frequency set by the approval or management plan. Use acoustic monitoring, emergence watches and inspection cameras where suitable.

Check relocated or rescued animals through the wildlife carer or ecologist responsible for the release. Do not disturb a roost to obtain a count unless the method has been approved.

Compare post-work detections with the baseline survey. Consider reduced activity, changed emergence routes, increased light or noise, and loss of nearby foraging habitat when interpreting results.

  • Record detector files, observation dates, weather, roost condition, activity and any breeding signs.
  • Report failed exclusion, continued entry, mortality or evidence of dependent young immediately.
  • Maintain monitoring until the approval conditions are met and the ecologist signs off the outcome.

After habitat disturbance: 3. Reporting and incident review

Prepare a clear completion report covering the approved method, survey effort, fauna encounters, breeding-place findings, injuries, mortalities, exclusions, relocations and rehabilitation actions.

Report incidents to the relevant approval holder and government authority within the time required by the permit, SMP or management plan.

Hold a review with the supervisor, spotter catcher, ecologist and contractor after any stop-work event or unexpected roost discovery.

  • Map all occupied and potential roosts found during works.
  • Attach photographs, call files, trap records, animal records, permits and corrective actions.
  • Update the site environmental management plan before the next clearing stage.

After habitat disturbance: 4. Disease and biosecurity controls

Clean and disinfect trapping, inspection and handling equipment between caves, mines and roosts using the approved wildlife disease protocol.

Limit movement of people and equipment between roost sites where a disease risk has been identified. Reduce unnecessary cave entry and disturbance.

Report unusual illness, fungal growth, dead bats or repeated mortalities to the relevant wildlife health authority.

  • Do not move cave soil, guano, water, rock or equipment between sites without biosecurity advice.
  • Keep records of cave access, personnel, equipment cleaning and any samples collected.
  • Follow any current white-nose syndrome or other wildlife disease directions applying to the site.

Rehabilitation actions: 1. Restore habitat and roost features

Rehabilitation should restore roost access, insect-producing habitat, shelter and safe movement routes. Replacement structures can help, but they do not replace an occupied natural maternity roost or colony.

Retain and protect caves, rock fissures, hollow-bearing trees, loose bark, mature woodland, riparian vegetation, drainage structures and other suitable shelters.

Where trees must be removed, retain suitable hollow sections on site where safe and approved. Place retained sections so entrances remain open and are not exposed to excessive heat, flooding or bright light.

Reinstate natural ground cover, native shrubs, woodland structure and connections between roosts, water and foraging habitat.

  • Stabilise eroding batters and drainage lines without blocking roost entrances.
  • Remove construction waste, wire, netting and materials that can entangle bats.
  • Protect retained roosts from future vehicle access, vandalism and unauthorised cave entry.

Rehabilitation actions: 2. Replacement breeding and roost structures

Use bat boxes or other artificial roost structures as supplementary habitat where natural roosts have been lost or are scarce. Select designs suitable for local microbats and install them under advice from a bat ecologist.

Consider artificial nest sites where Finlayson’s Cave Bat uses disused fairy martin mud-bottle nests and where a suitable, safe structure can be provided. Do not remove active fairy martin nests or attach replacement structures to an occupied breeding place without approval.

Place structures near retained habitat, sheltered from excessive heat, flooding, bright lighting and heavy disturbance. Provide more than one suitable option where practical because bats may reject a new structure.

Known nest association: Finlayson’s Cave Bat has been observed raising young in disused fairy martin mud-bottle nests.

  • Inspect boxes and structures for occupation, overheating, water entry, predators and damage.
  • Do not seal, clean or relocate an occupied box during the maternity season.
  • Record installation location, design, orientation, date, maintenance and bat use.

Rehabilitation actions: 3. Water, weeds and lighting

Protect permanent and temporary water sources, drainage lines, pools and wet creek margins that support flying insects. Prevent sediment, hydrocarbons, chemicals and concrete washout from entering water.

Control weeds with methods that retain cover and avoid spraying near roost entrances, water or active colonies. Stage weed work so bats retain shelter and foraging habitat.

Use the lowest practical light level around retained habitat. Direct lights away from cave, mine, nest, tree and bridge entrances, and use timers or motion controls where suitable.

  • Retain native vegetation around water and along movement routes.
  • Avoid broad-scale night lighting during periods of high bat activity or breeding unless required for safety.
  • Inspect rehabilitation after storms, fire, flooding and construction maintenance.

Rehabilitation actions: 4. Long-term monitoring

Monitor natural and artificial roosts through suitable emergence watches, acoustic recording and visual inspections. Repeat monitoring during the period when young are expected and at other times specified by the management plan.

Track roost condition, colony activity, breeding evidence, nearby vegetation recovery, water quality, lighting and disturbance. A lack of use of a new box does not by itself show that rehabilitation has failed.

Use the results to repair, relocate or add structures, adjust lighting, control weeds and protect newly identified roosts.

  • Set clear success measures with the project ecologist and approval authority.
  • Keep monitoring records with the site rehabilitation file.
  • Continue protection where a replacement structure becomes an active breeding place or colony roost.

Sources