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Greater Large-eared Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus robertsi)

The greater large-eared horseshoe bat is a large insect-eating microbat found in north-eastern Queensland, from Cape York Peninsula to around Townsville and inland to cave systems near Chillagoe and Undara. Works can affect its roosts, vegetation corridors and breeding places, particularly where caves, mines, culverts, tree hollows or dense riparian vegetation are disturbed. It is listed as Vulnerable under the Commonwealth and Queensland conservation frameworks.

Conservation status

Commonwealth, EPBC Act 1999: Vulnerable.

Queensland, Nature Conservation Act 1992: Vulnerable.

Breeding behaviour, All states and territories: Colonial breeder. Breeds in colonies or shared roosts, so one breeding place can hold a large share of the local population. In Queensland, its EVNT listing already means a high risk species management program applies to breeding places.

Breeding season

The greater large-eared horseshoe bat gives birth in October to November. Seasonal information is limited, so maternity roost activity may vary between regions and years, particularly across the Wet Tropics, Cape York and inland karst areas.

Breeding mode: Live-bearing mammal. Females give birth to young.

Litter size: One pup per birth.

Birth timing: Probably October to November.

Age at maturity: Estimated at 2 to 3 years.

Gestation, fledging and weaning: Not recorded.

Breeding places, colony size and site fidelity: Maternity roosts may occur in caves, disused mines, culverts, tree hollows, rockpiles, vegetation and beneath creek banks. The species is managed as a colonial breeder in Queensland, although known roosts usually contain solitary bats or small groups. Site fidelity is not recorded, so do not assume that an apparently unused roost has been abandoned.

Recognising an active breeding place and required care: An active maternity roost may contain pregnant or lactating females and pups. Emergence watches, acoustic detectors and careful inspection of suitable roost structures can help confirm use. Colonies and shared maternity roosts need special care because disturbance, exclusion, tree removal, mine closure or repair of a culvert or bridge can affect several bats and dependent pups at once.

Timing may shift between years and regions, and the species may use different roost types, including caves, mines, culverts and tree hollows, so confirm local use before works.

  • Breeding and births: Births are documented as probably occurring in October to November.
  • Maternity roosts and dependent pups: Maternity roost sensitivity is expected to extend through the warmer months while pups are dependent.
  • Roost use and night activity: The species uses roosts throughout its range, but a reliable month by month pattern of roost use or inactivity is not established.
  • Active breeding place checks: Plan confirmation surveys before clearing or disturbance, with extra care from September to February when maternity use is more likely.
  • Highest clearing risk: Clearing or roost disturbance from September to February has the greatest potential to harm maternity roosts, colonies and dependent pups.

Identification: Appearance and measurements

This is a large horseshoe bat with very large ears and a prominent nose-leaf. It can be difficult to identify by appearance alone, especially where it overlaps with the lesser large-eared horseshoe bat.

The fur is long, fine and grey-brown, with scattered white hairs. The belly is paler. The skin around the nose-leaf may be yellow, although grey is more usual.

The sexes are similar in appearance. Handle bats only when authorised and trained, and use non-invasive identification wherever possible.

Forearm: 51.6 to 59.0 mm

Ear: 29.0 to 33.3 mm

Weight: 10.0 to 16.2 g

Identification: Calls and similar species

Echolocation calls are long-duration FM-CF-FM calls. The characteristic frequency is around 26 kHz at the second harmonic, with reported call frequencies from 28 to 34 kHz. The call is considered diagnostic when recorded clearly.

In northern Cape York, compare it with the lesser large-eared horseshoe bat, whose calls are around 40 kHz and whose forearm and ears are smaller. The eastern horseshoe bat has a much higher call frequency, from 66 to 72 kHz, and is smaller in the forearm and ears.

  • Use a calibrated Anabat or comparable detector for acoustic identification.
  • Keep call recordings and spectrograms with the project records.
  • Positive identification should be based on a clear sequence of at least four consecutive pulses where practical.

Identification: Field signs

Expect slow, fluttery flight, often within the lower half of the canopy. Bats may be seen leaving caves, mines, culverts or tree hollows after dusk.

Droppings may occur below a roost entrance or on a culvert ledge, cave floor or mine structure. Droppings alone do not confirm this species. Look for fresh accumulation, bat odour, staining, scratch marks, live bats and repeated emergence activity.

There is no nest or burrow structure to search for. Avoid entering caves and mines during daytime searches because this can disturb roosting bats and create safety risks.

Distribution: Queensland range

The greater large-eared horseshoe bat is restricted to north-eastern Queensland in Australia. Its broad distribution is continuous, but local populations may be separated by clearing and loss of native vegetation.

The species occurs from the tip of Cape York Peninsula south to around Townsville. It extends inland where suitable cave systems occur, including the Chillagoe and Undara areas.

Records occur across parts of Cape York Peninsula, the Wet Tropics and the Einasleigh Uplands. The southern limit remains uncertain, and records may occur south of Townsville near Mount Elliot and Cape Cleveland.

Australian state: Queensland

Overseas range: None. The species is an Australian species.

  • Cape York Peninsula, including Iron Range.
  • Wet Tropics and adjoining coastal areas.
  • Inland karst and cave areas near Chillagoe and Undara.
  • The Townsville region and possible areas farther south.

Distribution: What the range means on a work site

A site can be relevant even if it is outside a known cave area. The species may roost in trees, vegetation, creek banks, culverts and other structures, then commute through adjoining forest and riparian habitat.

Check local records, geological maps, mine records, council information and advice from landholders, Traditional Owners, caving groups and bat specialists before clearing or structural works.

Habitat: Vegetation and landforms

Look for connected native vegetation, sheltered gullies and creek lines, and nearby underground or artificial structures. The species uses a range of habitats and is not restricted to caves or mines.

Habitat includes lowland rainforest, riparian forest, eucalypt open forest, woodland, paperbark forest and rainforest with a dense understorey.

In open forest and woodland, thicker vegetation in gullies and along creeks is especially relevant. Wattle-dominated ridges, rainforest edges and tracks through dense vegetation may also be used.

  • Lowland rainforest and rainforest edges.
  • Gallery forest and tall riparian woodland.
  • Melaleuca forest with rainforest understorey.
  • Eucalypt open forest and woodland with dense understorey.
  • Gullies, creek lines, rocky areas and karst landscapes.

Habitat: Site features to map

Before works, map mature trees, hollow-bearing trees, creek banks, rock piles, culverts, bridges, tunnels, old rail structures, mines and caves. Record vegetation links between these features and larger habitat remnants.

Retain dark, sheltered movement routes where practicable. Avoid treating a roost structure as isolated from the vegetation used for nightly commuting and foraging.

Foraging habitat: Foraging locations

The greater large-eared horseshoe bat hunts at night for flying insects. It usually forages below the canopy in dense or structurally varied vegetation, but can also forage at canopy height and around open areas.

Typical foraging habitat includes rainforest, open forest, paperbark forest, gullies, creek lines, wattle-dominated ridges and vegetation corridors. The species often uses gaps such as rainforest tracks and may forage along road edges or at the edges of grassy clearings.

Most observations are from the lower half of the canopy, between 1 and 8 m. It has also been recorded around 25 m in the rainforest canopy.

  • Dense vegetation along creeks and drainage lines.
  • Forest tracks, narrow gaps and rainforest openings.
  • Edges of grassy clearings and road edges.
  • Canopy openings and connected vegetation near roosts.
  • Areas with abundant moths and other night-flying insects.

Foraging habitat: Diet and development considerations

The diet is mostly moths and beetles, with grasshoppers, crickets and lacewings also recorded. Clearing understorey, removing creek-line vegetation or introducing bright lighting can reduce the value of otherwise suitable foraging habitat.

One radio-tagged bat at Iron Range regularly flew into open areas to feed on insects attracted to a light source. This does not mean artificial lighting is beneficial. Lighting can alter movement, increase exposure to predators and vehicles, and reduce use of darker habitat.

Foraging habitat: Survey approach

Use passive acoustic detectors overnight at likely roost entrances, creek lines, vegetation corridors, forest tracks and other suitable foraging areas. Walking transects with an attended detector can supplement passive recording and should begin at dusk.

Record detector locations, dates, weather, GPS tracks and the quality of call sequences. Spectrographic review is needed where the species could be confused with other horseshoe bats.

  • Use Anabat or a comparable full-spectrum, frequency-division or time-expansion system.
  • Walk transects for at least two hours from dusk where this level of effort is appropriate to the project.
  • Do not rely on driving transects as the only acoustic survey method.
  • Use non-invasive detection before considering trapping.

Breeding habitat: Breeding timing and young

The species is a colonial breeder because microbats gather in colonies or shared maternity roosts during the breeding season. Species-specific maternity-site information is limited, so treat any occupied roost with care until its use is understood.

Females give birth to one young. Birth probably occurs in October to November. More generally, Queensland microbats commonly give birth during the warmer months, from spring to late summer.

A maternity roost is confirmed by finding pregnant or lactating females, pups or repeated evidence that young are being raised. Do not assume that a small roost is unimportant.

Young per female: One young

Probable birth period: October to November

Estimated sexual maturity: 2 to 3 years

  • Plan intrusive roost works outside the likely maternity period where practicable.
  • Avoid excluding bats when non-volant young may be present.
  • Use a qualified ecologist to assess the timing of any proposed disturbance.

Breeding habitat: Breeding places on works sites

Potential breeding places include caves, disused mines, culverts, tunnels, old rail infrastructure, tree hollows, dense vegetation and spaces beneath creek banks. The species is not an obligate cave dweller.

Any roost where young are raised is a breeding place. In Queensland, follow the higher-risk requirements that apply to colonial breeders before tampering with a suspected breeding place.

Breeding habitat: Confirming maternity use

Use emergence watches, passive acoustic monitoring and careful inspection from outside the roost. Look for pregnant or lactating females and pups only where the work method, approvals and animal welfare controls allow it.

Endoscopes or pole cameras can help inspect tree hollows without cutting into the cavity. Do not enter caves or mines during daytime searches unless a specialist risk assessment and suitable approvals support that action.

Sheltering habitat: Natural roosts

Known and suspected roosts occur in both natural and built structures. Roosts may be used regularly or irregularly, and even a small roost can be significant when few alternative sites remain.

Look for caves, shallow caves, disused mines, tree hollows, dense vegetation, rock piles and spaces beneath creek banks. Basal hollows in large trees are a particular consideration during vegetation clearing.

Inspect trees for hollows, cracks, loose bark and cavities at the base or within major limbs. A lack of visible bats does not prove that a hollow is unused.

  • Large hollow-bearing trees, including basal hollows.
  • Caves and karst openings.
  • Disused underground mines.
  • Rock piles and sheltered creek banks.
  • Dense vegetation and concealed roost spaces.

Sheltering habitat: Built structures

Culverts, tunnels, old rail infrastructure, bridges and other structures with joints, cracks or enclosed ledges may provide roosting habitat. Check structures scheduled for replacement, repair, sealing or cleaning.

Roosts can be difficult to see from ground level. Inspect likely cavities with a pole camera or endoscope where safe, and combine this with dusk emergence monitoring.

Sheltering habitat: Managing hollow-bearing trees

Where a hollow-bearing tree must be removed, use a staged or soft-felling approach designed by a fauna specialist. The approach may include checking the tree, lowering sections carefully and retaining suitable habitat nearby.

Do not fell a tree containing bats, dependent young or an active maternity roost without an approved method, appropriate supervision and any required authorisations. Bat boxes may supplement retained natural roosts, but they do not replace the protection of existing hollows.

Colonies and breeding places: What a colony or maternity roost may look like

Most recorded roosts of this species contain solitary bats or small groups, and large colony sizes are not known. The species is nevertheless treated as a colonial breeder because a shared maternity roost can hold a substantial part of the local breeding population.

A maternity roost may be a cave, mine, culvert, tree hollow, dense vegetation or another enclosed shelter where females gather and raise young. It may not look different from an ordinary roost from the outside.

Signs can include repeated bat activity at the same entrance, a concentrated emergence at dusk, fresh droppings, staining, odour, audible chittering and bats returning before dawn. These signs need specialist interpretation.

Typical recorded roost size: Solitary individuals or small groups are most often reported

Large colonies: Not commonly recorded in caves or mines; species-specific colony-size data are limited

  • Repeated use of the same entrance.
  • Several bats emerging close together after dusk.
  • Pregnant or lactating females.
  • Pups or juveniles within the roost.
  • Fresh droppings, staining or odour below an entrance.

Colonies and breeding places: Site fidelity and active-place checks

Some underground sites can be resident roosts, while others are used irregularly. Do not rely on a single quiet inspection to classify a site as unused.

Use repeated dusk emergence watches and overnight acoustic monitoring at suitable times. Confirm maternity use by detecting pregnant or lactating females or pups. A harp trap or mist net may be used by suitably trained and authorised personnel where acoustic methods cannot resolve identification.

  • Inspect entrances from outside during daylight where possible.
  • Conduct emergence watches from a safe position after dusk.
  • Use passive Anabat monitoring over suitable nights.
  • Use a harp trap or mist net only under an approved capture and animal welfare plan.
  • Keep people, lights and noise away from the entrance.

Colonies and breeding places: Work controls around colonies

Avoid entering or disturbing caves and mines. Do not seal, light, clean, repair or demolish a suspected roost until its use has been assessed.

For tree works, use a two-stage or soft-felling method where appropriate. Exclusion devices should be installed only outside the maternity season and only after a specialist confirms that no dependent young remain. Exclusion must not trap bats inside.

  • Retain the roost and surrounding vegetation wherever practicable.
  • Maintain dark flight paths between roosts and foraging habitat.
  • Schedule noisy or intrusive work outside confirmed maternity use.
  • Use bat boxes as a supplementary measure, not as a substitute for natural roost retention.

Threats: Loss of roosts and breeding places

Development can affect this bat through direct loss of roosts, removal of vegetation corridors and disturbance at breeding places. Small, irregularly used roosts still need careful treatment because few sites are known.

Tree clearing can remove hollows, basal cavities, loose bark and dense vegetation. Mine closure, quarrying, cave damage, culvert replacement, bridge repairs and sealing of cracks or joints can also remove roosts.

Before works, inspect all hollow-bearing trees and structures with potential cavities. Retain roost features and provide a specialist method where removal cannot be avoided.

  • Loss of caves, mines and rock shelters.
  • Removal of hollow-bearing trees.
  • Destruction of creek-bank cavities and dense vegetation.
  • Replacement or repair of culverts, bridges, tunnels and old rail structures.
  • Sealing of cracks, joints and lift holes used by bats.

Threats: Disturbance and exclusion

This species is sensitive to disturbance at roosts. Cave and mine roosts may be abandoned for months after relatively minor disturbance, such as people entering the roost area.

Noise, vibration, lighting, smoke, dust, machinery and repeated visits can all affect roost use. Establish exclusion zones and access controls around known or suspected roosts.

  • Keep workers and machinery away from roost entrances.
  • Avoid daytime entry into caves and mines.
  • Do not use bright lights directed at entrances.
  • Stop work and seek advice if bats or pups are found.

Threats: Clearing and fragmentation

Removal of native vegetation and understorey can reduce foraging habitat and break links between roosts and feeding areas. The species often uses dense gullies, creek lines and vegetation corridors, so narrow clearing strips can still matter.

Retain riparian vegetation, mature trees, understorey and dark movement routes. Stage clearing so fauna can move away from work areas and so adjacent habitat remains connected.

  • Retain creek-line and gully vegetation.
  • Minimise the width of cleared corridors.
  • Protect mature and hollow-bearing trees.
  • Avoid creating isolated patches around known roosts.
  • Revegetate with locally appropriate native species where habitat loss cannot be avoided.

Threats: Lighting, roads and construction activity

Artificial light can alter movement, foraging, breeding behaviour and roost use. Bats may avoid lit areas and be forced to cross roads or other open areas. Traffic, barriers and linear clearings can disrupt commuting routes and increase collision risk.

Use low-spill lighting, shield lights away from roosts and vegetation corridors, and switch lights off when they are not required. Retain safe crossings and avoid directing construction lighting into culverts, bridge spaces or cave entrances.

  • Keep roost entrances and commuting routes dark.
  • Use directional, shielded lighting with the lowest practical intensity.
  • Limit night works near roosts and riparian corridors.
  • Install fauna-sensitive crossing treatments where roads cut known movement routes.
  • Monitor for bat activity and collisions during high-risk construction stages.

Survey methodology: 1. Desktop assessment

Survey this species with non-invasive methods wherever possible. Greater large-eared horseshoe bats are difficult to detect by daytime searches alone, and known roosts may be abandoned after minor disturbance.

Map caves, mines, culverts, tunnels, old rail infrastructure, rockpiles, creek banks and large hollow-bearing trees before planning works.

Review geological and topographic maps, previous fauna records, vegetation mapping and local knowledge. Contact relevant Queensland wildlife officers, councils, Traditional Owners, caving groups, landholders and bat specialists where appropriate.

Give particular attention to rainforest, riparian forest, dense understorey, gullies, creek lines and eucalypt woodland. These areas provide likely roosting and foraging habitat.

  • Mark all potential roosts and flight paths on the construction plan.
  • Identify lighting, road crossings, bridge works, culvert works and tree clearing that could affect movement between roosts and foraging areas.
  • Treat a cave, mine, culvert or hollow tree as potentially significant until survey results show otherwise.

Survey methodology: 2. Acoustic survey

Use calibrated ultrasonic detectors as the primary survey method. Place passive detectors at cave, mine, culvert and tunnel entrances, and at likely foraging locations such as creek lines, vegetation corridors, forest tracks and open windows in rainforest.

Leave passive detectors recording overnight. Also undertake attended walking transects of at least two hours from dusk, recording continuously along the route and retaining GPS tracks.

The call is a long-duration FM-CF-FM call. The characteristic frequency is generally 28 to 34 kHz, with a second harmonic around 26 kHz. Spectrographic confirmation is needed where the species could be confused with other horseshoe bats.

Use call sequences with at least four consecutive pulses for positive identification. Present recordings or sonograms so the identification can be independently checked.

  • Survey in suitable weather, avoiding heavy rain and strong wind.
  • Record the detector type, calibration details, settings, date, start and finish time, weather, GPS location and habitat at each station.
  • Record bat activity, identified species, call files and any evidence of commuting or foraging near the work area.

Survey methodology: 3. Roost and maternity assessment

Conduct emergence watches at suspected roosts from before dusk until activity has ceased. Do not enter caves or mines during the day for survey purposes, because this can disturb resting bats and creates safety risks.

Inspect tree hollows, basal hollows and other cavities from the ground. Use an endoscope or pole camera only where this can be done safely and without blocking the roost entrance.

Confirm a maternity roost by finding pregnant or lactating females, pups or other direct evidence of young being raised. A roost where young are raised is a breeding place.

Use harp traps or mist nets only under an approved method and with appropriately authorised personnel. Keep capture time short, release animals at the capture site where safe, and stop if heat, rain, stress or injury creates a risk.

  • Record emergence numbers, roost entrances, roost type, photographs, inspection limitations and signs of breeding.
  • Do not rely on a single quiet survey night to clear a roost.
  • Treat a solitary bat or small group as potentially significant. This species usually occurs as solitary animals or small groups at known roosts, but a small roost can still be a breeding place.

Survey methodology: 4. Survey timing and interpretation

Most microbats give birth to one pup in the warmer months, usually spring to late summer. Birth in the greater large-eared horseshoe bat is thought to occur around October to November.

There is no reliable species-specific migration calendar for project planning. Use local records and repeated surveys to identify seasonal movements and roost use.

Avoid interpreting a lack of calls as proof that a roost is unused. Subterranean sites may be used irregularly, and the species can roost in vegetation, tree hollows, creek banks, culverts, rockpiles, caves and disused mines.

  • Repeat surveys when results are uncertain or when a potential roost is close to impact areas.
  • Survey before demolition, bridge or culvert works, mine closure, tree removal and work that will alter cave or tunnel entrances.
  • Obtain specialist advice where taxonomy, call identification or the status of a roost is uncertain.

Before habitat disturbance: 1. Approvals and permits

Plan the work around roost protection rather than relying on rescue after clearing. Confirm approvals early, identify breeding places, and give the crew clear stop work instructions.

Check whether the action may have a significant impact on the Vulnerable greater large-eared horseshoe bat under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. Make an EPBC referral where required and follow any approval conditions.

Obtain the Queensland permits, authorities and fauna management approvals required for the work. This may include a Queensland species management program, a high risk SMP where the legislation requires one for disturbance at a colonial breeding place, and any relevant state permit for protected fauna, capture, handling or relocation.

Have the approved fauna management plan, permit conditions, maps, contact details and emergency procedures on site before clearing starts.

  • Check the current Queensland listing and regulatory requirements before each project.
  • Do not assume that a low risk fauna procedure applies to a colonial breeder or to a breeding place.
  • Use a qualified ecologist to confirm whether a cave, mine, culvert, tree hollow, bridge or other site is a breeding place.

Before habitat disturbance: 2. Avoidance and timing

Avoid clearing or disturbing known roosts wherever practicable. Retain roost trees, hollow-bearing trees, dense vegetation, creek banks, riparian corridors, caves, mines, culverts and other structures used by bats.

Schedule high disturbance work outside the local maternity period where possible. For this species, give particular consideration to October to November and the broader warmer-month breeding period for microbats.

Do not close, seal, demolish or rehabilitate a mine, cave, culvert or tunnel until its bat use has been assessed and the required approvals are in place.

  • Design roads, lighting, bridges and drainage works to retain commuting routes and vegetation links.
  • Keep artificial light away from roost entrances, creek lines, culverts and likely flight paths. Use the lowest practical intensity, directional fittings and warm, shielded lighting where lighting cannot be avoided.
  • Set site-specific no-go areas and buffers around roosts and breeding places. Have the ecologist or regulator define the distance and controls for the particular site.

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

Complete a final pre-clearance inspection shortly before work begins. Check all hollow-bearing trees, basal hollows, loose bark, buildings, culverts, bridges, fissures, rockpiles, creek banks and other likely shelters.

Use emergence observations, acoustic monitoring and safe camera inspection to confirm whether a structure is occupied. Do not block an entrance or install an exclusion device until the ecologist has confirmed that no dependent young are present.

Use one-way exclusion devices only outside the maternity period and under an approved method. Leave them in place for a period set by the fauna specialist, based on repeated checks and local conditions.

  • Never exclude bats from a maternity roost while pups may be dependent.
  • Do not fumigate, smoke, flood, fill, collapse or seal a roost to force bats out.
  • If a hollow-bearing tree must be removed, use two-stage or soft felling under a fauna spotter catcher and retain the trunk or hollow section where safe.

Before habitat disturbance: 4. Induction and equipment

Induct every worker, machine operator and subcontractor before entering the work area. Show photographs and maps of no-go areas, roosts, access routes and potential bat habitat.

Explain that the greater large-eared horseshoe bat is a colonial breeder for Queensland management purposes. A breeding place may be a cave, mine, culvert, bridge, hollow tree, fissure, building or other site where young are raised.

Provide a stop work contact and make the authority of the fauna spotter catcher clear to the whole crew.

  • Keep suitable containers, gloves, cloth bags, torches, headlamps and first aid equipment available for authorised fauna staff.
  • Keep dogs, smoke, dust, generators and unnecessary lighting away from roost entrances.
  • Brief the crew not to touch, chase, photograph with flash, feed or move bats.

During habitat disturbance: 1. Sequential clearing

Clear in a controlled sequence and keep a qualified fauna spotter catcher present for all high risk activities. Stop work whenever the approved controls no longer match what is found in the field.

Clear vegetation progressively from the least suitable habitat towards retained habitat, allowing animals to move away from machinery where this is safe and lawful.

Use two-stage or soft felling for hollow-bearing trees. First cut or remove non-hollow limbs where safe, pause for inspection, then lower the trunk slowly under fauna supervision.

Retain large hollow-bearing trees, basal hollows, dense vegetation, creek banks and movement corridors wherever the design allows.

  • Inspect each felled hollow, limb and trunk before it is moved or cut further.
  • Keep machinery stopped while the spotter catcher checks hollows, fissures, bark slabs and fallen vegetation.
  • Do not clear at night unless the approved method specifically allows it and the fauna specialist confirms that it will not increase risk.

During habitat disturbance: 2. Stop work and active breeding places

The fauna spotter catcher must have authority to stop work immediately. Stop if a bat, occupied roost, breeding place, colony, pup, injured animal or unexpected shelter is found.

Keep people, machinery, lights and noise away from the site. Do not enter a cave or mine to chase bats out.

An active breeding place includes any roost where young are being raised. Do not disturb, exclude, seal, fell or demolish it until the ecologist has assessed it and the required approval or direction is in place.

  • Establish a temporary exclusion area and mark it clearly.
  • Contact the project ecologist, superintendent and relevant regulator or permit holder.
  • Record the location, habitat, roost type, number of bats, evidence of young, activity, photographs and the action taken.
  • Resume work only after the fauna specialist confirms that the controls and approvals are adequate.

During habitat disturbance: 3. Handling and release

Only an authorised and trained person may capture, handle or relocate a bat. Avoid handling whenever the animal can leave safely without assistance.

Use clean, soft equipment and minimise noise, light, heat and handling time. Do not handle a bat with bare hands.

Release a healthy bat at the capture location, or at another location only where the approved method allows it and the fauna specialist confirms that release is safe.

  • Do not move a bat to a distant site simply because it is inconvenient to leave it in place.
  • Do not relocate a dependent pup away from its mother or a maternity roost.
  • Record the species, sex where known, condition, location, time, handler, method and release outcome.

During habitat disturbance: 4. Injured or distressed animals

Place an injured or grounded bat in a secure, ventilated container lined with a clean cloth. Keep it dark, quiet and warm, but do not overheat it.

Do not give food or water unless directed by a wildlife carer or veterinarian. Do not attempt to repair a wing injury or remove attached material on site.

Contact a licensed wildlife carer, veterinarian or the relevant Queensland wildlife authority promptly. Follow any rabies or Australian bat lyssavirus exposure procedure if a person is bitten, scratched or exposed to saliva.

  • Keep people away from the container and wash hands after any contact.
  • Record the injury, photographs where safe, treatment advice, transfer details and final outcome.
  • Review the work method before restarting if the injury resulted from project activity.

After habitat disturbance: 1. Post-clearance checks

Post-clearance checks confirm whether controls worked and whether roosts, animals or breeding places were affected. Keep records that can be linked to permits, maps and individual work areas.

Inspect cleared areas, retained trees, felled hollow sections, culverts, bridges and roost entrances after each work stage and again at the end of clearing.

Use acoustic monitoring and emergence watches where a roost was close to works, where a structure was modified, or where animals were relocated under an approved plan.

Check that exclusion devices have not trapped bats, blocked movement or caused animals to seek unsafe shelter.

  • Search the ground, machinery and exclusion areas for injured, dead or trapped bats.
  • Inspect replacement hollows and retained vegetation after storms, vibration, demolition or other high disturbance events.
  • Remove temporary exclusion devices only when the fauna specialist confirms that they are no longer needed.

After habitat disturbance: 2. Reporting and records

Complete daily fauna records during clearing and construction. Submit incident reports within the timeframe required by the permit, approval or Queensland management program.

Keep acoustic files, sonograms, GPS tracks, photographs, inspection forms, capture records, release records, injury records and stop work directions with the project environmental records.

Report any disturbance to an active breeding place, death, injury, unexpected colony or roost loss to the relevant project manager and regulator.

  • Record date, time, weather, crew, machinery, location, activity, species, number of bats, roost type and action taken.
  • Map retained and disturbed habitat, roost entrances, exclusion zones, replacement structures and monitoring stations.
  • Include limitations, missed surveys, equipment failures and periods when work could not be supervised.

After habitat disturbance: 3. Relocation and follow-up monitoring

Where animals have been relocated under an approved method, check the release site and the original work area for continued use, injury or return movements.

Monitor replacement or retained roosts with emergence observations and acoustic detectors. The frequency and duration should be set by the ecologist and permit conditions, with extra checks during the local breeding period.

Do not treat short-term absence as proof that a roost has failed. This species may use some subterranean sites irregularly.

  • Compare post-work activity with the pre-work baseline where baseline data are available.
  • Check whether artificial light, noise, barriers or changed vegetation are affecting access to roosts and foraging areas.
  • Escalate unexpected decline, repeated injuries or abandonment of a known roost for specialist review.

After habitat disturbance: 4. Incident review

Review every stop work event, injury, mortality, roost disturbance and permit non-compliance before the next work stage.

Update the clearing sequence, exclusion areas, induction material and supervision requirements from the findings.

Share lessons with the construction supervisor, spotter catchers, ecologist and relevant regulator where required.

  • Identify the direct cause, contributing conditions and corrective action.
  • Check that corrective actions have been completed before work resumes.
  • Retain the review with the project fauna records.

Rehabilitation actions: 1. Restore habitat and movement routes

Rehabilitation should restore connected, shaded habitat and protect the roost features that this species uses. Replacement structures can help, but they do not replace mature hollow trees, caves, mines or established vegetation.

Replant local rainforest, riparian, eucalypt and woodland species suited to the site. Prioritise dense understorey, creek lines, gullies and links between retained vegetation patches.

Retain fallen hollow sections where safe and protect mature trees, basal hollows, creek banks, rockpiles and natural fissures.

Control weeds without removing dense native vegetation that may provide shelter or roosting habitat. Use staged weed treatment near roosts and avoid creating sudden open, brightly lit gaps.

  • Use local provenance plants where available and suitable.
  • Protect revegetation from browsing, fire, erosion, machinery and unnecessary clearing.
  • Maintain vegetation corridors across roads, drainage lines and construction boundaries.

Rehabilitation actions: 2. Water and roost conditions

Protect permanent and temporary watercourses, drainage lines and wet gullies that support insect prey and commuting movements.

Keep sediment, concrete washout, chemicals and contaminated runoff away from caves, mines, culverts, creek banks and riparian vegetation.

Maintain suitable humidity, shade, access and structural features at retained roosts. Do not alter a cave, mine or culvert entrance without specialist assessment.

  • Use erosion and sediment controls until vegetation is established.
  • Avoid directing bright lights at watercourses, roost entrances or retained vegetation.
  • Inspect drainage structures after storms and repair damage without blocking bat access.

Rehabilitation actions: 3. Replacement roost structures

Use bat boxes or artificial roost structures only as supplementary measures and only where an ecologist confirms that they suit the local habitat and project impact.

Place structures near retained vegetation, creek lines or known movement routes, with safe access for inspection and without exposing bats to excessive heat, light or disturbance.

Where a hollow-bearing tree is removed, retain suitable hollow sections or install approved replacement structures before removal where practicable. Do not assume a bat box replaces a mature hollow, cave, mine or maternity roost.

  • Use designs and materials recommended by a bat specialist for local tropical conditions.
  • Install structures away from public access and protect them from vandalism, fire and construction damage.
  • Inspect boxes and artificial roosts for occupancy, heat stress, damage and pests. Record use by bats and other animals.
  • Do not seal or remove a replacement structure until monitoring shows it is no longer required and the relevant approval allows this.

Rehabilitation actions: 4. Lighting and long-term management

Keep restored habitat and roost entrances dark wherever possible. Shield lights, direct them away from vegetation and water, use timers or motion controls, and avoid unnecessary night lighting.

Manage weeds, fire risk, erosion, access and vegetation loss through the maintenance period. Protect restored corridors from later widening, mowing or informal access.

Set a monitoring program that checks roost use, bat activity, retained trees, replacement structures, vegetation establishment and any new disturbance.

  • Use acoustic detectors and emergence watches at selected roosts and habitat links.
  • Monitor during the local breeding period as well as outside it, where the approval or management plan requires seasonal comparison.
  • Set clear success measures and response actions, such as additional weed control, lighting changes, repair of structures or further specialist assessment.
  • Keep monitoring records with the project environmental management system and review them when future works are proposed.

Sources