Greater Robust Fine-lined Slider (Lerista allanae)

Conservation status

Commonwealth, EPBC Act 1999: Endangered.

Queensland, Nature Conservation Act 1992: Endangered.

Breeding season

The Greater Robust Fine-lined Slider is poorly known, and its breeding season has not been recorded. Activity is expected to be reduced during the coldest months, but timing may vary between sites and years in central Queensland.

Breeding mode: Not recorded

Clutch or litter size: Not recorded

Incubation or gestation: Not recorded

Breeding sites: Not recorded. Individuals shelter in leaf litter and friable surface soils beneath trees and shrubs, and may shelter under logs, rocks or ground debris.

Age at maturity: Not recorded

Breeding frequency: Not recorded

Timing may vary between years and regions, so plan pre-clearance searches across suitable undulating downs habitat and adjust survey timing to local weather and seasonal conditions.

• Likely surface activity: The species is probably active year-round except during the coldest months, with activity likely to be mainly nocturnal based on related species.
• Reduced activity or inactivity during colder months: Reduced activity is expected during the coldest part of the year, although the timing is not confirmed for this species or region.
• Breeding timing: No month-specific breeding records are available, so breeding activity should not be assumed to be absent in any month.
• Highest clearing risk: Treat clearing as a year-round risk because the species is Endangered, its breeding places are unknown and suitable shelter occurs in leaf litter, surface soils and ground debris.

Identification: Appearance

This is a reduced-limbed skink with a very restricted known distribution. It can be confused with other fine-lined or reduced-limb skinks, so photographs and a tissue sample should support any potential record.

The forelimb is absent. The hindlimb has a single clawed digit.

The body has longitudinal lines made up of dark spots. This feature is useful when checking a suspected animal in the hand or in a clear photograph.

• Reduced-limbed skink
• No forelimbs
• One clawed digit on the hindlimb
• Longitudinal lines of dark spots

Identification: Size, calls and field signs

No species-specific body measurements, weight or call description are available. There is no known echolocation or other sound used for field detection.

Do not rely on droppings, nests, whitewash, stains or odour. These field signs are not described for this species. A live animal, a clear photo or a suitable tissue sample is the best evidence.

Best evidence: A clear photo showing the forelimb area, hindlimb and body pattern, supported by expert identification.

Identification: Similar species

Lerista colliveri is the main identification concern. Some populations now assigned to that species were previously placed under the Retro Slider.

Lerista colliveri has a small forelimb stump or nubbin and continuous dark longitudinal lines on the back. The Greater Robust Fine-lined Slider lacks forelimbs and has longitudinal lines of dark spots.

Lerista punctatovittata, Lerista fragilis and Anomalopus brevicollis also occur regionally between Clermont and Capella. The combination of absent forelimbs and a hindlimb with one clawed digit helps separate the Greater Robust Fine-lined Slider from these species.

• Retain clear photo vouchers for all potential records.
• Arrange tissue sampling where identification from photographs is uncertain.
• Do not record a reduced-limb skink to species level from a brief sighting alone.

Distribution: Queensland range

In Australia, the species is known only from Queensland. Its known range is concentrated in a small area between Clermont and Capella, with recent surveys finding additional sites in the general vicinity of Retro Station.

Known sites include Retro Station, Logan Downs and Clermont. These sites are close to one another between Clermont and Capella.

Recent records have extended the number of known sites in the general proximity of Retro Station. The species is not identified from any other Australian state or territory.

• State: Queensland
• Regional area: between Clermont and Capella
• Known localities: Retro Station, Logan Downs and Clermont

Distribution: What this means for projects

A project in the Clermont to Capella area should treat suitable habitat as potential habitat, even where regional ecosystem mapping shows the area as cleared.

The known distribution is narrow and the species is poorly known. Absence from a short site inspection should not be treated as proof that it is absent.

• Check all records and mapping around the development footprint.
• Include nearby undulating downs, clay soils and remnant trees or shrubs in the assessment.
• Escalate possible records for specialist identification.

Habitat: Landforms and soils

The Greater Robust Fine-lined Slider occurs in undulating downs with clay-based soils and scattered or remnant woody vegetation. Much of this habitat has been extensively altered, and recent records have come from sites mapped as cleared.

Look across gently undulating downs, plains, stony ridges, slope gullies and open tablelands. The broader habitat has formed on Tertiary basalt, Permian shales, sandstone and unconsolidated sediments of the Oxford Land System.

Recent records were associated with chocolate to dark chocolate coloured, non-cracking clay-based soils. Reported clay content was 30 to 64 per cent.

• Undulating downs and plains
• Stony ridges and slope gullies
• Chocolate to dark chocolate, non-cracking clay
• Friable surface soil beneath vegetation

Habitat: Vegetation and site condition

Historical descriptions include stony coolibah ridges, open tableland coolibah and bloodwood, bauhinia on open plains, ti-tree scrubby and gravelly ridges, heavy scrub and scattered timber with stone.

Recent records were associated with Queensland regional ecosystems 11.8.5 and 11.8.11/11.8.5. These ecosystems may be mapped as cleared, so remnant trees, shrubs, leaf litter and suitable soil should still be checked.

• Retain remnant trees and shrubs where practicable.
• Check leaf litter and friable soil beneath the canopy and shrub layer.
• Give attention to apparently cleared ground adjoining suitable remnants.

Habitat: Site inspection cues

The species is most likely to be overlooked where ground cover appears sparse but leaf litter and loose surface soil remain beneath trees and shrubs.

Map patches of intact ground cover, loose soil, logs, rocks and artificial cover before machinery enters the work area.

• Leaf litter beneath trees and shrubs
• Loose or friable surface soil
• Logs and loose rocks
• Remnant scrub, coolibah, bloodwood or bauhinia

Foraging habitat: Ground layer to retain

Specific foraging habitat and diet have not been documented. For site planning, treat leaf litter, loose surface soil and the ground layer beneath trees and shrubs as potential foraging habitat.

Retain leaf litter and friable soil beneath woody vegetation wherever possible. Avoid unnecessary grading, scraping, compaction and removal of the surface layer.

The species may forage in or beneath this ground layer, but its prey items and exact foraging behaviour are not known.

• Leaf litter
• Friable surface soil
• Ground beneath trees and shrubs
• Undisturbed edges of remnant vegetation

Foraging habitat: Construction planning

Keep vehicle movements, stockpiles and laydown areas out of potential ground habitat. Use existing disturbed access routes where possible.

If clearing cannot be avoided, have an ecologist or fauna spotter catcher inspect the ground layer and any cover objects before disturbance.

• Define no go areas around suitable remnants.
• Avoid storing materials on leaf litter or friable soil.
• Plan surface soil handling to minimise mixing and compaction.
• Record and protect any animal found during works.

Breeding habitat: What to protect

Breeding habitat and breeding places have not been described for this species. Until better information is available, manage all suitable ground habitat as potentially relevant to breeding and sheltering.

No nest, burrow, colony, maternity site or other breeding place has been identified. Do not assume that the absence of a visible nest means breeding habitat is absent.

Protect intact leaf litter, friable soil, logs, rocks and the bases of trees and shrubs within potential habitat.

• Avoid disturbing the surface soil unnecessarily.
• Retain ground cover beneath remnant vegetation.
• Keep cleared material and machinery away from suitable shelter areas.

Breeding habitat: Breeding information gaps

Breeding timing, clutch or litter size, incubation or gestation period and age at maturity have not been established in the field guidance.

Use a precautionary approach during all seasons. If a suspected animal is found, stop work in the immediate area and obtain advice from the project ecologist.

• Do not disturb a suspected occupied shelter.
• Photograph the animal and its location.
• Record the soil, vegetation and cover feature associated with the find.

Sheltering habitat: Shelter features

Recent records were from leaf litter and friable surface soils beneath trees and shrubs. The species is likely to use ground-level cover, so careful searches are needed before clearing or moving objects on the ground.

Potential shelter includes loose surface soil, leaf litter and cover beneath logs, rocks, corrugated iron and other objects resting on the ground.

Check the bases of bushes and trees, especially where the soil is loose and the ground layer is relatively undisturbed.

• Under logs
• Under loose surface rocks
• Under corrugated iron and other ground objects
• At the base of bushes and trees
• Within leaf litter and friable surface soil

Sheltering habitat: Safe search practice

Lift cover objects carefully and replace them after inspection where they are not being removed. Rake surface soil and leaf litter progressively rather than stripping large areas with machinery.

Search effort should be timed for periods when the species is most likely to be active. Activity is poorly known, but it is probably nocturnal and may be reduced during the coldest months.

• Use a trained fauna spotter catcher for preclearance searches.
• Check both the object and the soil directly beneath it.
• Keep searched and unsurveyed areas clearly marked.
• Stop work if a suspected Greater Robust Fine-lined Slider is located.

Sheltering habitat: Artificial cover

Artificial cover arrays may be worth trialling where a longer survey period is available. Roof tiles and plywood squares are examples of covers that can be tested.

Any array should be placed in suitable habitat and checked under an approved survey design.

• Roof tiles
• Plywood squares

Threats: Vegetation clearing

The species occurs in habitat that has been extensively altered, with little original vegetation remaining. On development and land management sites, the main risks are loss of ground habitat, disturbance of shelter and failure to recognise the species.

Removal of remnant trees, shrubs, leaf litter and ground cover can reduce the habitat available beneath the canopy and shrub layer.

Clearing should be limited to the approved footprint. Retain suitable remnants and their associated ground layer wherever practicable.

• Avoid unnecessary removal of scattered trees and shrubs.
• Clearly mark retained vegetation and no go areas.
• Do not treat mapped cleared areas as automatically unsuitable.

Threats: Soil disturbance and compaction

Grading, scraping, trenching, excavation, stockpiling and vehicle movement can remove or compact the friable surface soils used for shelter and possible foraging.

Keep machinery and materials out of potential habitat until the area has been assessed and cleared under the project procedure.

• Minimise stripping of surface soil.
• Avoid unnecessary disturbance beneath trees and shrubs.
• Control access and use defined vehicle routes.

Threats: Loss of ground shelter

Moving logs, loose rocks, corrugated iron and other ground objects can expose or injure sheltering animals and remove cover from the site.

Inspect objects before they are moved, and replace or relocate them only under the direction of the project ecologist.

• Search beneath ground cover before removal.
• Use hand tools where practical around potential shelter.
• Maintain a clear process for safely handling captured animals.

Threats: Misidentification and compliance risk

The Greater Robust Fine-lined Slider can be confused with Lerista colliveri and other reduced-limb skinks. An incorrect identification can result in an animal or its habitat being missed during clearing.

As an Endangered species under Commonwealth and Queensland listings, potential records should be reported through the project fauna management process and assessed by a suitably experienced ecologist.

• Use photo vouchers for suspected records.
• Arrange tissue sampling where required for confirmation.
• Review the clearing method if the species is found.
• Obtain project specific regulatory advice before disturbing a confirmed record or potential breeding place.

Survey methodology: 1. Plan the survey

The Greater Robust Fine-lined Slider, also known as the Retro slider, is a poorly known, reduced-limbed skink found in Queensland between Clermont and Capella. Use a combination of careful shelter searches, surface-soil searches and pitfall trapping, with extra care to avoid confusing it with similar skinks.

Check records around Clermont, Capella, Retro Station, Logan Downs and Clermont before finalising the survey area.

Map undulating downs, cleared areas containing remnant trees and shrubs, and sites with leaf litter and friable surface soils on clay-based soils.

Treat suitable habitat as potentially occupied where there are no recent records. The species can be difficult to detect in altered landscapes.

Known state: Queensland

Known distribution: Sites between Clermont and Capella, including Retro Station and Logan Downs

Habitat clues: Leaf litter and friable surface soils beneath trees and shrubs, often on chocolate to dark chocolate clay-based soils

• Review existing fauna records, regional ecosystem mapping and recent clearing proposals.
• Include remnant trees and shrubs, logs, loose rocks, corrugated iron and other ground objects in the search area.
• Obtain approval for pitfall trapping, animal handling and tissue sampling before fieldwork begins.

Survey methodology: 2. Search shelters and surface soils

Search beneath likely shelters and in the surface soils where the skink is expected to occur. Work slowly because the species is small, limbless in the forelimbs and easily confused with other reduced-limb skinks.

The preferred search period is unknown. The species is probably active outside the coldest months and may be nocturnal, based on related species. Schedule searches in warmer conditions and use several methods rather than relying on one visit.

• Rake leaf litter and associated surface soils beneath trees and shrubs.
• Rake surface soil beneath logs, loose rocks, corrugated iron and other objects on the ground.
• Turn shelter objects carefully, inspect the ground beneath them, and replace them in their original position.
• Search at dusk, during the night or in other warmer periods when conditions are suitable for activity.
• Stop or modify the search if soil conditions are too wet, unsafe or likely to cause excessive disturbance.

Survey methodology: 3. Use pitfall traps and cover objects

Pitfall trapping can be used with shelter searches where the site can be trapped safely and lawfully. There is no species-specific capture rate or minimum survey duration, so survey effort should reflect the size and condition of the habitat and the risk posed by the work.

Artificial cover may be worth trialling where a longer survey period is available. Use it as a supplementary method, not as a substitute for direct searches and pitfall trapping.

• Trial pitfall lines using six 10 litre buckets spread along a 15 metre fence, or another suitable array designed by the ecologist.
• Check traps at a frequency that prevents heat stress, dehydration, predation and other harm. Increase checks in hot or adverse weather.
• Trial roof tiles or plywood squares as artificial cover where they can be installed and checked safely.
• Remove traps and artificial cover after the survey unless their continued use has been approved and managed.

Survey methodology: 4. Identify and record findings

The Greater Robust Fine-lined Slider has no forelimb, a hindlimb with a single clawed digit and longitudinal lines of dark spots. Lerista colliveri has a small forelimb stump or nubbin and continuous dark lines on the back.

Potential records need careful verification. Use clear photographs and, where authorised and necessary, a tissue sample to support identification.

• Record the date, time, observer, GPS location, habitat, soil condition, weather and survey method.
• Record search effort, trap numbers, trap nights, cover objects checked and any animals captured or released.
• Take dorsal, lateral and limb photographs without delaying release.
• Have suspected records checked by a suitably experienced herpetologist, especially where Lerista colliveri, Lerista punctatovittata, Lerista fragilis or Anomalopus brevicollis may occur.
• Report all confirmed records to the project ecologist and relevant Queensland authorities as required.

Before habitat disturbance: 1. Complete the approvals check

Plan works around the species before machinery arrives. The Greater Robust Fine-lined Slider is listed as Endangered under the EPBC Act and in Queensland, so clearing in suitable habitat needs a documented risk assessment and the correct approvals.

Have the project environmental approvals reviewed by a qualified ecologist and the project legal or approvals adviser. Do not assume that a cleared site has no conservation value.

A project that may have a significant impact on the species or its habitat may require an EPBC Act referral. Confirm the Queensland requirements for protected wildlife, fauna handling and disturbance of any breeding place.

• Complete an EPBC Act protected matters and significant impact assessment before finalising the clearing footprint.
• Seek Queensland approval or advice where the action may affect the species, its habitat or a breeding place.
• Obtain a Queensland species management program, or other required authority, where the proposed action involves tampering with a breeding place or other regulated activity.
• Ensure fauna spotter catchers hold the approvals and authorities needed to search, capture, handle and release wildlife.
• Keep approval conditions, maps and contact details available at the work front.

Before habitat disturbance: 2. Design avoidance and exclusion areas

Avoiding habitat is the strongest control. The species has been recorded in leaf litter and friable surface soils beneath trees and shrubs, including areas mapped as cleared.

There is no published species-specific buffer in this guidance. Set exclusion areas through the project ecologist and approvals, using the location of records, habitat quality, likely disturbance pathways and the proposed activity.

• Retain remnant trees, shrubs, leaf litter, logs, loose rocks and undisturbed surface soils wherever practicable.
• Fence and sign no-go areas before machinery mobilisation.
• Keep vehicles, laydown areas, spoil, stockpiles and wash-down activities out of retained habitat.
• Use a site map showing confirmed records, potential habitat, exclusion areas and approved clearing limits.
• Do not move shelter objects or strip surface soil inside an exclusion area without ecological approval.

Before habitat disturbance: 3. Complete the pre-clearance survey

Complete a targeted pre-clearance search immediately before disturbance, with the timing selected to maximise the chance of activity. Because breeding timing is unknown, do not rely on a seasonal clearance window to remove the risk.

Repeat the search if there is a substantial delay, if the footprint changes or if suitable shelter becomes available after the first inspection.

• Search leaf litter and surface soils beneath trees and shrubs.
• Check under logs, loose rocks, corrugated iron and other ground objects.
• Use pitfall trapping where the risk, habitat and approval conditions justify it.
• Mark and protect any confirmed animal, breeding place or high-value habitat before work starts.
• Document the survey methods, effort, conditions, results and clearance decision.

Before habitat disturbance: 4. Induct the work crew

Give all workers a short, site-specific induction before clearing. Show the species photograph, likely shelters, exclusion areas and the stop-work process.

Make it clear that only authorised and competent people may handle the animal.

• Tell workers to stop work and contact the fauna spotter catcher if they see a small reduced-limb skink or disturb a potential shelter.
• Explain the limits of the approved clearing footprint and the location of exclusion fencing.
• Provide the fauna spotter catcher authority to stop or redirect work where an animal, breeding place or unexpected habitat feature is found.
• Keep a first aid and wildlife incident contact pathway at the work front.
• Record induction attendance and retain the signed records.

During habitat disturbance: 1. Clear in stages

Clear in a controlled sequence and keep a fauna spotter catcher present for risky activities. Work must stop when an animal, potential breeding place or unexpected suitable habitat is found.

Use staged clearing so animals have an opportunity to move into retained habitat and so the fauna spotter catcher can inspect each area. The method should be adjusted to the terrain, machinery and approval conditions.

Avoid broad stripping of leaf litter and surface soil before shelters and likely refuge areas have been checked.

• Mark the approved clearing boundary before starting.
• Clear retained habitat in small, manageable sections rather than opening the whole area at once.
• Search and inspect each section before machinery enters it.
• Move logs, rocks, corrugated iron and other objects only under fauna spotter catcher direction.
• Retain suitable leaf litter, friable surface soil, trees and shrubs wherever the design allows.

During habitat disturbance: 2. Apply stop-work controls

The fauna spotter catcher must have authority to stop work without delay. A suspected Greater Robust Fine-lined Slider should be treated as a real record until it has been identified.

Do not restart work in the affected area until the animal and habitat have been assessed and the required action is documented.

• Stop machinery and isolate the immediate area when an animal is found.
• Keep people, vehicles and machinery away from the animal and its likely shelter.
• Ask an authorised fauna handler or ecologist to identify and manage the animal.
• Stop work if a potential breeding place, concentration of animals or previously unmapped suitable habitat is found.
• Contact the project ecologist and approval holder before disturbing a potential breeding place.

During habitat disturbance: 3. Handle and release animals safely

Handle the species only when authorised and when handling is needed for identification, protection or release. Keep handling brief and minimise heat, vibration and exposure.

The species has no described colony, nest or other breeding structure. Any group of animals or repeated records should therefore be treated cautiously as a potentially important site.

• Use a clean, appropriate container with ventilation and protection from heat.
• Do not place the animal in direct sun, water or with incompatible animals.
• Release it as soon as practicable into suitable retained habitat close to the capture location, unless the approval or fauna ecologist directs otherwise.
• Record the capture location, release location, time, condition, photographs and handler.
• Do not move the animal off-site without approval and expert direction.

During habitat disturbance: 4. Manage injured animals and incidents

Treat injured animals as wildlife incidents. Do not release an injured animal until a suitably qualified person has assessed it.

Record any breach of the clearing boundary, unapproved handling, animal death or damage to a potential breeding place.

• Secure the animal in a suitable ventilated container and keep it quiet and cool, without chilling it.
• Contact the project wildlife rehabilitator, veterinarian or approved fauna care provider through the project incident pathway.
• Notify the project ecologist and approval holder immediately.
• Preserve photographs, GPS information and a clear account of what occurred.
• Follow all reporting requirements under the EPBC approval, Queensland authority and site environmental management plan.

After habitat disturbance: 1. Complete post-clearance checks

Post-clearance checks help confirm that animals, shelters and exclusion areas were managed as planned. Use the results to improve the next work stage and to update the project risk assessment.

Inspect the cleared area and the edge of retained habitat after each work stage. Look for animals, damaged shelters, unplanned soil disturbance and gaps in exclusion fencing.

Repeat targeted searches where clearing has exposed leaf litter, friable soil or shelter objects that could not be checked safely during the initial operation.

• Walk the completed area with the fauna spotter catcher or project ecologist.
• Check under remaining logs, rocks, ground objects and retained vegetation at the clearing edge.
• Confirm that no animals remain trapped in excavations, trenches, pipes, pits or stored materials.
• Close or secure temporary pits and other hazards when they are no longer required.
• Repair damaged fencing and signs around retained habitat.

After habitat disturbance: 2. Report outcomes

Prepare a clearance record for each work area. Include enough detail for the project manager and approval holder to demonstrate compliance and refine future controls.

All confirmed records should be retained in the project fauna database and submitted to the relevant authority where required.

• Record survey dates, methods, effort, personnel, weather and work areas checked.
• List animals found, their identification, condition, handling, release location and any tissue or photo voucher details.
• Record breeding-place observations, stop-work events, injuries, deaths, escapes and approval breaches.
• Map cleared areas, retained habitat and any new records.
• Complete any EPBC Act, Queensland or permit reporting within the required timeframe.

After habitat disturbance: 3. Monitor retained and relocated habitat

The species is poorly known and there is no established relocation or post-release monitoring protocol for it. Use monitoring that is proportionate to the level of impact and the conditions of approval.

Animals should normally be released into suitable retained habitat close to where they were found, rather than moved long distances.

• Inspect release areas for disturbance, excessive exposure, domestic animals and loss of shelter.
• Use the same search methods at follow-up visits where monitoring is required.
• Record whether leaf litter, surface soils, logs, rocks, trees and shrubs remain available.
• Do not interpret a failure to detect the species as proof that it is absent.
• Review monitoring results with the project ecologist and adjust work controls if animals are found.

After habitat disturbance: 4. Review the incident controls

Hold a short review after clearance or after any fauna incident. Keep the findings practical and apply them to the next stage of work.

Update the construction environmental management plan when the review identifies a better search method, timing or exclusion control.

• Compare actual clearing conditions with the approved method and pre-clearance assumptions.
• Identify where machinery, stockpiles, lighting, access or weather increased the risk to animals.
• Revise inductions, maps, exclusion areas and spotter catcher coverage before the next work area starts.
• Share confirmed identification photographs and lessons with the whole project team.
• Close out corrective actions and retain evidence of completion.

Rehabilitation actions: 1. Restore soil and ground cover

Rehabilitation should recreate the ground-level shelter and soil conditions used by the Greater Robust Fine-lined Slider. Focus on retaining and rebuilding habitat rather than installing structures designed for birds, bats or tree-dwelling fauna.

Retain or replace friable surface soil and leaf litter beneath trees and shrubs. Avoid compacting or sealing areas that are intended to provide shelter.

Use local soil and plant material where practicable, and keep rehabilitation connected to retained habitat.

• Strip and stockpile suitable surface soil separately from subsoil before construction.
• Replace surface soil without compacting it unnecessarily.
• Spread leaf litter and retain logs, loose rocks and other natural shelter objects.
• Recreate low, uneven ground surfaces rather than leaving broad bare and compacted areas.
• Keep heavy vehicles and storage areas out of rehabilitation zones.

Rehabilitation actions: 2. Re-establish native vegetation

Plant or encourage native trees, shrubs and ground cover suited to the local downs, soil and regional ecosystem. The aim is to restore shade, litter and surface shelter over time.

The original vegetation is extensively altered across the known range, so rehabilitation should be based on local reference areas and the project ecologist's advice.

• Use locally appropriate native species and protect new plantings from grazing and vehicle damage.
• Control weeds before they dominate the litter layer or prevent native regeneration.
• Retain natural litter and fallen timber as vegetation develops.
• Prevent erosion and sediment movement into retained habitat.
• Inspect rehabilitation after storms, drought, fire or other events that may remove ground cover.

Rehabilitation actions: 3. Avoid unsuitable replacement structures

There are no described nests, roosts, colonies or specialised breeding structures for this species. Nest boxes, bat boxes, artificial nest sites and roost structures are not established replacement measures for the Greater Robust Fine-lined Slider.

Use artificial cover only as a monitored survey or habitat trial where an ecologist considers it suitable and approvals allow it.

• Do not install bird nest boxes, bat boxes or roost structures as a substitute for soil and ground shelter.
• Do not create artificial breeding places unless a suitably qualified ecologist has developed and approved a species-specific design.
• If roof tiles or plywood are used as cover, map them, inspect them safely and manage them as part of a monitoring plan.
• Remove trial structures when monitoring is complete unless their continued use is approved.

Rehabilitation actions: 4. Manage water, lighting and long-term pressures

The species has no described water dependency. Manage water so rehabilitation is not eroded, waterlogged or contaminated, and so it does not create new hazards.

Reduce unnecessary night lighting near retained and rehabilitated habitat. The species may be nocturnally active, although its activity pattern is not confirmed.

• Direct clean water away from rehabilitation without scouring the soil surface.
• Prevent sediment, chemicals and construction waste from entering retained habitat.
• Use low-spill, shielded lighting and switch off temporary lights when they are not needed.
• Control weeds and grazing pressure through the establishment period.
• Monitor habitat condition and confirmed records over the period required by project approvals, and adapt management when shelter or ground cover declines.

Sources

• Survey guidelines for Australia's threatened reptiles, Australian Government: https://www.agriculture.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/survey-guidelines-reptiles.pdf
• Occurrence records for the distribution map, Atlas of Living Australia: https://biocache.ala.org.au/