Highlands Forest-skink (Anepischetosia maccoyi)

Conservation status

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

Breeding season

The Highlands forest-skink is poorly known, so species-specific breeding dates are not established. Use a precautionary spring to summer window across NSW, Victoria and South Australia, with local timing expected to vary between cool, wet forests, heaths and disturbed sites. The South Australian population is listed as Endangered, so apply the highest level of survey and clearing controls there.

Breeding mode: Not recorded.

Clutch or litter size: Not recorded.

Incubation or gestation: Not recorded.

Fledging or weaning: Not recorded. Young are not described in the available species account.

Age at maturity: Not recorded.

Nest or shelter sites: Specific breeding shelters are not recorded. The species uses cool, wet forest, wet heath and dense ground cover, including cover in logged areas.

Breeding frequency: Not recorded.

Timing may shift between years and regions, particularly between western Victoria and South Australia, the Illawarra, the Brindabella Ranges, the Snowy Mountains and Gippsland.

• Likely breeding activity: Treat September to February as a potential mating and reproductive period, based on the general seasonal pattern of cool-climate skinks rather than confirmed species records.
• Likely eggs or dependent young: Young may be present from late spring through summer, but the Highlands forest-skink reproductive mode and timing are not recorded.
• Above-ground activity: Activity can occur throughout the year, with higher encounter rates expected in warmer months when cool, moist ground cover remains available.
• Reduced activity in cool or dry conditions: Do not assume absence during cooler months because the species is secretive, rarely seen in the open and sensitive to hot, dry conditions.
• Highest clearing risk: Plan clearing as though harm to breeding animals or young is greatest from September to December, and use high-level pre-clearance surveys, habitat retention and spotter catcher controls for this EVNT species.

Identification: Appearance and behaviour

The Highlands forest-skink is a small lizard that is usually found within cover rather than basking in the open. Field identification can be difficult because strong visible differences between populations are not well established.

It is a small terrestrial skink associated with cool, wet environments. It does not usually bask and is rarely seen in exposed areas.

The species has low tolerance of heat and drying compared with related skinks. Individuals may remain concealed in dense ground cover during site inspections.

Field habit: Secretive, ground dwelling and rarely seen in the open.

Identification confidence: Some populations require confirmation by an experienced herpetologist or genetic work.

• Treat a small skink found in cool, wet forest habitat as potentially significant until it has been identified.
• Avoid relying on colour or general body shape alone. Some deeply divergent populations show little obvious external differentiation.

Identification: Calls and similar species

No reliable call or echolocation information is available for this species. It is not identified by a distinctive acoustic signal.

Other small skinks may occur in the same broad region. Do not separate the Highlands forest-skink from other skinks by habitat alone, particularly where populations are isolated or disturbed.

Diagnostic field key: No simple field key should be assumed to reliably separate all populations.

• Record clear photographs where possible, including the whole animal, head, side and dorsal surface.
• Record the exact location, habitat, cover used and circumstances of the observation.
• Seek expert confirmation for individuals from development sites, especially in South Australia, the Illawarra, the Brindabella Ranges, western Victoria, the Otway Ranges, the Grampians and south-eastern South Australia.

Identification: Field signs

There are no well-established droppings, nest, whitewash, stain or odour signs that can be used to confirm presence. Absence of these signs does not indicate absence of the species.

A live sighting, a suitable photograph or a captured animal examined under an approved survey method provides stronger evidence than indirect signs.

• Inspect dense ground cover, wet heath, leaf litter and sheltered spaces around logs or other cover.
• Keep a record of all small skinks seen, including animals that cannot be identified in the field.
• Do not handle or retain animals unless the survey team holds the required approvals.

Distribution: Range by state and territory

The Highlands forest-skink occurs in fragmented cool-climate habitats in south-eastern Australia. Records span several major mountain, forest and coastal regions, but some areas remain poorly sampled.

In Victoria, records extend from around Melbourne and Gippsland through the Snowy Mountains and Victorian High Country. Other reported areas include Wilson’s Promontory, the Otway Ranges, the Grampians and western Victorian areas leading towards south-eastern South Australia.

In New South Wales, the species is recorded from far south-eastern NSW, the Illawarra, the Batemans Bay region, the Brindabella Ranges and the Snowy Mountains, including the Kosciuszko region. A population is also known from Morton National Park near the Jervis Bay region.

The species occurs in the Australian Capital Territory in the Brindabella Ranges and Namadgi National Park. South Australian records are from the south-east, including areas along the coast near the Victorian border.

Overall range: From around Melbourne through eastern Victoria to far south-eastern New South Wales, with populations extending into south-eastern South Australia.

• Victoria: Melbourne area, Gippsland, eastern Victoria, Snowy Mountains, Victorian High Country, Wilson’s Promontory, Otway Ranges, Grampians and western Victoria.
• New South Wales: Illawarra, Batemans Bay, far south-eastern NSW, Brindabella Ranges, Snowy Mountains, Kosciuszko region and Morton National Park near Jervis Bay.
• Australian Capital Territory: Brindabella Ranges and Namadgi National Park.
• South Australia: south-eastern South Australia and adjoining south coast areas.

Distribution: Population structure

The species currently includes several deeply divergent genetic lineages that are not formally recognised as separate species. At least six evolutionarily significant units have been identified across the broader species complex.

The Illawarra lineage is especially divergent. Other distinct lineages occur around Batemans Bay, the Brindabella Ranges, the Snowy Mountains and Gippsland. The western grouping may contain several additional distinct populations.

Taxonomic caution: Candidate species and major genetic lineages have been identified, but the names have not been formally resurrected.

• Treat isolated populations as locally significant.
• Do not move animals or habitat material between catchments or regions without specialist advice.
• Retain location data and photographs for all records so they can contribute to local population assessment.

Distribution: Survey planning

Known records are unevenly distributed. Sampling is sparse west of Wilson’s Promontory, and the Grampians population has not been genetically sampled. The type locality near Ringwood has also not been included in genetic sampling.

For a proposed clearing project, search nearby records and habitat remnants before finalising the footprint. A lack of recent records should not be treated as proof that the species is absent.

• Use an experienced reptile ecologist to design surveys where suitable habitat is present.
• Give extra attention to small, isolated forest remnants and habitat links between known populations.
• In South Australia, plan surveys and impact controls to the Endangered listing level and obtain current regulatory advice before works begin.

Habitat: Vegetation and landscape

The Highlands forest-skink is associated with cool, wet terrestrial habitats in temperate south-eastern Australia. Retaining the ground layer and the damp conditions beneath forest cover is central to protecting potential habitat.

Look for the species in temperate forests, wet heath and other cool habitats with dense ground cover. It can also occur in logged areas where suitable dense cover remains.

Suitable habitat may occur in mountain forests, high country landscapes, coastal forest and heath, wet gullies, and isolated forest remnants. The wider reptile community in these habitats may be sparse.

Key habitat feature: Dense cover that maintains cool, moist conditions close to the ground.

• Cool, wet forest with a continuous or well-developed ground layer.
• Wet heath and dense vegetation adjoining forest.
• Logged or disturbed forest where ground cover, shelter and damp microclimates remain.
• Habitat links between isolated forest patches.

Habitat: Site features to retain

On construction and clearing sites, inspect and map patches of dense ground vegetation, wet depressions, gullies and connected cover. Retain these areas where practicable, together with buffers that reduce drying and heating.

A cleared strip can remove both shelter and the cool, moist conditions that this species needs. The effect may extend beyond the actual area of vegetation removal.

• Avoid unnecessary removal of understorey, ground cover and fallen timber.
• Keep drainage patterns and wet microhabitats intact where possible.
• Stage works to minimise the time that suitable habitat is exposed to sun, wind and drying.
• Use exclusion fencing where retained habitat is close to plant access or clearing.

Foraging habitat: Where to look

Feeding behaviour and diet are poorly documented. Field teams should focus on protecting the cool, covered ground layer used by this small terrestrial skink rather than looking for obvious feeding signs.

Search suitable ground-level cover in cool, wet forest and heath. Potential search areas include dense vegetation, leaf litter, damp edges and sheltered spaces around fallen timber.

The species is rarely seen in the open. A quiet, careful search of cover is more suitable than relying on observations of basking lizards.

Foraging information: Specific diet and feeding distances are not well established.

• Inspect the edges of dense vegetation and damp ground cover.
• Check habitat around logs, litter and other retained shelter without unnecessarily disturbing it.
• Search during conditions that are not hot or very dry, when animals are less likely to be concealed because of heat stress.

Foraging habitat: Works controls

Keep retained foraging habitat connected to sheltering areas. Prevent avoidable compaction, excessive removal of litter and changes to surface drainage.

If an animal is found during works, stop activity in the immediate area and allow the fauna spotter catcher or ecologist to assess it under the project approval conditions.

• Do not use absence of feeding signs to clear a habitat patch.
• Keep stockpiles, vehicle movements and washdown activities away from retained damp ground cover.
• Record the location and habitat occupied by any animal found.

Breeding habitat: Potential breeding areas

Breeding biology and breeding-site requirements are poorly known for the Highlands forest-skink. Potential breeding habitat should therefore be managed as part of the wider occupied habitat, rather than isolated or cleared on the assumption that breeding occurs elsewhere.

No specific nest, burrow or breeding structure should be used as a reliable field indicator for this species. Suitable breeding areas are likely to be associated with the same cool, covered ground conditions used by the species more broadly.

Retain dense ground cover, damp microhabitats and links between habitat patches wherever the species may occur.

Breeding information: Detailed breeding timing and breeding-site characteristics are not well established.

• Treat areas with repeated sightings as potential breeding habitat.
• Avoid disturbing likely shelter and ground-cover features during periods when reptiles may be active.
• Do not remove logs, litter or dense vegetation from a retained habitat patch unless the action has been assessed and approved.

Breeding habitat: Survey and protection approach

Use a qualified ecologist to determine whether targeted searches, trapping or other methods are appropriate for the site. Any trapping, handling or relocation must be carried out by authorised personnel under the relevant approvals.

Where breeding habitat cannot be avoided, obtain project-specific advice on timing, buffers, habitat retention and any approved mitigation before clearing begins.

• Plan surveys before finalising the clearing boundary.
• Use repeat or targeted surveys where habitat is suitable but the species is difficult to detect.
• Treat the South Australian Endangered population with a high level of avoidance and monitoring control.

Sheltering habitat: Shelter features

The Highlands forest-skink depends on shelter that keeps it cool and moist. It is secretive and does not usually bask in the open, so apparently empty habitat may still be occupied.

Look for dense ground vegetation, wet heath, leaf litter and sheltered spaces around fallen timber. Logged areas may remain suitable where these features are retained.

Forest cover and connected understorey can protect the species from heat and drying. Exposed cleared ground is less likely to provide suitable shelter.

Shelter requirement: Cover that maintains a cool, damp microclimate close to the ground.

• Dense ground cover and understorey.
• Damp leaf litter and sheltered ground depressions.
• Fallen logs and other natural cover features.
• Cool, moist edges of wet heath, forest and gullies.

Sheltering habitat: Preclearance and handling

Before clearing, an experienced fauna spotter catcher should inspect the work area and all habitat features identified by the project ecologist. Because the species is difficult to detect, a preclearance inspection should not be treated as proof of absence.

If an animal is located, protect it from machinery, keep it shaded and damp without placing it in water, and follow the approved fauna handling and relocation procedure. Do not improvise a relocation site.

• Fence off retained habitat before machinery enters the work area.
• Clear habitat progressively where approval conditions require it, with a qualified spotter catcher present.
• Keep removed timber and ground cover in place unless an approved relocation or habitat management method has been specified.
• Report injuries, mortalities and new records through the project incident and fauna reporting process.

Threats: Clearing and fragmentation

The main works risks are loss of cool, wet ground habitat, fragmentation and increased exposure to heat and drying. The species is poorly known and may be missed by standard searches, so controls should be conservative where suitable habitat remains.

Direct clearing can remove forest, wet heath, ground cover and shelter. Breaking a habitat patch into small isolated remnants may also separate genetically distinct populations.

Avoid the habitat footprint first. If impacts cannot be avoided, retain connected habitat and use a project-specific mitigation plan prepared by a qualified ecologist.

• Minimise the clearing footprint.
• Retain habitat links and damp gullies.
• Keep machinery within approved access areas.
• Do not use isolated retained trees without retaining the ground habitat beneath them as a substitute for forest cover.

Threats: Heat, drying and altered drainage

The species is sensitive to hot and dry conditions. Removing canopy and understorey, exposing soil, changing drainage or increasing wind exposure can reduce habitat suitability beyond the cleared area.

Maintain natural drainage and protect retained habitat from dust, runoff, compaction and unnecessary edge exposure.

• Stage works to reduce the time that habitat is exposed.
• Use erosion and sediment controls that do not drain or smother retained wet habitat.
• Prevent avoidable removal of shade and ground cover at habitat edges.
• Monitor retained habitat for drying, weed invasion and damage during and after construction.

Threats: Fire, disturbance and poor detectability

Hot conditions, inappropriate fire regimes and repeated disturbance may reduce the cool, covered conditions needed by the species. A single negative survey result is weak evidence where the animal is secretive and habitat remains suitable.

Use local ecological advice when planning fire management, slashing, hazard reduction or access works in occupied or potential habitat.

• Avoid broad disturbance of ground cover without a site assessment.
• Use targeted surveys and repeat checks where habitat is fragmented or records are nearby.
• Train site crews to stop and report small skinks found during clearing.
• Keep accurate records of sightings, relocations, injuries and mortalities.

Threats: Regulatory response

The Highlands forest-skink is profiled as an EVNT species and is listed as Endangered in South Australia. The South Australian population should be managed to the Endangered listing level, with strong emphasis on avoiding habitat loss and confirming approval requirements before works.

Listings and approval requirements can differ between jurisdictions and projects. Obtain current advice from the relevant state or territory environment authority before clearing, handling, trapping or relocating animals.

South Australia: Listed as Endangered under the South Australian conservation framework.

Broader project status: Treated as an EVNT species for field planning and impact assessment.

• Commission a qualified ecologist to assess potential habitat and survey needs early in project planning.
• Do not rely on a generic reptile management plan where the species or its habitat may be present.
• Include stop-work, reporting and expert escalation procedures in the construction environmental management plan.

Survey methodology: 1. Desktop assessment

The Highlands forest skink is a small, secretive skink of cool, wet forests, heaths and dense ground cover. It is sensitive to hot, dry conditions and can be difficult to detect, so surveys should focus on suitable cover and be undertaken in cool, damp weather.

Map all areas of cool, wet forest, wet heath, dense regrowth, logged areas with ground cover, gullies and moist south-facing habitat within and near the work area.

Check state records, local environmental databases and recent survey reports. Give particular attention to apparently isolated populations in western Victoria, south-eastern South Australia, the Illawarra, Batemans Bay, the Brindabella Ranges, the Snowy Mountains, Gippsland, the Otway Ranges and the Grampians.

Treat records from unsampled or poorly surveyed areas as significant. The species contains deeply divergent regional lineages, and some populations may have high conservation value even where animals look similar.

• Map proposed clearing, access tracks, stockpiles, machinery areas, drainage works and temporary compounds.
• Identify habitat links between moist forest patches and any areas of dense cover.
• Use a qualified herpetologist where identification is uncertain, particularly outside well-known population areas.

Survey methodology: 2. Timing and weather

Survey during cool, damp conditions, preferably after rain when animals are more likely to be active or sheltering near the surface.

Avoid relying on surveys during hot, dry or windy weather. The Highlands forest skink has low tolerance of heat and drying conditions and does not usually bask in the open.

There is no established migration period for this species. Obtain local advice on breeding activity before setting the clearing program, because breeding timing is poorly known.

• Record rainfall, temperature, wind, cloud cover, ground moisture and the time of each survey.
• Repeat surveys when initial conditions are hot or dry and the habitat remains suitable.
• Stop or postpone searches if conditions are likely to harm animals or make detection unreliable.

Survey methodology: 3. Field search methods

Search slowly through moist ground cover, including beneath loose bark, logs, stones, fallen timber, dense vegetation and other natural shelter. Inspect habitat edges, gullies and disturbed areas where dense cover has developed.

Use active searches by experienced fauna staff. Carefully lift cover objects, inspect the underside and surrounding ground, and replace each item in its original position.

Use visual searches during suitable cool conditions. Do not assume that a low detection rate means the species is absent.

• Search all habitat that will be cleared, not only the footprint centre.
• Minimise trampling and avoid removing cover unless it is being checked as part of the approved survey method.
• Use traps or other methods only where they have been designed and approved for this small, moisture-sensitive skink, with frequent checks and weather safeguards.
• Do not use basking surveys as the primary method. The species is rarely seen in the open and does not normally bask.

Survey methodology: 4. Records and identification

Record every animal, carcass, shelter site and sign of occupancy. Record the exact location, habitat, cover type, condition of the animal and whether it was inside or outside the impact area.

Photograph animals in place where this can be done without delay or excessive handling. Seek expert confirmation for unusual records or animals from isolated populations.

Keep records at the population level where possible. The Highlands forest skink has several genetically distinct regional lineages that are not reliably separated by obvious external features.

• Record survey dates, start and finish times, personnel, methods, area searched and weather.
• Map habitat occupied by animals and any repeated shelter locations.
• Report records promptly to the project ecologist and the relevant state authority where required.
• Do not collect tissue, specimens or genetic samples without the required scientific approvals and permits.

Before habitat disturbance: 1. Approvals and permits

Avoidance is the preferred approach, particularly in South Australia where the Highlands forest skink is listed as Endangered. Plan the work so moist forest, wet heath, dense ground cover and connections between habitat patches remain intact wherever practicable.

Check the current conservation listing in every state or territory affected by the project. Confirm whether the work needs state fauna permits, threatened species approvals, a development approval or conditions under an existing approval.

Check the current national threatened species list and determine whether an EPBC referral is required. Do not assume that a state approval removes the need for national assessment.

If work is proposed in Queensland and the species is treated as near threatened or otherwise protected under the applicable listing, check whether tampering with a breeding place requires a species management program. Obtain the Queensland SMP before work where it applies.

Use only appropriately licensed fauna spotter catchers and ecologists. Confirm any authority required to capture, handle, relocate or release animals.

• Keep copies of approvals, permits, survey reports and approved management plans at the site office.
• Check conditions for reporting, relocation, release sites, exclusion zones and stop-work requirements.
• Seek written advice where the listing or population status is uncertain.

Before habitat disturbance: 2. Avoidance and work design

Redesign the footprint to retain occupied habitat, wet gullies, dense ground cover and links between forest patches. Avoid isolating small moist habitat remnants.

Keep machinery, spoil, access routes, lighting and drainage works out of retained habitat unless they are covered by the approval.

Protect retained habitat from drying, sediment, weed invasion, fire and accidental vehicle access.

• Peg clearing limits before works start.
• Fence exclusion areas with durable, visible markers.
• Do not place materials, vehicles or workers in exclusion areas.
• Use existing disturbed areas for compounds and access wherever possible.
• Maintain natural ground cover and shelter in retained areas.

Before habitat disturbance: 3. Pre-clearance survey

Complete a targeted pre-clearance search across the approved disturbance footprint and any areas that will be used for access, staging or rehabilitation works.

Search close to the start of clearing and repeat the search if there is a substantial delay, major weather change or change to the footprint.

Have an experienced herpetologist review any suspected Highlands forest skink record before clearing proceeds in that area.

• Search under suitable cover and through dense vegetation using the approved method.
• Mark animals, occupied shelter and habitat requiring staged clearing.
• Record negative results as well as detections, including the area and habitat searched.
• Do not clear on the basis of an incomplete survey or an unverified assumption that animals have moved away.

Before habitat disturbance: 4. Timing, exclusion and induction

There is no well-established breeding or migration calendar for the Highlands forest skink. Set timing restrictions using local records, survey results, weather and advice from the relevant authority rather than relying on a generic seasonal window.

Use temporary exclusion fencing only where it will not trap animals or block movement into retained habitat. Inspect fencing regularly and after rain, wind and construction activity.

Induct every worker, visitor and subcontractor before entering the work area.

• Show workers the species description, habitat features and exclusion areas.
• Explain the stop-work process and the requirement to call the fauna spotter catcher.
• Prohibit unauthorised handling, chasing, collecting or keeping of animals.
• Include procedures for injured animals, active breeding places and unexpected habitat discoveries.
• Keep contact details for the spotter catcher, ecologist, site supervisor and wildlife carer at the work front.

During habitat disturbance: 1. Sequential clearing

Clear in a controlled sequence, with an authorised fauna spotter catcher present where required by the approval or management plan. The spotter catcher must be able to stop work immediately when an animal, occupied shelter or breeding place is found.

Clear from the least disturbed edge towards retained habitat, using small work areas and allowing animals an opportunity to move into suitable cover where the approved method permits this.

Remove vegetation and ground cover in stages under direct fauna supervision. Check logs, rocks, bark, dense litter and other shelter before they are moved.

Keep machinery out of retained habitat and pause work when visibility, weather or site conditions prevent effective searching.

• Start with approved non habitat areas before entering occupied or potentially occupied habitat.
• Work at a pace that allows the spotter catcher to inspect the next section safely.
• Place inspected material only where it will not cover animals or create new hazards.
• Recheck disturbed ground, spoil piles and machinery travel paths before the next work stage.

During habitat disturbance: 2. Stop-work and animal handling

The fauna spotter catcher must have clear authority to stop machinery and direct workers away from an animal or shelter site.

Only authorised and suitably experienced people may capture, handle, examine or relocate a Highlands forest skink. Keep handling brief and protect the animal from heat, drying, crushing and excessive exposure.

Use the approved release procedure and a suitable nearby habitat area. Do not move an animal across roads, into unsuitable dry habitat or outside the approved release area.

• Stop work immediately when an animal is found in the disturbance area.
• Keep people, vehicles and machinery away from the animal.
• Allow the spotter catcher to assess whether the animal can move naturally or needs capture.
• Record the animal before release, including location, habitat, condition and action taken.
• Follow permit conditions for bags, containers, holding time, transport and release.

During habitat disturbance: 3. Breeding places and sensitive discoveries

If an active breeding place, occupied shelter, colony, roost or other sensitive site is found, stop work in the immediate area and protect the site from entry, vibration, drying and damage.

Although colonies and roosts are not typical terms for this species, the same stop-work approach applies if a site contains multiple animals or repeated use is detected.

Contact the project ecologist and relevant authority before changing the approved method or restarting work.

• Establish a temporary exclusion area using the approved distance or the distance set by the ecologist or authority.
• Do not remove cover, disturb eggs or young, or relocate animals unless specifically authorised.
• Assess whether the footprint can be redesigned to retain the site.
• Document the finding, photographs, location, habitat and all instructions received.
• Update the site induction and clearing plan if the finding changes the risk assessment.

During habitat disturbance: 4. Injured animals and incidents

Treat an injured Highlands forest skink as a wildlife incident. Keep it shaded, quiet and protected from heat while authorised personnel arrange assessment.

Do not give food or water, apply treatment or release an injured animal without veterinary, wildlife carer or permit-holder advice.

Report any death, injury, unauthorised handling, habitat damage or breach of an exclusion area under the project approval.

• Stop nearby work if machinery or site activity remains a threat.
• Record the location, apparent cause, condition, photographs and people involved.
• Contact the nominated wildlife carer, veterinarian, ecologist or authority through the project incident pathway.
• Preserve relevant evidence where a breach or machinery strike may have occurred.
• Complete the required incident and fauna handling records before the shift ends.

After habitat disturbance: 1. Post-clearance checks

Post-clearance checks confirm that animals have not been overlooked and that exclusion areas and retained habitat remain secure. Monitoring should be scaled to the approval, the South Australian Endangered listing and the sensitivity of the local population.

Inspect the cleared area after each work stage and again before construction moves into the next section. Check ground cover piles, machinery routes, trenches, drains, spoil and temporary fencing.

Search retained habitat beside the clearing edge for displaced or trapped animals. Pay particular attention to moist cover and places where animals may shelter from heat and drying conditions.

Close or cover trenches and other pits as soon as practicable. Check them at the frequency required by the approval and after weather events.

• Have the fauna spotter catcher or ecologist confirm that the area is clear before the next stage.
• Remove hazards that could trap or expose animals.
• Check that exclusion fencing has no gaps, overhangs or trapped animals.
• Record all post-clearance findings, including no detections.

After habitat disturbance: 2. Monitoring and reporting

Set monitoring points in retained habitat and rehabilitation areas where the project has a substantial impact or where animals were detected. Use the same search method and comparable weather conditions where possible.

Monitor for changes in ground cover, moisture, weed invasion, canopy loss, fire impact and vehicle access. These factors can reduce the suitability of cool, wet habitat.

Use longer term monitoring where work affects an isolated population, a known occupied site or a South Australian Endangered population.

• Define monitoring frequency, duration and success measures in the approved plan.
• Record survey effort, weather, habitat condition, animal detections, mortalities and management actions.
• Provide reports to the proponent, regulator and land manager within the required time.
• Update mapping when new occupied habitat or population connections are identified.
• Review the monitoring program if detection remains low or habitat dries significantly.

After habitat disturbance: 3. Relocated animals

Record every relocation, including the capture point, release point, habitat, time, condition and person responsible. Release animals into suitable nearby cover in accordance with the permit and approved plan.

Check release areas for heat, drying, flooding, predators, machinery access and adequate shelter before release.

Do not assume relocation demonstrates that the impact has been avoided. Relocation does not replace retention of habitat or protection of occupied sites.

• Use only approved release areas and methods.
• Avoid releasing animals into isolated dry ground, exposed clearings or habitat occupied by incompatible land uses.
• Inspect release areas after relocation where required by the approval.
• Report any mortality or repeated movement into the work area.
• Do not move animals between regional lineages or population areas unless specifically authorised.

After habitat disturbance: 4. Incident review and adaptive management

Review all detections, injuries, mortalities, stop-work events and near misses at the end of each clearing stage.

Use the review to alter work sequencing, exclusion areas, survey effort, weather restrictions, crew numbers or machinery methods.

Escalate repeated detections or mortalities to the project ecologist and relevant authority before further clearing.

• Hold a short fauna debrief with the supervisor, spotter catcher and machine operators.
• Compare actual impacts with the approved risk assessment.
• Record corrective actions, responsible people and completion dates.
• Update inductions and method statements before the next work stage.
• Retain all records with the project environmental file.

Rehabilitation actions: 1. Habitat restoration

Rehabilitation should recreate cool, moist ground conditions and reconnect retained habitat wherever possible. The aim is to restore shelter, cover and moisture, not simply to revegetate the cleared footprint.

Retain and reuse suitable logs, bark, rocks, leaf litter and other natural shelter where the approval allows. Place them in damp, shaded areas with dense ground cover.

Restore natural drainage patterns and prevent concentrated runoff, erosion and drying of retained habitat.

Use locally appropriate native plants from suitable provenance. Design planting to produce low cover, litter and shelter rather than an open, highly managed surface.

• Stage rehabilitation as soon as areas are no longer required for construction.
• Reconnect moist habitat patches and protect links from vehicle access.
• Avoid compacting soil in rehabilitation areas.
• Maintain shade and ground moisture during establishment without creating erosion or standing water hazards.
• Do not burn or remove natural cover from rehabilitation areas unless required for safety or approved ecological management.

Rehabilitation actions: 2. Replacement shelter and breeding structures

Use natural shelter first. Logs, bark, rocks, litter and dense vegetation are more appropriate starting points for this ground dwelling forest skink than structures designed for tree roosting animals.

Only install artificial breeding or shelter structures where a qualified ecologist has confirmed that they suit the local population and habitat. The species is poorly known, so structure design and placement should be treated as a trial requiring monitoring.

Nest boxes, bat boxes, artificial nest sites and roost structures are not default replacements for Highlands forest skink habitat. Do not install them unless they have a demonstrated, site-specific purpose.

• Obtain approval before placing artificial structures in retained or rehabilitated habitat.
• Use materials and designs that do not overheat, dry rapidly, trap animals or create predator access.
• Locate any approved structures in cool, moist, shaded habitat with surrounding natural cover.
• Map, inspect and maintain each structure.
• Remove unsuccessful or hazardous structures after ecological review.

Rehabilitation actions: 3. Weeds, water and site protection

Control weeds that replace native ground cover or increase drying, fire risk and soil disturbance. Use methods that do not damage shelter or expose animals to chemicals.

Protect natural moisture by managing drainage, sediment, erosion and excessive water extraction. Avoid sudden changes to wet gullies, heaths and forest floor conditions.

Exclude vehicles, stock and unauthorised access from rehabilitation and retained habitat.

• Use targeted weed control and follow label, permit and environmental requirements.
• Inspect for weed spread after rain and construction activity.
• Keep sediment, concrete washout, fuels and other pollutants away from wet habitat.
• Repair erosion promptly using methods approved by the ecologist.
• Maintain fencing and signage until vegetation and ground cover are established.

Rehabilitation actions: 4. Lighting and long-term monitoring

Keep artificial lighting away from retained moist forest, wet heath and habitat links. Use the lowest practical intensity and direct light only where needed for safety.

Monitor rehabilitation for ground cover, shelter, moisture, weed presence, erosion and Highlands forest skink use. Compare results with nearby retained habitat where suitable.

Continue monitoring for as long as required by the approval, with additional checks for isolated populations and Endangered populations in South Australia.

• Use shielded, downward-facing lights with controls that prevent unnecessary illumination of habitat.
• Avoid lighting rehabilitation areas at night unless required for safety.
• Search rehabilitated areas during suitable cool, damp conditions using the approved survey method.
• Record detections, non-detections, habitat condition and maintenance actions.
• Adapt planting, shelter placement, weed control, drainage or lighting if monitoring shows that habitat is drying or remaining unsuitable.

Sources

• deep phylogeographic structure in a naturally fragmented cool ..., research-repository.griffith.edu.au: https://research-repository.griffith.edu.au/server/api/core/bitstreams/12a06d72-54f1-4cb7-bb50-4e61b4e65685/content
• Occurrence records for the distribution map, Atlas of Living Australia: https://biocache.ala.org.au/