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Hill's Sheath-tailed Bat (Taphozous hilli)

Hill’s Sheath-tailed Bat is a small insect-eating microbat found in parts of northern and central Australia. It roosts in caves and old mines, and may share roosts with other sheath-tailed bats, so cave, mine and hollow-bearing tree works can affect more than the animals seen during a site inspection. The species is least concern in Australia, but it is a colonial breeder, and Queensland law requires a high risk species management program before tampering with the breeding place of a least concern colonial breeder.

Conservation status

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

Breeding season

Hill's sheath-tailed bats give birth during summer through to autumn, with females producing one baby. Exact timing can vary between regions and years, so confirm local roost use before clearing or construction.

Breeding mode: Colonial breeder. Breeding may occur in shared colonies or maternity roosts.

Litter size: One baby per female.

Birth timing: Summer through to autumn. Exact months are not recorded.

Gestation: Not recorded.

Fledging and weaning: Not recorded. Treat pups in maternity roosts as dependent until confirmed otherwise.

Breeding roosts: The species roosts in caves and old mines, and may share roosts with Common sheath-tailed bats. Other microbat breeding places can include hollows, fissures, loose bark, culverts, bridges and buildings.

Colony size and breeding frequency: Colony sizes, site fidelity and the number of breeding events each year are not recorded. Most microbats produce one pup a year.

Timing may shift between years and regions, so use acoustic detectors, emergence watches, careful roost inspection and targeted trapping only where safe to confirm local occupancy and breeding status.

  • Births and maternity activity: Births are recorded from summer through to autumn, so caves, mines and other shared roosts should be treated as possible maternity places from December to May.
  • Dependent pups in maternity roosts: Young may be present after summer to autumn births, and disturbance can harm dependent pups or cause adults to abandon a roost.
  • Colonial roost and breeding-place use: Colony sizes and site fidelity are not recorded, so any shared roost should be managed as though it could hold a substantial part of the local population.
  • General bat activity and foraging: Hill's sheath-tailed bats are insect-eating microbats and may remain active throughout the year, although local activity will depend on weather, food and roost conditions.
  • Highest clearing risk: December to May is the highest clearing risk because maternity roosts may contain newborn or dependent young, while disturbance to a colony can affect many bats at once.

Identification: Appearance and size

Hill’s Sheath-tailed Bat is a small sheath-tailed bat. Reliable identification can be difficult in the field, particularly when bats are recorded only by their calls.

The species was recognised as separate from the Common Sheath-tailed Bat in 1980. The two species can look similar, so a captured bat should be handled and identified by a suitably experienced person.

Average body mass is 27.3 g. No dependable field description or species-specific measurements are available for routine site work.

Scientific name: Taphozous hilli

Average body mass: 27.3 g

Identification: Calls and similar species

The main similar species is the Common Sheath-tailed Bat, Taphozous georgianus. Their echolocation calls cannot be distinguished reliably, so an acoustic record may need to be reported as Taphozous georgianus or hilli.

A narrow upper jaw distinguishes Hill’s Sheath-tailed Bat from the Common Sheath-tailed Bat in confirmed specimens. One recorded comparison measured 3.2 mm across the canines for Hill’s Sheath-tailed Bat and 4.2 mm for the Common Sheath-tailed Bat. These measurements are not a substitute for specialist identification.

  • Treat echolocation records as uncertain where the two sheath-tailed species occur together.
  • Use an experienced bat ecologist for confirmation when the result affects clearing or construction decisions.

Identification: Field signs

Look for bats leaving caves, old mines, culverts, bridges and buildings at dusk. Droppings, urine staining, accumulated guano, odour and worn or polished roost surfaces may indicate regular use.

There is no nest. A maternity roost may be identified by repeated bat activity, pregnant or lactating females, pups, or the presence of dependent young. A quiet entrance during a single inspection does not show that a site is unused.

  • Record roost entrances, cracks, hollows, ledges and any visible guano or staining.
  • Avoid entering confined roosts or handling bats unless the work is planned, authorised and supervised by a suitably qualified person.

Distribution: Australian range

In Australia, Hill’s Sheath-tailed Bat is mapped in the Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia. Records are scattered, and the species may be overlooked where it cannot be separated from the Common Sheath-tailed Bat acoustically.

The species occurs across parts of northern and central Australia. Records include the Pilbara and Ripon Hills in Western Australia, the Meentheena area, and the Bonney Downs region. It is also mapped in the Northern Territory, Queensland and South Australia.

Mapped states and territories: Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia

Recorded areas: Pilbara, Ripon Hills, Meentheena and the Bonney Downs region

  • Check current state and territory databases before clearing or construction.
  • Give particular attention to caves, old mines and other enclosed roost structures in areas with records or suitable habitat.

Distribution: Records and detectability

A lack of a confirmed acoustic record does not rule out the species. In one regional survey, the species was considered potentially present but was not detected, and its calls could not be separated reliably from those of the Common Sheath-tailed Bat.

Use local records as a trigger for further assessment rather than as a complete measure of site use.

  • Review cave, mine, bridge and culvert records as well as general fauna records.
  • Where the species matters to the approval pathway, combine acoustic monitoring with roost inspection and dusk emergence observations.

Distribution: Overseas range

The available Australian profile does not establish an overseas range. Treat this as an Australian species for project planning and use Australian jurisdictional advice.

Habitat: Landforms and structures to inspect

The species is poorly known across much of its range. For works planning, focus on enclosed structures and natural landforms that can provide secure daytime roosts, especially where they are connected to insect-rich open areas.

Inspect caves, rock overhangs and old mines. In developed areas, also inspect culverts, bridges and buildings where access to a dark, sheltered cavity is available.

Cave and mine entrances can support resident colonies even when bats are not visible during the day.

  • Map all caves, mine adits, shafts, overhangs and large cracks within the work area.
  • Inspect bridges, culverts and buildings scheduled for demolition, sealing or modification.
  • Keep machinery, spoil and lighting away from entrances until roost use has been assessed.

Habitat: Vegetation and landscape features

Species-specific vegetation associations are not well established. Retain hollow-bearing trees, loose bark, fissures and mature vegetation where they occur near known or potential roosts.

Open landscape foraging records suggest that cleared or naturally open areas may be used for feeding, but open ground should not be assumed to be low value.

  • Record mature trees, hollow limbs, peeling bark and rock features near the development footprint.
  • Maintain access between roost structures and surrounding foraging areas where practicable.

Habitat: Site assessment

Start with a desktop check of records, caves, mines, structures and previous disturbance. Follow with a daylight inspection and, where needed, acoustic monitoring or emergence watches.

Do not rely on a single method. The species can be missed acoustically and may share roosts with other sheath-tailed bats.

  • Use Anabat or a similar detector for activity surveys.
  • Use dusk emergence watches to identify bats leaving a potential roost.
  • Engage a bat ecologist where a roost may be affected.

Foraging habitat: Foraging areas

Hill’s Sheath-tailed Bat feeds on insects and is classified as an open-space forager in regional planning information. Its detailed foraging habitat and diet are poorly known, so retain a range of connected open and vegetated areas around roosts.

Likely work-site feeding areas include open airspace around roost entrances, tracks, clearings, water points and edges between open ground and vegetation. These are general microbat planning considerations, not confirmed species-specific habitat descriptions.

Avoid assuming that a cleared area has no value. Insect abundance, shelter and access to a roost can make apparently modified areas useful.

  • Map open flight paths between roosts and surrounding habitat.
  • Retain vegetation edges and mature trees near roosts where possible.
  • Limit unnecessary removal of insect-producing vegetation and surface water features.

Foraging habitat: Lighting and disturbance

Artificial light can alter bat movement and insect distribution near roost entrances and flight paths. Keep lighting away from cave, mine, bridge and culvert entrances where practicable.

Use directed, shielded lighting and switch off temporary lights when they are not required.

  • Do not shine lights into a roost entrance during emergence observations.
  • Avoid placing bright work lights across likely flight paths.
  • Use the lowest practical light level and a warm colour where project standards allow.

Foraging habitat: Survey approach

Acoustic detectors can identify activity, but records may be reported as Taphozous georgianus or hilli. A harp trap or mist net may assist identification when approved and undertaken by experienced bat personnel.

Survey results should be interpreted with roost inspections and emergence observations, particularly near caves and mines.

  • Record detector location, date, weather and start and finish times.
  • Do not trap at a sensitive roost entrance without a disturbance assessment and appropriate approvals.

Breeding habitat: Breeding timing and young

Hill’s Sheath-tailed Bat is a colonial breeder. Microbats generally raise young in shared maternity roosts during the warmer months, and a roost where young are raised is a breeding place even if the species is not formally listed as threatened.

Females have one baby. For Hill’s Sheath-tailed Bat, births are recorded from summer through to autumn. Queensland microbat guidance describes the broader breeding period for most microbats as spring to late summer, with regional variation possible.

The species’ gestation, weaning period and exact breeding months by region are not established. Plan conservatively where females or pups are present.

Young per female: One baby

Recorded birth period: Summer to autumn

General microbat breeding period: Usually spring to late summer

  • Treat pregnant or lactating females and dependent pups as evidence of an active maternity roost.
  • Avoid sealing, demolishing or heavily disturbing a potential maternity roost while young may be dependent.

Breeding habitat: Recognising a breeding place

A maternity roost may be confirmed by pregnant or lactating females, pups, or repeated observations of adults carrying out breeding activity. Emergence watches, roost-tree inspection and targeted trapping can help, but methods must be selected to avoid harm and disturbance.

For a tree roost, inspect hollows, fissures and loose bark with an endoscope or pole camera where safe. Do not place people or equipment inside a hollow occupied by bats.

  • Use dusk emergence observations over suitable evenings rather than relying on a daytime glimpse.
  • Use acoustic monitoring to locate activity, but do not treat an absence of calls as proof that a breeding place is empty.
  • Obtain specialist advice before disturbing a suspected maternity roost.

Breeding habitat: Works controls

Where hollow-bearing trees must be removed, use a two-stage or soft-felling approach under an approved fauna management plan. This allows animals to leave before the final removal and reduces the chance of crushing hidden bats.

Exclusion devices may be used outside the maternity season where a roost must be closed, but they need to be designed, installed and checked by experienced bat personnel.

  • Retain the tree or structure wherever practicable.
  • Schedule exclusion and demolition outside the local maternity period after site-specific advice.
  • Provide a clear stop-work process if bats, pups or a roost are found.

Sheltering habitat: Natural roosts

Known sheltering habitat includes caves and old mines, with daytime cave roosting recorded in the Ripon Hills. The species may also use other enclosed structures, so all potential cavities should be checked before works.

Inspect caves, mine workings, rock fissures, overhangs and sheltered cracks. Roosts may be deep inside a structure or hidden from view at the entrance.

Hill’s Sheath-tailed Bats often share roosts with Common Sheath-tailed Bats. A mixed roost should be managed for all bats present.

  • Keep cave and mine entrances free from machinery, spoil, blasting effects and unnecessary people.
  • Do not enter a roost to inspect it without a site-specific risk assessment and suitable personnel.
  • Record temperature, airflow, cracks, ledges and evidence of bat use where these observations can be made without disturbance.

Sheltering habitat: Modified roosts

Microbats can use culverts, bridges, buildings and other structures with dark, protected cavities. These sites can become breeding places when young are raised there.

Before sealing, cleaning, relining, demolishing or lighting a structure, inspect joints, expansion gaps, roof spaces and voids.

  • Check structures during daylight and at dusk where safe.
  • Use an endoscope or pole camera for inaccessible cavities.
  • Install exclusion devices only with an agreed design, timing and monitoring plan.

Sheltering habitat: Alternative roosts

Bat boxes can provide supplementary roosting opportunities, but they do not replace an active natural or built roost. Their success depends on suitable placement, temperature, access and ongoing maintenance.

Do not use a bat box as a reason to remove a confirmed maternity roost.

  • Use bat boxes only as part of a broader mitigation plan.
  • Place boxes away from construction disturbance and direct artificial light.
  • Monitor occupancy after installation.

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

Colonies are groups of bats that roost together, particularly during breeding. Colony size for Hill’s Sheath-tailed Bat has not been established, so assume that one cave, mine or shared maternity roost may represent a substantial part of the local population.

A colony may occupy a cave chamber, mine void, rock fissure, hollow tree, bridge cavity, culvert or building roof space. Bats may cluster out of sight and use the site only at particular times of day or season.

A maternity roost is the part of a colony site where females raise young. Any microbat roost where young are raised is a breeding place.

Typical colony size: Not established for Hill’s Sheath-tailed Bat

Site fidelity: Species-specific information is not established. Treat regularly used roosts as potentially persistent sites.

  • Look for repeated emergence, guano, urine staining, odour, noise and polished roost surfaces.
  • Check for pregnant or lactating females and pups only with methods approved for the site.
  • Record all entrances and alternate access points.

Colonies and breeding places: Why colonies need special care

Colonial breeders concentrate many animals in one place. Disturbing one roost can affect adults, dependent young and a large share of the local population at the same time.

Noise, vibration, lighting, smoke, dust, cave entry, sealing and demolition can cause abandonment, injury or entrapment.

  • Set a no-disturbance area around the roost while its use is assessed.
  • Control access and brief all workers before works begin.
  • Stop work if bats are found in a cavity, structure or tree scheduled for disturbance.

Colonies and breeding places: Queensland requirements

In Queensland, tampering with the breeding place of a least concern colonial breeder requires a high risk species management program under the Nature Conservation (Animals) Regulation 2020. This is different from the low risk program used for other least concern animals.

Queensland guidance defines colonial breeders as animals of the same kind that co-exist in close association for breeding. Confirm the approval pathway with the relevant Queensland authority before works affect a suspected breeding place.

  • Identify potential breeding places during project design, not after clearing starts.
  • Keep records of inspections, roost observations, exclusions and stop-work events.
  • Use a fauna spotter catcher and bat ecologist with the required experience and approvals.

Colonies and breeding places: Surveying and managing colonies

Use Anabat or similar acoustic monitoring, harp traps or mist nets where appropriate, and dusk emergence watches. For hollow-bearing trees, use an endoscope or pole camera and plan two-stage or soft felling if removal is unavoidable.

Exclusion devices should be installed outside the maternity season and monitored to confirm that bats can leave and cannot return before the structure is altered.

  • Choose survey methods according to the roost type and the risk of disturbance.
  • Avoid trapping or netting at a sensitive cave or mine entrance where this could disturb a resident colony.
  • Consider bat boxes only as a supplementary measure.

Threats: Roost destruction and alteration

The main development risks are loss or disturbance of roosts and loss of connected feeding habitat. A species can be least concern nationally and still be vulnerable to the loss of a local colony.

Mining, cave modification, demolition, bridge works, culvert replacement and building removal can destroy or seal roosts. Hollow-bearing tree removal can also remove potential shelter and maternity sites.

Inspect all cavities before blasting, excavation, tree removal, sealing or structural modification.

  • Retain caves, mines, mature trees and suitable structures where practicable.
  • Do not seal a cavity until exclusion has been completed and bat use has been assessed.
  • Use soft felling and fauna supervision for hollow-bearing trees.

Threats: Disturbance to colonies

People entering caves and mines, vibration, blasting, machinery, smoke, dust and artificial light can disturb resident bats. Disturbance during breeding can affect females and dependent young.

The response may not be obvious immediately. Repeated disturbance can make a roost unsuitable.

  • Restrict access to known or potential roosts.
  • Keep lighting and noisy works away from entrances.
  • Set timing controls around confirmed maternity activity.

Threats: Vegetation clearing and land degradation

Clearing can reduce insect-producing habitat and remove trees with hollows, fissures or loose bark. Agriculture and other land degradation can reduce the quality of feeding areas around roosts.

Retain connected vegetation, open flight space and natural features around caves and mine entrances.

  • Stage clearing so roost access and foraging areas are not removed at once.
  • Avoid unnecessary removal of mature trees near known roosts.
  • Manage erosion, dust and sediment around roost entrances and water features.

Threats: Wind energy and other infrastructure

Regional assessments identify potential collision, displacement and habitat-loss risks for Hill’s Sheath-tailed Bat. Acoustic non-detection does not demonstrate that the species is absent, especially where calls cannot be separated from the Common Sheath-tailed Bat.

Use project-specific bat risk assessment, monitoring and mitigation where turbines or tall infrastructure are proposed near suitable roosting and foraging habitat.

Australian conservation status: Least concern

Regional Western Australian ranking recorded in planning information: Priority 1

  • Review regional records and existing acoustic data before finalising layouts.
  • Consider roost protection, lighting, construction timing and operational monitoring together.
  • Escalate uncertain records to a suitably qualified bat ecologist before disturbance begins.

Survey methodology: 1. Desktop assessment

Hill's sheath-tailed bat is poorly known, and its calls cannot be separated reliably from those of the Common sheath-tailed bat. Use more than one survey method where roosts, breeding places or clearing impacts are possible.

Map caves, old mines, rock overhangs, culverts, bridges, buildings, hollow-bearing trees and other enclosed structures within and near the work area.

Review records for Hill's sheath-tailed bat and the Common sheath-tailed bat. Treat records identified only as Taphozous georgianus or hilli as relevant until confirmed by a suitably qualified person.

Identify potential maternity roosts, access routes, nearby foraging habitat and any proposed tree or structure removal.

  • Check recent aerial imagery, topographic mapping, mine and cave records, and local fauna databases.
  • Ask landholders, Traditional Owners, mine operators and local wildlife groups about bat activity and known roosts.
  • Plan surveys before finalising clearing limits, access tracks, blasting, vibration or night lighting.

Survey methodology: 2. Acoustic and trapping surveys

Use Anabat or similar full-spectrum detectors at likely roost entrances, along flyways and in suitable foraging habitat. Record the date, location, detector settings, weather, start and finish times, and habitat conditions.

Repeat acoustic sampling under suitable conditions, including warm, dry and low-wind periods when bats are active. Survey across the likely breeding period, from spring to late summer, where a maternity roost could be affected.

Acoustic results alone may not confirm Hill's sheath-tailed bat. Use a qualified bat ecologist to review calls and identify the limits of reliable identification.

Use harp traps or mist nets only where they are lawful, safe and authorised. Avoid trapping at cave or mine entrances where it could disturb a resident colony or cause by-catch.

  • Record all bat call files and retain the original files with the site data.
  • Record other bat species, including Common sheath-tailed bats, because shared roosts are possible.
  • Do not treat a failure to record calls as proof that a roost is unoccupied.

Survey methodology: 3. Roost and maternity checks

Conduct emergence watches at caves, mines, culverts, bridges, buildings and other likely roosts. Begin before sunset and continue until activity has clearly finished or the survey plan is complete.

Inspect accessible tree hollows, fissures, loose bark and structures with an endoscope or pole camera where this can be done without entering or disturbing a roost.

Look for pregnant or lactating females, pups, bat remains, droppings, staining, scratching, noise and repeated bat movement. A pup or a female carrying or feeding a pup confirms use as a maternity roost.

Treat any place where young are raised as a breeding place. Record photographs, entrances, signs of use, approximate dimensions, access points and the surrounding habitat without touching bats.

  • Use trained personnel for cave and mine inspections, and complete confined-space, fall, gas and other safety assessments before entry.
  • Keep people, vehicles, lights and machinery away from roost entrances during observations.
  • Stop and seek ecological advice if a survey may disturb a colony or active breeding place.

Survey methodology: 4. Colony interpretation and records

A colony may occupy a cave, mine, hollow, fissure, culvert, bridge cavity, building or similar sheltered place. Hill's sheath-tailed bats are known to roost in caves and old mines, and may share roosts with other sheath-tailed bats.

There is no reliable typical colony size for this species. Do not assume that a small emergence represents a small or unimportant colony. A single breeding place can support a large share of the local population.

Record the number of bats seen, emergence direction, time of first and last emergence, weather, roost condition, disturbance, nearby habitat and any evidence of repeated use. Note whether the site appears to be used by adults, pups or both.

  • Map the roost and all proposed impact areas using the project coordinate system.
  • Keep a chain of custody for photographs, call files, trap records and field notes.
  • Record survey limitations, including poor weather, inaccessible entrances, equipment failure and call confusion with Common sheath-tailed bats.

Before habitat disturbance: 1. Avoidance, approvals and permits

Plan to avoid roosts and breeding places before clearing or construction starts. Hill's sheath-tailed bat is a colonial breeder, so disturbance at one place can affect many animals at once.

Redesign the work footprint to retain known or potential roosts, maternity roosts, hollow-bearing trees and access routes wherever practicable.

Check the current legal requirements for the state or territory before works begin. Confirm whether an EPBC Act referral is required, even though Hill's sheath-tailed bat is not listed as threatened under the information available for this profile.

In Queensland, obtain advice from the Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation before tampering with a breeding place of a least concern colonial breeder. Use the required high risk species management program, rather than the low risk program used for other least concern animals, where the regulation applies.

Obtain any state wildlife permits, scientific permits, animal handling authorities, cave or mine access approvals and project-specific conditions before survey, trapping, exclusion or relocation work.

  • Nominate a suitably qualified ecologist as the fauna management contact.
  • Keep approvals, permits, method statements and contact details at the work front.
  • Do not rely on a general fauna spotter catcher approval where a separate bat, cave, mine or breeding-place authorisation is required.

Before habitat disturbance: 2. Pre-clearance survey and timing

Complete a pre-clearance inspection shortly before disturbance. Recheck all potential roosts, hollow-bearing trees, structures and caves that could be affected by clearing, vibration, dust, noise or lighting.

Schedule high-risk works outside the local maternity period where practicable. Microbats generally raise young in the warmer months, usually from spring to late summer, and Hill's sheath-tailed bat has been recorded giving birth from summer to autumn.

Do not assume that a site is safe because no migration period is known. Retain roosts and avoid disturbance whenever bats are present or breeding status is uncertain.

  • Survey again after storms, fire, flooding, demolition changes or other events that may alter roost use.
  • Use emergence observations and roost inspection to confirm occupancy before installing exclusion devices.
  • Do not fell a hollow-bearing tree until its hollows have been checked and the approved clearing method is in place.

Before habitat disturbance: 3. Buffers, exclusion and tree treatment

Set buffers around occupied or potential roosts in consultation with the project ecologist. Make the buffer large enough to prevent people, machinery, vibration, dust, lighting and falling material from affecting the roost.

Do not install exclusion devices during the maternity season or while pups may be unable to fly. Use one-way devices only after occupancy, breeding status and timing have been assessed by a qualified bat ecologist.

For hollow-bearing trees, use a two-stage or soft-felling method where approved. Retain the tree section containing the hollow where safe, and place it upright or in another suitable secure position if the management plan requires it.

  • Fence and sign buffers before machinery arrives.
  • Direct night lighting away from roost entrances, retained vegetation and flyways.
  • Stop work if bats are seen entering or leaving a structure scheduled for removal.

Before habitat disturbance: 4. Induction and work controls

Brief all workers, subcontractors and machine operators before they enter the work area. Show photographs or maps of retained roosts, buffers, no-go areas and the stop-work process.

Explain that caves, mines, hollows, fissures, loose bark, culverts, bridges and buildings may be breeding places. Explain that a place used by young bats is protected as a breeding place under applicable Queensland requirements.

Nominate who can authorise handling, exclusion, salvage, tree felling and recommencement of work.

  • Carry the fauna management plan, site map and emergency contacts in each work crew vehicle.
  • Prohibit unauthorised entry into caves, mines and roost structures.
  • Use a daily pre-start check to confirm buffers, exclusion devices, lighting controls and fauna personnel are in place.

During habitat disturbance: 1. Sequential clearing

Clear in a controlled sequence and give the fauna spotter catcher authority to stop work. Treat every occupied roost, maternity roost and colony as a high-consequence fauna event until assessed.

Clear from the least disturbed edge towards retained habitat, allowing animals to move away from machinery and towards safe cover.

Remove dense vegetation and non-hollow material first, then deal with hollow-bearing trees, roost structures and high-risk features under direct ecological supervision.

Use soft felling or staged felling for hollow-bearing trees where approved. Leave felled hollow sections undisturbed until they have been checked for bats.

  • Inspect each tree, hollow, fissure, culvert, bridge cavity, building and rock feature immediately before disturbance.
  • Keep machinery outside buffers until the fauna spotter catcher confirms that the next step can proceed.
  • Stop work for poor visibility, unsafe conditions, unexpected roost access or loss of fauna supervision.

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

The fauna spotter catcher must stop work if a bat, pup, active breeding place, colony or roost is found, or if bats are entering a feature scheduled for disturbance.

Keep people, machinery, dogs and lights away. Do not block an entrance, smoke a roost, spray chemicals into a cavity or attempt to drive bats out.

Only authorised and trained personnel may handle bats. Use appropriate protective equipment and follow approved disease, bite and scratch precautions.

If a bat is found, place it in a secure, ventilated container only when directed by the fauna ecologist or wildlife carer. Keep it dark, quiet and at a stable temperature, and do not give food or water unless instructed.

  • Record the exact location and condition of the animal or roost.
  • Contact the project ecologist and the relevant wildlife authority or licensed wildlife carer.
  • Do not release a bat without advice on its condition, species, roost location and release site.

During habitat disturbance: 3. Active breeding place or colony

Suspend the affected work area and establish a temporary exclusion zone. Do not disturb pups or separate females from young.

Have a qualified bat ecologist assess occupancy, breeding status, access points, colony size and the likely impact of the proposed work.

Revise the work method to retain the breeding place where practicable. If disturbance cannot be avoided, obtain the required approvals and use a species management program or other approved procedure before proceeding.

Do not relocate a colony or close a roost unless the action has been specifically designed, authorised and supervised by the relevant wildlife and ecological specialists.

  • Maintain quiet conditions at the roost while the assessment is underway.
  • Use emergence watches and repeat inspections to guide decisions about occupancy and exclusion.
  • Document the decision, approval basis, timing, method, people involved and conditions for recommencement.

During habitat disturbance: 4. Records and incident pathway

Complete a fauna record for every bat found, handled, injured, released, relocated or killed. Record species or identification uncertainty, sex where known, age class, condition, location, time, habitat and action taken.

Photograph the roost or animal only when this can be done without increasing disturbance. Retain photographs, call files, field notes, permits and approvals with the project record.

Notify the site supervisor, project ecologist and approval holder of any breach, injury, death, unauthorised handling, roost disturbance or work inside a buffer.

  • Use the project's incident reporting system before the end of the shift.
  • Escalate suspected non-compliance to the relevant regulator where required by approval conditions.
  • Do not restart work until the fauna spotter catcher and project ecologist confirm that controls are restored.

After habitat disturbance: 1. Immediate checks

Post-clearance checks confirm that animals have not been trapped, injured or left in unsafe structures. They also provide evidence that the approved clearing method protected roosts and breeding places.

Inspect the cleared area, felled hollow sections, demolition debris, trenches, pipes, culverts and temporary structures before the crew leaves and again at the next suitable work period.

Search for live or injured bats, pups, carcasses, trapped animals, damaged roosts and blocked entrances. Use a torch, endoscope or pole camera where safe and authorised.

Check retained buffers and roost structures for vibration damage, dust, lighting spill, unauthorised entry and changes to access.

  • Keep excavations, pipes and open structures covered or fitted with fauna escape measures when not in use.
  • Remove waste mesh, netting, adhesive traps and other materials that could entangle bats.
  • Record negative results as well as animals found.

After habitat disturbance: 2. Reporting and monitoring

Prepare a post-clearance report covering survey methods, weather, effort, findings, clearing stages, incidents, approvals, photos and any corrective actions.

Continue acoustic monitoring or emergence checks where a roost was retained, exclusion was installed, a colony was nearby or the project approval requires follow-up.

Compare monitoring results with the pre-work baseline. Investigate reduced activity, new roost use, repeated injury or evidence that bats are attempting to return to a disturbed structure.

  • Report required matters to the approval holder and regulator within the timeframe set by the approval.
  • Store data in the project geographic information system and fauna register.
  • Have the project ecologist review monitoring results before removing buffers or temporary controls.

After habitat disturbance: 3. Relocated and rehabilitated animals

Confirm where each live animal was released or transferred, who authorised the action and the condition of the animal at release.

Release rehabilitated bats only on advice from a licensed wildlife carer or wildlife veterinarian, and only where the release site is safe, suitable and consistent with the approved method.

Monitor animals that were moved from a roost or found during demolition in accordance with the rehabilitation and approval conditions.

  • Do not release a bat into direct sun, heavy rain, extreme heat or a place exposed to predators.
  • Do not release a pup unless a qualified carer confirms that it is independent or has been reunited safely with its mother.
  • Record failed release, death or re-admission and review the handling method.

After habitat disturbance: 4. Incident review

Review each unplanned roost disturbance, injury, mortality, failed exclusion, equipment failure and work stoppage with the site supervisor, fauna spotter catcher and project ecologist.

Identify whether the cause was inadequate survey, poor induction, an incorrect buffer, unexpected roost use, unsuitable timing or a failure of supervision.

Update the clearing method, induction, maps and risk assessment before the next work stage.

  • Share lessons with all crews and subcontractors.
  • Retain the review with the environmental management records.
  • Escalate recurring issues to the project manager and approval holder.

Rehabilitation actions: 1. Restore habitat and shelter

Restore roosting, breeding and foraging opportunities around the work area. Replacement structures can supplement retained habitat, but they should not be used as a reason to remove an occupied maternity roost or established cave or mine roost.

Retain native vegetation, hollow-bearing trees, rock features, caves, mine entrances, culverts and other suitable roost structures wherever safe and practicable.

Reinstate ground and canopy connections between roosts and nearby foraging areas. Use local native species suited to the site and protect plantings from grazing, fire and machinery.

Keep natural cavities, loose bark and fissures that are safe to retain. Do not seal caves, mines, culverts or building cavities without ecological assessment.

  • Stabilise disturbed soil and drainage lines promptly.
  • Remove rubble, waste and construction materials from retained habitat.
  • Use fauna-sensitive fencing that does not block bat flight paths or entangle animals.

Rehabilitation actions: 2. Replacement roost structures

Use bat boxes, roost boxes, artificial hollows or other artificial roost structures only where a qualified bat ecologist considers them suitable for the local species and site.

Position structures away from intense lighting, persistent noise and high heat. Protect them from vandalism, fire, flooding and access by predators.

Treat artificial structures as supplementary habitat. They do not replace an occupied maternity roost, cave or mine without an approved, evidence-based management plan.

  • Select designs that provide stable internal conditions and safe entry and exit.
  • Install structures before habitat removal where the approved plan requires replacement habitat to be available in advance.
  • Inspect and maintain structures, and record bat use, other fauna use, damage and repairs.

Rehabilitation actions: 3. Water, weeds and lighting

Control weeds around restored habitat without spraying roost entrances, hollow-bearing trees, caves, mines or water used by bats.

Maintain natural drainage and provide clean water where suitable local habitat is being restored. Prevent sediment, hydrocarbons and other pollutants from entering water sources.

Use the lowest practical light levels. Shield lights away from roost entrances, retained vegetation, water and likely flight paths, and avoid unnecessary night lighting.

  • Use local weed hygiene procedures for vehicles and machinery.
  • Keep chemicals, fuel and waste away from roosts and drainage lines.
  • Check lighting after dark from the perspective of the roost entrance and adjacent habitat.

Rehabilitation actions: 4. Long-term monitoring

Monitor retained and replacement roost structures for occupancy, breeding signs, damage and changes in surrounding habitat. Use emergence watches, acoustic detectors and safe visual inspections as appropriate.

Monitor during the warmer months when maternity use is most likely, while avoiding unnecessary disturbance to pups and breeding females.

Continue monitoring for the period required by approvals or the project management plan, and extend it if a colony, maternity roost or repeated bat use is detected.

  • Record bat activity, species identification confidence, weather, lighting, habitat condition and structure condition.
  • Use caution when interpreting acoustic records because Hill's sheath-tailed bat and Common sheath-tailed bat calls may be indistinguishable.
  • Adapt weed control, lighting, access, revegetation and roost management in response to monitoring results.

Sources