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Lesser Long-eared Bat (Nyctophilus geoffroyi)

The Lesser Long-eared Bat is a small, insect-eating microbat found across much of Australia, including forests, woodlands, farmland, mallee and urban areas. Works sites can affect its tree hollows, bark roosts, buildings and maternity colonies. It is listed as least concern nationally and is not listed as endangered, vulnerable or near threatened in Australia, but in Queensland it is treated as a colonial breeder when breeding places are affected.

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

The Lesser Long-eared Bat breeds in Australia during the warmer months. Females usually give birth in late October and November, although breeding activity can extend from spring to the end of summer and may vary between regions and years. Maternity roosts can be in tree hollows, bark, crevices, buildings and other enclosed structures.

Breeding mode: Live-bearing mammal. Females form maternity colonies during the breeding season, while males commonly roost alone or in small groups.

Litter size: Usually two pups. Maternity colonies may contain up to 15 females with a single male. A separate study recorded female maternity roosts averaging 18.3 individuals, plus or minus 5.7.

Birth timing: Births are usually in late October and November, with the broader microbat breeding period commonly extending from spring to the end of summer.

Incubation or gestation: Not recorded.

Fledging or weaning: Not recorded. Pups are dependent on the female for at least part of their early development and may be carried on her belly for a short time.

Breeding places: Nursery colonies favour hollows in large old eucalypts. Other roosts include fissures, loose or lifting bark, old fairy marten nests, caves, buildings, ceilings, hollow walls, unused roller doors and canvas awnings.

Colonies and active breeding places: Most non-breeding roosts are solitary or contain up to three bats, but maternity roosts hold groups of females and pups. Confirm an active breeding place by finding pregnant or lactating females or pups, repeated emergence activity, or bats using the same hollow or structure. Use acoustic monitoring, emergence watches and, where safe, an endoscope or pole camera. Colonies need special care because one roost can hold a substantial part of the local breeding population, and females shift among nearby hollows.

Timing can shift between years and regions, so confirm local activity with acoustic monitoring, emergence watches and targeted roost inspection before clearing; where a hollow-bearing tree must be removed, use staged or soft felling and avoid the maternity season, with exclusion devices installed only outside that season.

  • Breeding and maternity colonies: Breeding activity may begin in spring, peaks around late October and November, and can continue through the warmer months.
  • Pups and dependent young: Births are concentrated in late October and November, with dependent young likely to remain associated with maternity roosts through summer.
  • Nocturnal roosting and foraging activity: Adults are nocturnal and may forage throughout the year, using roosts in trees, bark, buildings and other sheltered structures.
  • Torpor episodes: Torpor can occur during cooler conditions, including in summer, and may last for many hours or longer in temperate microbats.
  • Highest clearing risk: Avoid clearing or disturbing hollow-bearing trees and other roosts from spring through summer, especially where pregnant or lactating females, pups or a maternity colony are present.

Identification: Appearance

The Lesser Long-eared Bat is a small microbat with very long ears and pale, contrasting fur. It is most often detected at night, so field identification commonly combines direct observation with acoustic survey and inspection of likely roosts.

The fur is light grey to brown on the back and pale grey, white or almost white underneath. The ears can be up to 25 mm long and fold in a concertina shape when the bat is resting.

The nose has a fleshy noseleaf with a distinctive Y-shaped groove behind it. Flight is slow, fluttery and undulating, often close to vegetation.

Body length: Up to about 5 cm

Weight: 5 to 14 g

Ear length: Up to 25 mm

Identification: Calls and similar species

Species identification from echolocation calls can be difficult for some microbats. Use an Anabat or similar detector, and have calls checked by a suitably experienced analyst where the result affects clearing or construction decisions.

The main similar species noted for field comparison is Gould's Long-eared Bat. The Lesser Long-eared Bat is smaller and has the distinctive noseleaf and Y-shaped groove described above.

Identification: Field signs

Look for small, dark bat droppings below hollows, bark slabs, wall cavities, roof spaces and other suspected roosts. Droppings may be crumbly and contain insect fragments, but they can be confused with those of other small animals.

Other useful signs include bat odour, staining around an entrance, polished or worn edges, urine marks and repeated bat activity at dusk. These signs are supportive only. Confirm occupancy with a qualified inspection, emergence watch or targeted survey.

  • Check the ground below potential roost entrances.
  • Inspect cavities safely with an endoscope or pole camera where access allows.
  • Do not seal, fell or disturb a suspected roost before its use has been assessed.

Distribution: Australian range

The Lesser Long-eared Bat occurs across a wide range of Australian environments. It is mapped in New South Wales, the Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia, with records from rural, suburban and urban landscapes.

The species is widespread across mainland Australia and Tasmania. It has been recorded in forests, woodlands, mallee, farmland, grassland, arid areas and towns.

It is reported across Australia but is absent from coastal Queensland in one distribution summary. Local project records and current state mapping should be checked before works begin.

  • New South Wales
  • Northern Territory
  • Queensland
  • South Australia
  • Tasmania
  • Victoria
  • Western Australia

Distribution: Site scale and local movement

A bat may roost in one part of a site and forage elsewhere. In south eastern Australian research, individuals returned to a discrete roosting area after foraging up to 12 km away.

Roosts in that study were typically less than 300 m apart, and individuals changed roosts frequently. Clearing decisions should therefore consider connected hollow bearing trees, not only the tree with the first bat record.

Reported foraging distance from roosting area: Up to 12 km

Typical spacing of roosts in one study: Less than 300 m

Distribution: Overseas range

The Lesser Long-eared Bat is native to Australia. No overseas range is included in the available species information.

Habitat: Vegetation and landscape

This species uses a broad mix of natural and modified habitats. On a clearing site, retain mature trees, dead trees, fallen timber and connected vegetation wherever practicable, especially where hollows and loose bark are present.

Look for the species in forests, woodlands, mallee, farmland with scattered trees or remnant patches, grassland with nearby shelter, and urban or suburban areas.

Large old eucalypts, including living and dead trees, can provide important bat habitat. A rural site does not need continuous forest to support roosting and foraging.

  • Old growth trees with hollows
  • Standing dead trees and stags
  • Woodland remnants and scattered paddock trees
  • Mallee and dry or wet forest edges
  • Vegetation around farms, roads, buildings and drainage lines

Habitat: Features to retain during works

Retain hollow bearing trees where possible, including trees that appear dead or partly dead. Retain nearby trees as well, because the species may use several roosts within a small area.

Maintain understorey and vegetation links where practicable. Avoid unnecessary widening of cleared areas and avoid lighting that spills into roosts, commuting routes or feeding areas.

  • Mark hollow bearing trees before machinery enters the site.
  • Keep replacement roost structures available before an existing roost is disturbed.
  • Stage clearing so fauna can move into retained habitat.

Foraging habitat: Foraging behaviour

The Lesser Long-eared Bat hunts close to vegetation and feeds mainly in the understorey. It catches insects in the air, from leaves and sometimes from the ground, so works can affect both feeding areas and movement routes.

The species feeds on moths, crickets, grasshoppers and other small invertebrates. It may fly around street lights, although excessive lighting can alter bat movements and reduce the value of darker feeding routes.

Flight is often low and close to vegetation. Inspect edges, woodland understorey, paddock trees, gardens, drainage corridors and vegetation around buildings when assessing likely foraging habitat.

  • Vegetated edges and woodland understorey
  • Remnant trees in farmland
  • Mallee and forest margins
  • Urban gardens, parks and street tree corridors
  • Vegetation near water, drainage features and culverts

Foraging habitat: Development risks

Removing vegetation can reduce insect prey and break up low flight paths. Bright lights can draw insects away from feeding areas or make roost entrances and commuting routes less suitable.

Use acoustic detectors to identify activity patterns before and during works where the site has suitable roosting habitat. Avoid lighting inside underpasses intended for microbats.

  • Minimise the width of vegetation removal.
  • Direct lights away from retained trees, roost entrances and vegetation corridors.
  • Avoid unnecessary pesticide use near retained habitat.
  • Keep construction noise and activity away from known roosts where practicable.

Breeding habitat: Maternity habitat

Breeding females gather in maternity roosts during the warmer part of the year. The available species records indicate that maternity roosts are mainly associated with tree hollows, particularly hollows in large old eucalypts, although a suspected breeding place should be assessed on site rather than assumed safe or unused.

Maternity colonies have been recorded in tree hollows. The species may also use hollows, fissures, loose bark, old fairy marten nests and buildings as roosts, but not every roost is a breeding place.

Most microbats give birth to one pup a year in the warmer months, usually from spring to late summer. For this species, births have been reported in late October and November, and twins are usual.

  • Large old eucalypts with suitable hollows
  • Trees with multiple hollows and loose bark
  • Buildings with roof or wall cavities
  • Old fairy marten nests where present

Breeding habitat: Confirming a breeding place

A breeding place is best confirmed by finding pregnant or lactating females, pups, or repeated use by a group of females. An emergence watch can show regular use, but it does not by itself confirm that young are being raised.

Use acoustic monitoring, harp traps or mist nets where appropriate and legally authorised. Inspect tree hollows with an endoscope or pole camera only when this can be done safely and without harming bats.

  • Schedule surveys before clearing decisions are final.
  • Use more than one survey method where a hollow is difficult to inspect.
  • Treat a roost with dependent young as an active breeding place.
  • Seek specialist advice before handling, excluding or relocating bats.

Breeding habitat: Works timing

Avoid disturbing maternity roosts during the breeding season, which generally runs from spring to the end of summer. In colder areas, also avoid periods when bats may enter torpor.

If clearing cannot be avoided, use a documented fauna management approach that covers inspection, exclusion, staged works, rescue and contingency actions.

  • Plan clearing outside the maternity season where practicable.
  • Do not use exclusion devices while dependent young may be inside.
  • Install replacement roosts before the original roost is disturbed, preferably months in advance.

Sheltering habitat: Natural roosts

The Lesser Long-eared Bat uses a wide range of sheltered cavities. Roosts can be natural or human made, and a bat may change roosts every few days, so one empty inspection does not show that a tree or structure is unimportant.

Natural roosts include tree hollows, fissures in old trees, lifting or peeling bark and old fairy marten nests. Caves may be used occasionally.

Retain a range of hollow types and trees of different ages. In south eastern Australian research, individuals used a dense group of nearby roosts and shifted between them frequently.

  • Hollow bearing living trees
  • Standing dead trees and stags
  • Loose or lifting bark
  • Tree fissures and cavities
  • Old fairy marten nests
  • Caves and rock fissures where present

Sheltering habitat: Modified and built structures

The species can use buildings and urban structures, including ceilings, hollow walls, unused roller doors and canvas awnings. Culverts, bridges and other structures can also be important to microbats generally.

Before demolition, bridge repair, roof work or tree removal, inspect sheltered cavities and watch for bats emerging at dusk. Keep roost entrances dark and avoid sealing a cavity until occupancy and fauna responsibilities have been addressed.

  • Roof and ceiling spaces
  • Hollow walls
  • Unused roller doors
  • Canvas awnings
  • Culverts and bridge joints

Sheltering habitat: Roost inspection and protection

Use a pole camera or endoscope for suitable hollows, supported by an emergence watch and acoustic survey. A harp trap or mist net survey may help identify bats using nearby habitat, but trapping must be undertaken by trained personnel under the relevant approvals.

Two stage or soft felling can reduce harm where a hollow bearing tree must be removed. Exclusion devices should be installed outside the maternity season and only after confirming that no bats or dependent young remain.

  • Inspect at the safest accessible point.
  • Retain the tree or structure wherever practicable.
  • Use soft felling for unavoidable hollow tree removal.
  • Provide bat boxes as a supplementary measure, not as a substitute for retaining natural hollows.
  • Keep replacement roosts in place before the original roost is disturbed.

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

Colonies need special care because one maternity roost can contain a substantial share of the local breeding population. For Queensland works, treat any roost where young are raised as a breeding place and obtain the appropriate high risk species management program before tampering with it.

Outside the breeding season, Lesser Long-eared Bats commonly roost alone or in small groups of up to three. During breeding, females gather in maternity roosts, usually in suitable tree hollows or other sheltered cavities.

A maternity roost may be in a large old eucalypt, a dead tree, a building cavity, under loose bark or another protected structure. Activity may be concentrated at one entrance, but bats can move among several nearby hollows.

  • Repeated emergence at dusk from one cavity
  • Several bats entering or leaving a hollow
  • Female dominated groups during the breeding season
  • Pups or lactating females found during an authorised inspection
  • Droppings, staining or odour below a cavity combined with regular activity

Colonies and breeding places: Colony sizes and site fidelity

Small roost groups are common. Maternity colonies have been reported with up to 15 females and a single male. A radio tracking study recorded female maternity groups averaging 18.3 individuals, with a standard error of 5.7, during the breeding season.

Individuals may change roosts every 2.2 days on average, but continue to use a discrete roosting area. Protect the cluster of suitable hollows, not just the occupied hollow found on one survey night.

Usual non maternity roost group: Alone or up to three bats

Reported maternity colony: Up to 15 females with a single male

Female maternity roost average in one study: 18.3 plus or minus 5.7 individuals

Average roost change in one study: Every 2.2 days

Colonies and breeding places: Surveying and recognising an active breeding place

Plan surveys around the structure and the season. Use an Anabat or similar detector to identify activity, then combine this with dusk emergence watches, targeted inspection and, where suitable, harp trapping or mist netting.

Pregnant or lactating females, pups and repeated use by a group of females are strong evidence of an active maternity roost. Do not enter, seal, fell or modify a suspected breeding place until the survey and approval pathway is clear.

  • Survey before clearing or demolition.
  • Watch entrances from before sunset until activity declines.
  • Use an endoscope or pole camera only where safe and authorised.
  • Record the tree or structure, entrance, signs, timing and bat behaviour.
  • Obtain specialist advice where breeding status remains uncertain.

Colonies and breeding places: Why colonies need special care

Disturbance can separate mothers from pups, trap bats inside a structure or force a colony into unsuitable habitat. Because roosts are often close together, removing one tree can reduce the options available to an entire local group.

Retain natural hollows and nearby roost trees wherever possible. If a roost must be modified or removed, install replacement roosts first, use staged or soft works, and plan exclusion outside the maternity season.

  • Avoid maternity roost disturbance from spring to late summer.
  • Avoid disturbing torpid bats during cold conditions.
  • Minimise light spill and construction disturbance around roosts.
  • Use bat boxes only as a supplementary measure.
  • In Queensland, use the high risk colonial breeder SMP where required.

Threats: Loss of hollows and old trees

The main risks on clearing and construction sites are loss of roost cavities, disturbance of maternity colonies, loss of feeding habitat and poorly managed lighting or demolition. Cats, pesticides and land clearing also affect this species beyond the immediate work area.

Removing large living or dead trees can eliminate current roosts and the future supply of hollows. A single tree may be one of several roosts used by a local group.

Retain hollow bearing trees, dead trees and nearby replacement trees wherever practicable. Avoid removing fallen timber unnecessarily, as it can support insects and provide shelter.

  • Map and mark hollow bearing trees before works.
  • Retain tree clusters and nearby hollow resources.
  • Avoid removing standing dead trees unless they present a demonstrated safety risk.
  • Protect retained trees from machinery, fill and soil disturbance.

Threats: Disturbance of roosts and breeding places

Demolition, tree felling, roof repairs, bridge work and sealing of cavities can injure or trap bats. Disturbance during the maternity season can affect females and dependent young.

Use a qualified fauna spotter catcher and a species appropriate management plan. In Queensland, a least concern colonial breeder requires the high risk SMP when its breeding place is tampered with.

  • Inspect before demolition or felling.
  • Use emergence watches and targeted surveys.
  • Do not exclude bats when pups may be present.
  • Use soft felling or staged felling where removal is unavoidable.
  • Keep rescue and contingency arrangements ready.

Threats: Habitat loss, lighting and pesticides

Clearing reduces insect rich vegetation and can break up commuting routes. Artificial light can spill into roost entrances, understorey and feeding areas, while pesticides can reduce prey and directly expose bats.

Keep retained vegetation connected where possible. Use directional, low spill lighting and avoid lighting inside microbat underpasses. Limit pesticide use near retained habitat and roosts.

  • Minimise clearing width.
  • Maintain dark vegetation corridors.
  • Shield lights from trees, hollows and understorey.
  • Avoid unnecessary pesticide application.
  • Retain vegetation around drainage lines, culverts and bridges.

Threats: Predation and site operations

Owls, hawks and cats prey on Lesser Long-eared Bats. Construction compounds can increase risk through open buildings, unsecured exclusion devices, stored materials and vehicle movements near roosts.

Keep site buildings and cavities managed so bats cannot become trapped. Brief workers not to handle bats and to report grounded, trapped or injured animals immediately.

  • Control domestic and feral cats around work areas.
  • Check buildings and structures before sealing openings.
  • Use fauna spotter catcher advice for any grounded bat.
  • Record incidents and adjust site controls when needed.

Survey methodology: 1. Desktop assessment

Survey for Lesser Long-eared Bats should combine habitat inspection, acoustic detection and targeted searches of likely roosts. The species is small, quiet and able to use both natural and built structures, so no single method is sufficient.

Map large live and dead trees, hollow-bearing trees, peeling bark, tree fissures, buildings, bridges, culverts, caves, mines and other structures that could provide shelter. Include nearby vegetation, waterways, remnant patches and connected tree cover.

Treat clusters of suitable hollows as a single roosting area. Lesser Long-eared Bats may shift between hollows within a discrete area, with recorded roosts typically less than 300 m apart.

Known roost movement: Individuals have shifted between roosts about every 2.2 days on average in one south-eastern Australian study.

Foraging distance: Individuals returned to their roosting area after foraging up to 12 km away.

  • Review recent aerial imagery, tree surveys, previous fauna records and land-use history.
  • Identify trees and structures that could be retained, inspected or affected by the works.
  • Flag proposed night lighting, haul routes, access tracks and clearing edges that could affect roosts or feeding areas.

Survey methodology: 2. Acoustic survey

Use Anabat or a similar full-spectrum or zero-crossing detector to identify bat activity and possible Lesser Long-eared Bat calls. Acoustic results should be interpreted by a suitably experienced analyst because call identification can be difficult where several species occur together.

Place detectors near hollow-bearing trees, forest edges, riparian vegetation, understorey, road crossings, bridges, culverts and other likely commuting routes.

  • Survey during suitable night conditions, with low wind, limited rain and enough insect activity for bats to forage.
  • Use more than one detector where the site contains separate habitat areas or several likely roosts.
  • Repeat surveys where initial results are negative but suitable roost habitat is present.
  • Record detector location, date, start and finish time, weather, habitat, equipment settings, files retained and the identification confidence for each call.

Survey methodology: 3. Roost and breeding-place searches

Inspect tree hollows, fissures, loose bark, old fairy marten nests, buildings, ceilings, hollow walls, unused roller doors, canvas awnings, bridges and culverts. Use an endoscope or pole camera where this can be done safely and without entering or damaging the roost.

A maternity roost is confirmed by evidence such as pregnant or lactating females, pups, repeated use by a group of females, or direct observation of young.

Breeding season guidance: Microbat breeding generally occurs in the warmer months, usually spring to late summer. Lesser Long-eared Bat births have been recorded in late October and November.

  • Carry out emergence watches at likely roosts from before sunset until bat activity has finished for the evening.
  • Inspect hollows and structures during the day only when this can be done without disturbing bats or exposing them to heat, cold or predators.
  • Look for bats, pups, fresh droppings, staining, scratch marks, urine odour and repeated emergence activity.
  • Treat a site as an active breeding place when evidence is uncertain and the potential consequences of disturbance are high.

Survey methodology: 4. Capture and supplementary survey

Use harp traps or mist nets only under an approved survey design and by people authorised and competent to capture, handle and release bats. Place equipment near likely flyways and roost exits, not across broad areas without a clear reason.

Capture results can help confirm species, sex and reproductive condition. They should be combined with acoustic data and roost inspection rather than used as the sole basis for clearing decisions.

  • Check traps frequently and release bats promptly in suitable conditions.
  • Record species, sex, age class where reliably determined, reproductive condition, weight if collected under the approved protocol, capture location and release location.
  • Stop trapping if weather deteriorates, bats are stressed, or the method creates an unacceptable risk.
  • Do not enter a roost or handle a bat solely to confirm a suspected maternity colony.

Before habitat disturbance: 1. Avoidance and approvals

Plan the work around the possibility that a hollow, building or bridge is an active breeding place. Keep suitable roosts in place wherever practicable, and obtain the approvals that apply before disturbance starts.

Redesign the work to retain large live and dead trees, hollow-bearing trees, peeling bark, bridges, culverts and buildings used by bats. Retain groups of suitable hollows in close proximity, not just isolated trees.

Check whether the action requires an EPBC Act referral, a Queensland species management program, or a permit, approval or authority under the relevant state or territory legislation.

Queensland management: A Queensland high risk species management program is required for tampering with the breeding place of a least concern colonial breeder, rather than the low risk program used for other least concern animals.

  • In Queensland, treat the Lesser Long-eared Bat as a least concern colonial breeder for management purposes.
  • Obtain a high risk species management program before tampering with a Queensland breeding place of this species where the regulation requires one.
  • Confirm the approval pathway with the project ecologist and the relevant wildlife authority before mobilisation.
  • Do not rely on the species being generally listed as least concern to avoid site-specific approvals or animal welfare obligations.

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

Complete the pre-clearance survey close enough to the works for conditions to remain current, while allowing time to change the design or apply for approvals. Give particular attention to spring through late summer, when microbat maternity roosts are most likely to contain dependent young.

There is no established migration schedule to use for this species. Focus timing decisions on the local breeding season, weather-related torpor risk and the presence of an active roost.

  • Survey all trees and structures that will be removed, pruned, isolated or exposed to vibration, noise or light.
  • Confirm whether females are pregnant or lactating and whether pups are present before approving disturbance.
  • Avoid disturbing occupied maternity roosts during the breeding season unless the approved management program specifically allows it.
  • In colder areas, avoid roost clearing during periods when bats may enter torpor.

Before habitat disturbance: 3. Exclusion, buffers and replacement roosts

Set no-go areas around confirmed or suspected roosts using advice from the project ecologist and the relevant approval. The buffer should account for vibration, machinery movement, lighting, falling trees and access by workers.

Use exclusion devices only where the roost is not a maternity roost, dependent young are absent, and the method has been approved. Exclusions must allow bats to leave and prevent re-entry without trapping animals inside.

  • Install replacement roosts before disturbing the original roost, and allow as much lead time as practicable for bats to locate them.
  • Keep replacement structures close enough to retained habitat to remain useful, while avoiding direct lighting and heavy machinery activity.
  • Do not seal a building, hollow, bridge or culvert until a competent person has confirmed that bats can leave safely.
  • Use bat boxes or other artificial roosts as supplementary measures. Do not treat them as an automatic replacement for a network of natural hollows.

Before habitat disturbance: 4. Crew induction and work controls

Give every worker, plant operator and subcontractor a short site briefing before work starts. Show photographs or locations of no-go areas and explain the stop-work process.

Include the possibility of bats in hollows, under bark, in buildings, bridges and culverts. Remind crews that bats may be present even when none were seen during the pre-clearance inspection.

  • Name the authorised fauna spotter catcher and give that person authority to stop work.
  • Mark retained trees, exclusion zones, access routes and approved release areas clearly on the ground.
  • Prevent workers from entering roosts, handling bats or moving structures without approval.
  • Control night lighting and prevent light spill into roosts, commuting routes and feeding areas.
  • Keep emergency contacts for the project ecologist, wildlife authority, wildlife carer and veterinarian at the work front.

During habitat disturbance: 1. Sequential clearing

Clear in a controlled sequence and keep the fauna spotter catcher at the point of risk. Stop immediately if a bat, pup, colony or previously unidentified roost is found.

Use two-stage or soft felling for hollow-bearing trees where removal is approved. First disturb or lower the tree in a controlled way, then leave it undisturbed for a suitable period under the approved method before completing removal.

Retain nearby hollow-bearing trees and connected vegetation so displaced bats have access to alternative shelter.

  • Clear non-habitat vegetation first and work towards the retained habitat edge.
  • Inspect each tree or structure immediately before disturbance.
  • Use a spotter catcher to watch hollows, bark, roof spaces, bridge joints and culvert edges during the work.
  • Avoid dropping hollow sections onto active roost entrances or placing them where bats can be crushed.
  • Stop work during rain, strong wind, extreme heat or other conditions that increase the risk to bats.

During habitat disturbance: 2. Stop-work response

The fauna spotter catcher must stop the activity if a bat, pup, active breeding place, colony or roost is found. Keep people and machinery back, reduce noise and lighting, and protect the location from further disturbance.

Do not remove a roosting bat, open a hollow further or move a structure to improve visibility unless this is part of the approved method.

  • Secure the area and notify the site supervisor and project ecologist.
  • Record the exact location, structure type, number of bats, signs of breeding, photographs where safe, weather and the activity that caused the stop.
  • Have the ecologist determine whether the place is an active breeding place and whether work can resume under the approval.
  • If pups or lactating females are present, leave the roost undisturbed and obtain specific advice before any further action.
  • Resume work only after the authorised person confirms the controls and records the decision.

During habitat disturbance: 3. Handling and release

Only authorised and competent people may capture, handle or release bats. Most workers should not touch a bat, even if it appears quiet or injured.

Use appropriate personal protective equipment and follow the approved wildlife handling procedure. Bats can bite, and contact creates health and animal welfare risks.

  • Keep an exposed bat in a quiet, secure, temperature-appropriate container only for the shortest practical time.
  • Do not give food or water unless directed by a wildlife carer or veterinarian.
  • Release a healthy bat only when the authorised person confirms that conditions and location are suitable.
  • Do not release a pup away from its mother or move a maternity colony without a species-specific, approved plan.
  • Send injured, grounded or compromised bats to an experienced wildlife carer or veterinarian through the project emergency pathway.

During habitat disturbance: 4. Daily records and communication

Maintain a clearing log for every shift. Record both positive and negative findings because repeated absence of observations supports the decision trail for the work.

Share findings at the next toolbox meeting and update maps before the following work front opens.

  • Record date, time, work area, weather, personnel, trees or structures inspected, bats observed, actions taken and the name of the decision-maker.
  • Log all stop-work events, captures, injuries, mortalities, releases, roost exclusions and approval conditions.
  • Photograph signs and structures where this can be done without disturbing bats.
  • Notify the project ecologist and regulator when required by the approval or management program.
  • Keep acoustic files, photographs, field sheets and chain-of-custody details with the project records.

After habitat disturbance: 1. Post-clearance checks

Finish each work area with a deliberate check, not just a plant sign-off. Confirm that no animals remain trapped and that all approval conditions, incidents and follow-up actions have been closed out.

Inspect the cleared area, felled hollow sections, retained trees, buildings, bridges and culverts after disturbance. Check for trapped, injured, dead or displaced bats and for damage to retained roost features.

Where a tree was felled under a staged method, complete the follow-up inspection required by the approval before removing the remaining sections.

  • Search ground debris, hollow sections, bark slabs, roof spaces and machinery exclusion areas.
  • Check that exclusion devices are functioning and have not trapped bats.
  • Confirm that replacement roosts remain installed, stable and free from direct light or obstruction.
  • Record the date, time, weather, searchers, areas checked and findings.

After habitat disturbance: 2. Relocated and affected animals

Track the outcome of every bat that was captured, displaced, injured or released. A release record should identify where and when the bat was released and who authorised the decision.

If a bat cannot fly, is cold, bleeding, dehydrated or otherwise compromised, keep it secure and obtain wildlife carer or veterinary advice. Do not leave it at the work site.

  • Recheck approved release areas for signs of injury, predation or repeated roosting where monitoring is required.
  • Do not relocate bats to an unrelated site without approval and specialist advice.
  • Report mortality, failed exclusion, trapped animals and suspected disease exposure through the project incident pathway.
  • Link individual animal records to the corresponding tree, structure, work package and approval condition.

After habitat disturbance: 3. Reporting and monitoring

Prepare a completion report that explains what was surveyed, what was removed or retained, what animals were found and how each issue was managed. Include enough detail for another ecologist to reconstruct the decisions.

Monitor retained and replacement roosts where required by the approval or where the project has removed a known roost.

  • Report maternity roosts, colonies, injuries, deaths and breaches promptly to the relevant authority when required.
  • Repeat emergence watches or acoustic checks at retained or replacement roosts where occupancy needs to be confirmed.
  • Record evidence of use, including bats observed, emergence activity, droppings and changes to the structure.
  • Keep monitoring results with the project environmental records and use them to adjust future work methods.

After habitat disturbance: 4. Incident review

Review every unexpected bat finding, injury, mortality, failed exclusion and unplanned roost disturbance with the supervisor, fauna spotter catcher and project ecologist.

Use the review to improve the next work stage, especially where the species was found in an unexpected structure or where the pre-clearance survey did not predict the result.

  • Identify the immediate cause and any underlying planning or communication failure.
  • Update the risk assessment, induction, maps and clearing sequence.
  • Check whether additional surveys, approvals or habitat controls are needed before work resumes.
  • Share the outcome with all contractors working on similar sites.

Rehabilitation actions: 1. Retain and restore roost habitat

Rehabilitation should restore a connected set of roosting and feeding resources, not just replace one removed tree. Retain natural hollows wherever possible and use artificial structures as supplementary habitat while replacement trees mature.

Protect large live and dead trees, hollow-bearing trees, fallen timber and patches of mature vegetation during rehabilitation. Lesser Long-eared Bats use tree hollows, fissures, loose or peeling bark, old fairy marten nests and some buildings and structures.

Restore groups of trees rather than isolated plantings where space allows. A population needs a relatively large number of hollows, with a range of hollow types close together.

  • Fence retained trees and root zones before earthworks begin.
  • Leave suitable dead trees standing where they are safe and approved to remain.
  • Retain fallen timber where it does not create a safety or fire hazard.
  • Plant locally appropriate trees that can develop future hollows, while recognising that replacement trees will not provide mature hollows in the short term.
  • Reconnect remnant patches, tree lines and understorey vegetation used for low-level movement and foraging.

Rehabilitation actions: 2. Replacement breeding and roost structures

Use bat boxes, nest boxes, artificial nest sites or other roost structures only after checking that the design suits the species and the site. Artificial structures can supplement natural hollows but should not justify removing a healthy hollow-bearing tree where retention is feasible.

Place structures in sheltered locations near retained trees and vegetation, away from direct artificial light, machinery vibration and heavy disturbance.

  • Install replacement structures before the original roost is disturbed where practicable.
  • Use more than one structure type or location when the project has removed a range of hollow features.
  • Inspect boxes and artificial roosts safely and only at times approved by the ecologist.
  • Do not open, relocate or clean an occupied structure without specialist advice.
  • Record structure type, location, installation date, condition and evidence of use.

Rehabilitation actions: 3. Vegetation, weeds and water

Restore understorey and canopy cover around retained and replacement roosts. The species flies close to vegetation and feeds in the understorey, so bare corridors and isolated trees provide poorer habitat than connected plantings.

Manage weeds without exposing roost entrances or applying chemicals where bats forage or shelter.

  • Use locally appropriate native species and protect new plantings from grazing and machinery.
  • Control weeds by methods that minimise pesticide exposure, especially near roosts, water and feeding areas.
  • Maintain natural drainage and protect creeks, farm dams, wetlands and other insect-producing areas where they occur on the site.
  • Avoid removing fallen timber unless required for safety, access or fire management.
  • Inspect rehabilitation after storms, fire and major construction activity.

Rehabilitation actions: 4. Lighting and long-term monitoring

Keep roosts, tree corridors and feeding areas dark where practicable. Artificial light can disturb roosts, commuting routes and foraging areas, even when a roost itself is retained.

Monitor whether retained and replacement roosts remain available and whether rehabilitation is developing suitable cover.

  • Use only the lighting needed for safety and direct it away from roosts, vegetation and waterways.
  • Avoid lighting inside underpasses intended for microbats.
  • Use emergence watches, acoustic detectors and structure inspections to check occupancy where required.
  • Monitor after the first breeding season and at later intervals set by the approval or rehabilitation plan.
  • Review planting, weed control, lighting and artificial roost placement if bats do not return or if new roost use is detected nearby.

Sources