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Lined Soil-crevice Skink (Notoscincus butleri)

The Lined Soil-crevice Skink is a small, diurnal terrestrial skink found only in the Pilbara of Western Australia. It can occur in open coastal habitats, drainage lines and rocky plains, so it may be encountered during clearing, roadworks and infrastructure construction. It is listed as DBCA Priority 4, a conservation significant category for rare or near threatened species that need monitoring.

Conservation status

Western Australia, WA Threatened and Priority Fauna List: Near threatened. Priority 4 (rare, near threatened) on the Western Australian priority fauna list. Priority species are not listed under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 but should be considered in assessments.

Breeding season

The Lined Soil-crevice Skink is poorly known, and breeding months have not been documented. It is a diurnal, terrestrial skink that is likely to remain in suitable Pilbara habitat throughout the year, so clearing risk should be managed year-round.

Breeding mode: Not recorded.

Clutch size: Not recorded.

Incubation period: Not recorded.

Age at maturity: Not recorded.

Breeding places: Not recorded. Minor drainage lines, cracking-clay plains, stony soils and exposed granite outcrops provide habitat and shelter, but breeding sites have not been identified.

Breeding frequency: Not recorded.

Activity and detection may vary between years and regions with rainfall, temperature, ground cover and local habitat condition, so confirm conditions during the pre-clearance inspection.

  • Documented breeding period: No month has been established as a breeding period for the Lined Soil-crevice Skink.
  • Diurnal activity and foraging: Search during daylight in suitable drainage lines, spinifex, tussock grassland, cracking clays, stony plains and rocky shelter sites.
  • Resident presence in suitable habitat: The species is assessed as likely to be resident, with no seasonal migration or movement period documented.
  • Highest clearing risk: Treat clearing as a year-round risk because breeding timing, shelter sites and the location of dependent young are unknown.

Identification: Appearance

The Lined Soil-crevice Skink is a pale coppery-brown skink with strong dark striping. It is small and fast moving, and may be overlooked during general fauna searches.

Look for a pale coppery-brown body with bold black vertebral and dorsal stripes.

The upper sides have broad black stripes. White mid-lateral stripes and a narrow dark ventrolateral stripe are also present.

Group: Reptile, family Scincidae.

Activity period: Diurnal.

  • Small, slender terrestrial skink.
  • Strong longitudinal striping.
  • Maximum recorded total length, 220 mm.

Identification: Calls and similar species

No call or species-specific vocalisation is described. Echolocation is not relevant to this skink.

A formal comparison with similar skinks is not available in the field information used here. Confirm uncertain records with an experienced herpetologist or suitable identification reference.

Useful identification features: Coppery-brown colour, black dorsal and lateral striping, white mid-lateral stripe.

  • Do not rely on calls, camera detections or indirect signs to identify this species.
  • Photograph the animal from above and from the side where safe to do so.
  • Record the location, habitat, time and weather conditions.

Identification: Field signs

No diagnostic droppings, nests, odour, stains, whitewash or other field signs are described for this species.

Direct sightings are the most useful record. A shed skin or an image may support a record, but should be checked carefully because small skinks can be difficult to separate in the field.

Handling: Use an authorised fauna handler and follow the project's reptile handling and release procedures.

  • Search beneath loose bark, rocks, logs, litter and disused building materials.
  • Treat a suspected record as a live fauna matter until it has been identified or the animal has moved clear of the work area.

Distribution: Range in Australia

The Lined Soil-crevice Skink is endemic to Western Australia and is restricted to the Pilbara. Records are scattered, so an absence of records near a project does not demonstrate that the species is absent.

The species has been recorded across the western and near-coastal Pilbara, including areas south of Karratha and Dampier, West Intercourse Island and locations near Tom Price.

Other records extend through the broader western Pilbara, including the Dampier Peninsula, Panawonica and Karijini National Park.

Known regional context: Records include locations around Karratha, Dampier, Mardie, West Intercourse Island and approximately 40 km northwest of Tom Price.

  • State recorded, Western Australia.
  • Region, western and near-coastal Pilbara.
  • The species is not recorded from another Australian state or territory.

Distribution: What this means for a project

Records may be widely spaced, and the species can occur outside areas where it has been found previously. Desktop searches should be followed by field assessment of suitable habitat within and around the disturbance footprint.

Give particular attention to minor drainage lines, cracking-clay plains, rocky plains and open coastal habitats. At Mardie, records came from cleared land and shrubland over tussock grassland as well as habitats associated with spinifex.

Nearby record examples: Records have been reported within 20 km of some Karratha survey areas, within 18 km of an application area, and 16.58 km from one Mardie study area.

  • Check current DBCA records before clearing approval and again when project footprints change.
  • Map habitat units rather than relying only on mapped species records.
  • Use targeted searches where suitable habitat is present, especially in drainage lines and rocky microhabitats.

Habitat: Vegetation and landforms

Habitat knowledge is still developing. On works sites, look for connected patches of spinifex, tussock grassland, cracking clay, stony plain and minor drainage line habitat, including areas that appear open or partly disturbed.

The species is often associated with spinifex-dominated vegetation near creeks and river margins. It has also been recorded in shrubland over tussock grassland and in cleared areas near the coast.

Suitable habitat may occur on arid, rocky plains and in minor drainage lines associated with cracking clays or stony soils.

Habitat pattern: Patchy distribution with a likely preference for stable habitat and habitat connected by minor drainage lines.

  • Spinifex or hummock grassland near drainage lines.
  • Tussock grassland on cracking clays.
  • Hummock grassland on rocky plains, especially where sand or drainage features are present.
  • Shrubland over tussock grassland and open coastal habitats.

Habitat: Features to inspect

Minor drainage lines are considered critical habitat in some Pilbara survey areas. They can provide vegetated corridors between the coast, plains and surrounding hills.

Small exposed granite outcrops in drainage lines may provide shelter and foraging surfaces for reptiles, including this species.

Site assessment: Map drainage lines, outcrops and connected grassland before clearing. Include apparently disturbed habitat if it retains suitable ground cover or shelter.

  • Cracking-clay depressions and drainage lines.
  • Stony soils, rocky plains and exposed granite.
  • Spinifex clumps, tussock bases, leaf litter and loose ground debris.
  • Edges of old sheds, tin piles, rubble and other disused materials where animals may shelter.

Habitat: Survey approach

Use active diurnal searches by experienced personnel. Search slowly through likely microhabitats and check the ground surface, litter, bark, logs, rocks, burrows and disused materials.

Search effort should be scaled to the amount and quality of suitable habitat, the size of the clearing footprint and the level of site disturbance. There is no species-specific effort standard, so document the areas searched, time spent, weather and conditions.

Published survey examples: Active searches have included 15 to 60 minutes at individual sites, approximately 45 hours in one survey, and 64.3 person hours across another study area.

  • Search before vegetation clearing and before removing rocks, logs, rubble or old building materials.
  • Use direct observation and habitat assessment as the primary methods.
  • Record all sightings with accurate coordinates and habitat descriptions.

Foraging habitat: Foraging areas

The Lined Soil-crevice Skink is a diurnal ground-dweller. Its diet is not well documented, but records indicate that leaf litter and ground cover near riparian vegetation are useful foraging areas.

Inspect leaf litter near minor drainage lines, creek margins and river margins. Also check spinifex bases, tussock grassland, cracking clay and stony ground on plains.

The species may forage across open habitats as well as beneath or beside ground cover. Mardie records from cleared land and shrubland over tussock grassland suggest that suitable foraging habitat is not limited to dense spinifex.

Diet: Not confirmed in the field information available. Do not assume that cleared ground has no feeding value.

  • Leaf litter near riparian vegetation.
  • Bases of spinifex and tussock grasses.
  • Edges of minor drainage lines.
  • Rocky plains, cracking clays and stony soils.

Foraging habitat: Worksite survey method

Search during daylight when the species is active. Rake leaf and bark litter lightly, turn over loose rocks and logs, and inspect the underside before replacing each item.

Check around drainage line vegetation, small outcrops, rubble and infrastructure ruins. Avoid unnecessary destruction of shelter features.

Record details: Record exact location, habitat type, nearby drainage or outcrop features, behaviour and the direction of movement.

  • Keep search teams spread so that animals are not missed in linear drainage features.
  • Pause machinery if a skink is seen within the active work area.
  • Use shade and cool holding conditions only if temporary containment is authorised and required.

Breeding habitat: What to look for

Breeding biology and breeding places of the Lined Soil-crevice Skink are poorly known. No specific nest, clutch, egg-laying site or breeding season should be assumed during clearing.

Inspect stable ground cover, leaf litter, soil cracks, loose debris, rock edges and sheltered areas near drainage lines. These features may provide suitable reptile refuges, but a breeding use should not be confirmed without evidence.

Keep intact patches of connected habitat where practicable, particularly around minor drainage lines and granite outcrops.

Breeding timing: No reliable breeding months are established.

Reproductive details: Clutch size, incubation and age at maturity are not established.

  • Undisturbed litter and soil beneath grass clumps.
  • Cracks in clay soils and spaces beneath rocks or bark.
  • Sheltered ground near drainage line vegetation.
  • Stable areas away from regularly trafficked vehicle routes.

Breeding habitat: Clearing guidance

A P4 listing supports a precautionary approach where suitable habitat is present. Before clearing, inspect ground refuges and plan works to retain drainage line vegetation, outcrops and connected habitat where possible.

If a gravid animal, eggs or a suspected breeding site is found, stop work in the immediate area and obtain advice from the project ecologist and the relevant fauna authority before proceeding.

Management level: Priority 4, monitor and manage risks where suitable habitat may be affected.

  • Use a fauna spotter catcher during high-risk clearing or habitat removal.
  • Do not disturb suspected eggs or breeding refuges without approval and a documented response procedure.
  • Record and report breeding evidence separately from general species sightings.

Sheltering habitat: Potential refuges

The species uses ground-level shelter, but its preferred shelter sites have not been fully described. Rocky features, drainage line cover and loose materials should be treated as potential refuges during site works.

Look beneath rocks, loose bark, logs, leaf litter, grass clumps and disused building materials. Small exposed granite outcrops in minor drainage lines may provide shelter as well as foraging areas.

Shelter is likely to be most valuable where it occurs within stable, connected habitat. Retain natural cover wherever the work footprint allows.

Roosting: Roosting is not applicable as a specialised habitat category for this terrestrial skink. No specific night shelter has been confirmed.

  • Granite outcrops and rock piles.
  • Loose rocks, logs and bark.
  • Spinifex and tussock bases.
  • Leaf litter, soil cracks, rubble and tin piles.

Sheltering habitat: During clearing and construction

Inspect and progressively clear ground refuges under fauna spotter catcher supervision. Move materials carefully and replace natural cover after inspection where safe and practicable.

Avoid pushing rocks, logs and debris into drainage lines. Keep stockpiles, access tracks and laydown areas out of retained habitat where possible.

Release: Release any captured animal into suitable nearby habitat approved by the project ecologist, following the project's fauna handling procedure.

  • Check old sheds, rubble and tin piles before removal.
  • Keep machinery and vehicles out of minor drainage lines unless authorised and unavoidable.
  • Use temporary exclusion or no-go areas around confirmed habitat features when they can be retained.

Threats: Clearing and habitat loss

Specific threats to the Lined Soil-crevice Skink are not well documented. Development risks are most likely to arise where clearing, altered drainage, vehicle movement or the removal of ground refuges affects suitable Pilbara habitat.

Direct clearing can remove spinifex, tussock grassland, leaf litter, soil cracks, rocky features and minor drainage line habitat. Individual skinks may also be killed during vegetation removal, grading and excavation.

The species is patchily distributed, so small habitat losses may matter where they remove a locally stable patch or break a connection between plains, drainage lines and hills.

Listing context: DBCA Priority 4 indicates a species needing monitoring and precautionary management, although it is not listed as threatened under the EPBC Act or WA Biodiversity Conservation Act in the referenced assessments.

  • Avoid unnecessary clearing of minor drainage lines and exposed granite outcrops.
  • Use existing disturbed areas for access, laydown and stockpiles where practicable.
  • Clearly mark retained habitat before machinery enters the site.

Threats: Hydrology and erosion

Roads, culverts, drainage works and altered runoff can change sheet flow and degrade habitat on cracking-clay plains and in minor drainage lines.

Maintain natural drainage patterns where possible. Design crossings and erosion controls so that vegetated corridors remain connected.

Sensitive habitat feature: Minor drainage lines can function as critical habitat and movement corridors in open, exposed plains.

  • Keep cleared widths as small as practicable.
  • Prevent sediment, spoil and contaminated runoff from entering retained drainage line habitat.
  • Inspect drainage controls after major rainfall and repair failures promptly.

Threats: Vehicles and construction activity

Vehicle traffic can kill animals on access roads and compact or disturb ground refuges. Construction activity can also remove rocks, logs, litter and disused materials that provide shelter.

Use site inductions, low-speed controls and fauna procedures in areas with suitable habitat or confirmed records.

Monitoring: Record sightings, injuries, mortalities and habitat disturbance, and review controls if records increase during construction.

  • Apply speed controls on unsealed access tracks through suitable habitat.
  • Check work areas before grading, trenching and material removal.
  • Keep night lighting and unnecessary vehicle movements away from retained habitat.

Threats: Land management pressures

Pastoral use, grazing, mesquite infestation, fire history and previous infrastructure disturbance occur across parts of the Pilbara. These pressures are not confirmed as species-specific threats, but they can reduce ground cover or alter habitat condition.

Manage weeds, fire and grazing effects in retained habitat according to the broader project environmental management plan. Avoid broad-scale disturbance where the species has been recorded or suitable habitat remains.

Survey response: Where suitable habitat will be cleared, undertake targeted diurnal searches and document the survey conditions, effort and outcome.

  • Retain native spinifex and tussock cover where safe and practicable.
  • Control invasive plants without damaging drainage line habitat.
  • Use fire planning that considers the patchy distribution and limited ecological knowledge of the species.

Survey methodology: 1. Desktop assessment

The Lined Soil-crevice Skink is a small, diurnal skink of the Pilbara. It is patchily distributed and poorly known, so surveys should cover likely habitat and use careful searches of ground refuges, drainage lines and rocky features.

Map minor drainage lines, creek and river margins, cracking clay plains, stony soils, rocky plains, exposed granite outcrops and spinifex, hummock or tussock grasslands.

Check NatureMap, DBCA records, previous project reports and recent fire, clearing, grazing and weed information. Treat nearby records as relevant because the species has been recorded within 2 km and within 20 km of survey areas in the Pilbara.

Identify habitat corridors along drainage lines and any proposed clearing that could interrupt movement between coastal plains and surrounding hills.

Known range: Near coastal and arid areas of the Pilbara, Western Australia

Western Australian listing: DBCA Priority 4

Typical size: Up to 220 mm total length

  • Record known and potential habitat on project plans.
  • Flag old sheds, tin piles, rock piles, logs, bark and other ground refuges for inspection.
  • Use the most recent records available when setting survey priorities.

Survey methodology: 2. Active searches

Search during daylight when skinks are likely to be active. Walk slowly through suitable habitat and inspect the edges of drainage lines, spinifex clumps, tussock grass, cracking clays, stony ground and granite outcrops.

Carefully turn over loose rocks, bark, logs, leaf litter and other ground debris. Search around disused buildings, tin piles and other infrastructure where shelter may be available.

Use repeated searches where habitat is extensive or patchy. Past surveys have used 15 to 60 minutes at a site, with broader projects applying substantially more effort across many sites.

Recorded survey periods: March, May, June, July, August and September

Useful conditions: Mild daylight conditions with sufficient surface activity and no heavy rain or strong disturbance

  • Search both open ground and sheltered microhabitats.
  • Replace rocks, logs and debris after inspection.
  • Avoid damaging soil crusts, drainage features and refuge sites.
  • Give priority to spring and autumn daylight surveys, while considering additional surveys where weather or project risk warrants them.

Survey methodology: 3. Detection and identification

Look for the pale coppery-brown body, bold black vertebral and dorsal stripes, broad black upper lateral stripes, white mid-lateral stripes and narrow dark ventrolateral stripe.

Take clear photographs from above and from the side where this can be done without handling. Do not rely on a photograph alone where identification is uncertain. Seek confirmation from an experienced herpetologist or DBCA adviser.

The species has no stated species-specific trap or detection protocol. Pitfall trapping, funnel trapping or other methods should only be used under an approved survey design and animal ethics or permit arrangements.

  • Record the observer and identification confidence.
  • Record direct sightings, captures, tracks, sloughs and other evidence separately.
  • Record whether the animal was active, sheltering or found beneath a refuge.
  • Do not use cameras or bat detectors as substitutes for targeted reptile searches.

Survey methodology: 4. Field records

Record each observation with a GPS location, date, time, observer, habitat description and search effort. Link records to the proposed clearing footprint and the nearest drainage line, rocky feature or other refuge.

Photograph the animal and the surrounding microhabitat where practical. Record whether the site is within the disturbance area, an exclusion area or a proposed relocation area.

  • Map all records and areas searched.
  • Record weather, recent rain, fire history, grazing, weeds and obvious disturbance.
  • Record the number of people searching and the time spent at each site.
  • Document all handling, relocation, injury, mortality and release events.

Before habitat disturbance: 1. Desktop assessment and approvals

Plan around habitat rather than relying only on animal sightings. The Priority 4 listing reflects the species’ restricted Pilbara distribution, limited ecological knowledge and need for monitoring.

Confirm the project’s legal obligations before clearing. A Western Australian Priority 4 listing is a DBCA conservation category, not an automatic threatened species approval trigger, but project conditions, land tenure and other approvals may still apply.

Check whether the action could affect any EPBC Act listed matter. Seek an EPBC referral decision where the project may have a significant impact on a listed threatened species or another protected matter. The Lined Soil-crevice Skink is not identified as EPBC listed in the project records.

For projects in Queensland, confirm the current state listing and whether a Species Management Program is required before tampering with a breeding place. This species is recorded from Western Australia, so Queensland requirements should only be applied if the species is lawfully identified there or the project has another relevant listed animal.

Check state wildlife permits, scientific licences, animal ethics approvals and land manager permissions before capture, handling, relocation or trapping. Obtain DBCA advice for Western Australian projects where proposed works may affect records or suitable habitat.

Western Australian status: Priority 4, a non statutory DBCA category for rare and near threatened species that need monitoring

EPBC status in project records: Not listed as threatened

BC Act status in project records: Not listed as threatened

  • Keep approvals and permit conditions with the environmental control plan.
  • Confirm whether clearing approval conditions identify drainage lines, rocky habitat or fauna management areas.
  • Do not assume that a Priority 4 listing removes the need for site specific assessment.
  • Escalate uncertain identification or a new population record to the project ecologist and DBCA.

Before habitat disturbance: 2. Avoidance and habitat protection

Avoid clearing minor drainage lines, creek and river margins, cracking clay plains, stony plains, rocky outcrops and connected spinifex or tussock grassland wherever practicable.

Retain habitat corridors and prevent unnecessary vehicle access, laydown areas, spoil placement and drainage changes in retained habitat. Do not nominate a standard species buffer where no approved buffer exists. Set project specific exclusion areas around mapped habitat and confirmed records with advice from the ecologist and regulator.

Maintain natural sheet flow and drainage patterns. Prevent sediment, erosion, dust, weeds and contaminated runoff from entering retained habitat.

  • Fence or clearly mark no go areas before machinery arrives.
  • Keep access tracks and work areas within approved footprints.
  • Use hygiene controls to reduce weed spread.
  • Review exclusion areas after each pre-clearance search.

Before habitat disturbance: 3. Pre-clearance survey

Complete a targeted daylight search shortly before clearing. Focus on drainage lines, rocky plains, granite outcrops, cracking clays, spinifex and tussock grasslands, and all ground refuges that will be disturbed.

Search sheds, tin piles, logs, bark, leaf litter, loose rocks and other disused materials. Use a staged search so habitat is inspected before machinery moves into each work area.

Where the species is detected, stop the relevant work area and obtain advice on exclusion, hand capture or other approved action. Do not move an animal or destroy a refuge solely because it has been searched.

  • Mark each searched area on a plan.
  • Record the search date, weather, personnel, effort and result.
  • Repeat the search if the original search was interrupted, conditions were unsuitable or clearing has been delayed.
  • Brief the spotter catcher on the identification features and likely habitat.

Before habitat disturbance: 4. Timing, exclusion and induction

No breeding season or migration period has been established for this skink. Schedule works for periods that allow effective daylight searches and avoid clearing during conditions that reduce detection, such as heavy rain, extreme heat or poor visibility.

Set exclusion zones around confirmed animals, occupied refuges and retained habitat until the ecologist confirms the area is clear or an approved management action is complete.

Induct all workers on the species’ appearance, habitat, no go areas, speed restrictions, reporting requirements and the authority of the spotter catcher to stop work.

  • Use signs, bunting and GPS boundaries to show exclusions.
  • Keep machinery and vehicles out of drainage lines and rocky refuge areas unless approved.
  • Provide a simple photograph based identification sheet at site offices and in supervisor vehicles.
  • Include the injured animal and unexpected fauna procedure in the induction.

During habitat disturbance: 1. Sequential clearing

Clear in a controlled sequence from low risk areas towards retained habitat, with a qualified spotter catcher present where required by the approval or management plan. Stop work whenever an animal, shelter site or unexpected habitat feature needs assessment.

Clear in small, manageable stages after the pre-clearance inspection. Start at the edge of the approved footprint and work towards retained habitat so mobile animals have an opportunity to move away.

Remove loose materials, logs, bark and other refuges under supervision before earthworks disturb them. Inspect each item before it is moved, and place it safely aside until cleared by the spotter catcher.

Keep machinery out of marked exclusion areas and avoid crushing drainage line edges, granite outcrops and intact ground refuges.

  • Use low speed and good visibility during habitat removal.
  • Keep a clear line of communication between the operator, supervisor and spotter catcher.
  • Stop if the work front moves beyond the area searched.
  • Maintain daily maps showing cleared and uncleared areas.

During habitat disturbance: 2. Spotter catcher authority and animal handling

Give the authorised spotter catcher authority to stop work immediately. Handling should be limited to people who hold the required approvals, permits, training and experience.

Do not chase, pick up or expose a skink unnecessarily. If capture is required, use an appropriate clean container and keep the animal shaded and cool for the shortest practical time. Follow the project fauna handling plan and veterinary advice.

Release or relocate an animal only at an approved site with suitable shelter and habitat. Record the exact action and location.

  • Never handle an animal by the tail.
  • Do not place reptiles in direct sun, hot vehicles or unventilated containers.
  • Do not relocate animals across roads, into unsuitable cleared habitat or outside the approved area.
  • Seek specialist advice if identification is uncertain.

During habitat disturbance: 3. Active breeding places, refuges or aggregations

Breeding places for this species have not been defined. If eggs, juveniles, an occupied refuge, an unusual concentration of skinks or a suspected breeding site is found, stop work in that area and protect it from disturbance.

Treat any confirmed breeding place as an active site until the project ecologist and regulator or approving authority determine the appropriate action. Do not excavate, fill, dismantle or relocate the feature without approval.

The species is not known to form colonies or roosts. If an apparent aggregation is found, manage it conservatively as a significant local population until assessed.

  • Establish a temporary exclusion zone.
  • Photograph and map the feature without disturbing it.
  • Contact the project ecologist and follow approval conditions.
  • Record the decision, names of advisers and time work resumed.

During habitat disturbance: 4. Injured, dead or unexpected animals

For an injured skink, stop nearby work, keep people and pets away, and place the animal in a secure ventilated container only if the authorised handler considers this safe. Contact the nominated wildlife carer, veterinarian or fauna specialist.

For a dead animal, do not discard it. Photograph it, record the location and retain the specimen only under an approved procedure.

Report any new record outside the known project footprint to the project ecologist. Review whether the clearing boundary or controls need to change.

  • Record the animal’s condition, location, likely cause and action taken.
  • Use the project emergency contact list.
  • Do not provide food or water unless directed by a wildlife professional.
  • Notify the supervisor before work restarts.

After habitat disturbance: 1. Post-clearance checks

Close out each work area with a documented inspection and a clear fauna outcome. Use the results to improve controls before the next clearing stage.

Inspect the cleared footprint, stockpiles, access tracks and exclusion boundaries after machinery has left. Check for trapped, injured or overlooked animals beneath materials and around drainage features.

Confirm that no spoil, waste, sediment or vehicle tracks have entered retained habitat. Check that fences, signs and fauna crossings or escape routes remain effective where they have been installed.

  • Complete the check before the area is handed to construction.
  • Search shaded edges, material piles and disturbed ground where animals may shelter.
  • Record the date, personnel, area checked and result.
  • Escalate any animal or habitat issue immediately.

After habitat disturbance: 2. Reporting and compliance

Prepare a clearing record for each stage. Include maps, photographs, survey effort, records, captures, relocations, injuries, deaths, breaches, weather and the name of the responsible personnel.

Report incidents in accordance with approval conditions, permit conditions and the project environmental management plan. New or significant records should be provided to the project ecologist and relevant Western Australian authority.

  • Maintain a central fauna register.
  • Retain GPS coordinates for all observations and release sites.
  • Report unauthorised clearing, exclusion breaches and mortality through the project incident system.
  • Keep records available for audits and future survey planning.

After habitat disturbance: 3. Relocated animals and release sites

Check approved release sites after relocation for suitable cover, connected habitat and low immediate disturbance risk. Do not release an animal into an area that will shortly be cleared or into isolated unsuitable habitat.

Record the release location, time, animal condition, handler and any identification mark used under the approved plan. Do not mark animals unless the method has been authorised.

  • Avoid release beside active roads or machinery routes.
  • Use existing shelter such as intact vegetation, rocks or other suitable cover where approved.
  • Do not assume relocation has established a viable population.
  • Report repeated movements, mortality or animals returning to the work area.

After habitat disturbance: 4. Monitoring and incident review

Review all fauna records and incidents after each clearing stage. Reassess the risk where animals are repeatedly found, where habitat differs from the desktop mapping or where controls fail.

Monitoring should be scaled to the disturbance and the quality of retained habitat. Priority 4 status supports monitoring of records, habitat condition and unexpected impacts, even where no species specific monitoring program has been imposed.

  • Compare searched, cleared and retained habitat areas.
  • Inspect retained drainage lines and rocky features for damage after major rain or construction events.
  • Update the site induction and clearing method when incidents occur.
  • Provide a completion report when all clearing and fauna commitments are closed.

Rehabilitation actions: 1. Habitat restoration

Rehabilitation should restore connected Pilbara habitat rather than create isolated landscaped areas. The species uses a range of open habitats, drainage line margins and ground refuges, but its breeding requirements are poorly known.

Reinstate natural landform, drainage patterns and surface flow in disturbed areas. Restore minor drainage lines, cracking clay plains, stony ground, rocky margins and native spinifex, hummock or tussock grassland where these habitats were removed.

Retain and replace suitable ground cover, rocks, coarse woody material and other natural refuges where safe and consistent with the rehabilitation design. Use local provenance native material where practicable.

Connect rehabilitation areas with retained habitat and avoid creating barriers such as steep erosion controls, unnecessary fences or broad bare vehicle corridors.

  • Stabilise soil without burying natural drainage features.
  • Use locally appropriate native species and natural surface materials.
  • Protect rehabilitated areas from vehicles, grazing and repeated disturbance.
  • Map rehabilitation units and their connection to retained habitat.

Rehabilitation actions: 2. Replacement breeding and shelter structures

Specific breeding places for the Lined Soil-crevice Skink are not established. Do not install nest boxes, bat boxes, artificial nests or roost structures as a default measure, because these structures are designed for other fauna groups and may not suit this skink.

Where shelter replacement is justified by the project ecologist, prioritise naturalistic features such as retained rocks, shallow crevices, coarse woody debris and native ground cover. Design, place and monitor these features under an approved habitat restoration plan.

  • Do not use bird nest boxes or bat boxes as substitutes for skink habitat.
  • Avoid creating deep pits, entrapment points or hot metal refuges.
  • Record the location and design of any artificial shelter.
  • Remove structures that create hazards or are not being used, subject to approval conditions.

Rehabilitation actions: 3. Weeds, fire and water management

Control weeds in rehabilitation areas and along drainage corridors before they displace native grassland or alter shelter conditions. Use hygiene controls on machinery entering retained or rehabilitated habitat.

Manage erosion and runoff so that water quality, soil structure and natural drainage are maintained. Avoid permanent artificial water points unless they are part of an approved design, as they may attract predators, livestock or pest species.

Coordinate fire planning with the land manager. Retain a mosaic of suitable vegetation and avoid unnecessary loss of mature, stable habitat.

  • Inspect for weeds after wet seasons and construction disturbance.
  • Keep washdown water and sediment out of natural drainage lines.
  • Remove construction waste and temporary materials promptly.
  • Record fire, grazing, weed and erosion impacts during monitoring.

Rehabilitation actions: 4. Lighting and construction finish

Limit artificial lighting near retained drainage lines, rocky habitat and rehabilitation areas. Use only the lighting needed for safety and direct it away from habitat.

Reduce night traffic and unnecessary vehicle movement through retained areas. Design permanent roads, drains and fences to minimise fragmentation and fauna entrapment.

  • Use downward directed, shielded lights.
  • Avoid lighting habitat edges where practical.
  • Inspect drains, pits and culverts for trapped fauna.
  • Provide escape features or cover where the ecologist identifies an entrapment risk.

Rehabilitation actions: 5. Long term monitoring

Monitor rehabilitation for establishment of native ground cover, weed invasion, erosion, drainage function, refuge availability and connectivity. Include targeted daylight searches where the project risk, habitat loss or approval conditions warrant them.

Use the same mapped sites and recording methods across monitoring visits so changes can be compared. Treat new records as useful evidence of habitat use, but do not infer successful population establishment from a single observation.

  • Set monitoring frequency and duration in the rehabilitation management plan.
  • Include retained reference sites where available.
  • Record skink sightings, signs, habitat condition and threats together.
  • Adapt rehabilitation methods if drainage lines, rocky refuges or native grasslands are not recovering.

Sources