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Saltbush Slender Bluetongue (Cyclodomorphus venustus)

The Saltbush Slender Bluetongue is a small, semi-fossorial skink of arid and semi-arid inland Australia. It occurs in shrublands, saltbush flats and stony or clay soils near ephemeral waterways, so clearing, soil disturbance, removal of ground cover and changes to drainage can affect occupied habitat on development sites.

Conservation status

New South Wales, Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016: Endangered.

Breeding season

The species is live-bearing, but the documents do not record months for mating, pregnancy, births, juvenile emergence or seasonal activity. Treat suitable shelter as potentially occupied in every month, and confirm local conditions before clearing.

Reproductive mode: Live-bearing, or viviparous.

Litter size: 2 to 4 young reported.

Gestation: Not recorded.

Size at hatching or birth: 40 mm snout to vent is reported for a hatchling or juvenile, but birth size is not recorded separately.

Age at maturity: Not recorded.

Nest or egg sites: Not applicable to a live-bearing species. Specific birth sites are not recorded.

Breeding frequency: Not recorded.

Confirm timing locally using rainfall, temperature and targeted survey results, because the available species records do not establish seasonal triggers or a breeding calendar.

  • Mating: Mating months are not recorded. Treat mating as possible in any month because no seasonal restriction is documented.
  • Gravid females: The timing of pregnancy and gestation length are not recorded. Gravid females may therefore be present in any month where suitable habitat is occupied.
  • Births: Birth months are not recorded for this live-bearing species. The reported litter size is 2 to 4 young, but no peak birth period can be assigned.
  • Newborns: The period when newborns emerge or are most abundant is not recorded. Plan for possible young in any month, particularly where litter, shrubs or deep ground cracks are present.
  • Active period: The species is described as nocturnal and crepuscular, but no active season or monthly pattern is recorded. Do not assume that daytime clearing will avoid animals sheltering beneath litter or in cracks.
  • Winter inactivity: No brumation or winter inactivity months are recorded. May to August is a general temperate reptile planning window for animals sheltering in soil, litter or vegetation, not a species-specific seasonal record.
  • Highest clearing risk: Clearing risk is year round because breeding timing is unknown and the species shelters under leaf litter and probably in deep ground cracks. Apply pre-clearance controls in every month where suitable shrub cover, grassy understorey, heavy clay or ephemeral drainage habitat occurs.

Identification

The Saltbush Slender Bluetongue is a small, cryptic skink that is often associated with dense low vegetation and soil cracks. It may be missed during daytime searches because it shelters under litter or below the soil surface.

Adults are light grey, grey-brown or pink-brown above, with darker patches on the sides of the neck. The underside is cream to yellow, and the irises are bright orange.

The species has short limbs and a slender body. Reported adult size varies between sources, from about 100 mm generally to approximately 160 to 180 mm total length.

Upper colour: Light grey to grey-brown or pink-brown.

Ventral colour: Cream to yellow.

Eyes: Bright orange irises.

Limbs: Short.

Identification: Size and weight

The NSW listing records individuals at approximately 160 to 180 mm total length. Another dataset reports a greatest recorded snout to vent length of 101.5 mm, so the measurement basis should be checked when comparing field records.

Hatchlings are reported at about 40 mm snout to vent length and 1.19 g. A calculated maximum body mass of 22.29 g is also reported, but it was estimated from body length rather than measured directly.

Reported general length: About 100 mm.

Reported total length: Approximately 160 to 180 mm.

Greatest reported snout to vent length: 101.5 mm.

Hatchling length: About 40 mm snout to vent length.

Hatchling mass: 1.19 g.

Identification: Field confirmation

The supplied sources do not provide a reliable comparison table with other Cyclodomorphus species or other small skinks. Do not confirm the species from colour alone, particularly where the animal is seen briefly, partly concealed or at night.

Record the exact location, photographs from above and below where safe, body measurements, habitat, soil type, nearby drainage features and any diagnostic characters visible to the observer. Seek confirmation from an experienced reptile ecologist or museum specialist where the record could affect clearing controls.

  • Treat a small, short-limbed skink found in saltbush, samphire, shrub cover or cracking clay near an ephemeral waterway as a potential Saltbush Slender Bluetongue until identification is resolved.
  • Search under natural litter and around soil cracks only under an approved fauna handling and animal welfare procedure.
  • Do not rely on tracks, scats, calls, sloughs, nests or eyeshine for identification. The supplied sources do not describe diagnostic signs for these features.

Distribution: States and bioregions

The species is endemic to inland eastern Australia and has a patchy, fragmented distribution. It is recorded from South Australia, south-western Queensland and north-western New South Wales.

The known range extends from the western half of South Australia through south-western Queensland to the north-western corner of New South Wales.

The supplied sources identify three main bioregions: the Stony Plains, Flinders Lofty Block and Channel Country.

  • South Australia: records extend through inland areas, including the Stony Plains and Flinders Lofty Block regions.
  • Queensland: records extend into south-western Queensland and the Channel Country.
  • New South Wales: records are concentrated in the north-west, with records from Sturt National Park.

Distribution: Known strongholds and subpopulations

In New South Wales, the species is known from only three locations, all within Sturt National Park. The NSW population size is not known.

The distribution is described as patchy and fragmented. Small isolated subpopulations may be vulnerable to local loss after stochastic events such as floods.

Known NSW locations in the listing: Three, all within Sturt National Park.

Known NSW population size: Not known.

South Australian records in the supplied regional dataset: 42 records in South Australia, including 36 in the Outback region. These are records, not an estimate of population size.

Population trend: Not established in the supplied sources. A separate summary reports the global trend as stable, but this should not be treated as a project-area trend.

Habitat: Habitat types

Saltbush Slender Bluetongues use dry inland habitats where low shrubs, ground litter and soil cracks provide cover. Records are strongly associated with heavy or cracking soils and ephemeral drainage features.

The species occurs in arid and dry tropical to subtropical shrublands, including saltbush flats, samphire flats, stony plains and sandy areas. It is also associated with grassy understorey and shrub cover near ephemeral waterways.

NSW records are from brown to grey cracking soils close to ephemeral waterways. Habitat constraints are otherwise not well defined.

  • Retain saltbush, samphire and other low shrub cover within and beside areas proposed for clearing.
  • Treat brown or grey cracking clay near ephemeral drainage lines as potential habitat.
  • Inspect stony plains, heavy clay flats and sandy shrublands where ground cover and litter remain intact.

Habitat: Structure and climate

Useful habitat structure includes dense low shrubbery, grassy understorey, leaf litter and deep soil cracks. These features provide daytime shelter and may also support prey.

The species occurs in hot, dry inland environments. The supplied sources do not provide confirmed minimum or maximum elevations, climate thresholds or a defined vegetation association.

Soils: Heavy clay, including brown to grey cracking soils; also stony plains and sands.

Water features: Close association with ephemeral waterways and, in some accounts, dry creek lines.

Elevation limits: Not reported in the supplied sources.

Foraging habitat: Diet

The species is a cryptic, sit-and-wait predator that forages in or beside shrub cover. Its food resources are linked to low vegetation, litter and the invertebrate community supported by these features.

The species is described as insectivorous or carnivorous, taking small invertebrates and, according to the NSW listing source, skinks. Another account describes flowers, fleshy leaves and fruit as additional foods.

The available information does not provide a quantified diet, prey frequency, seasonal food requirement or confirmed key prey species.

  • Retain shrub cover, litter and grassy understorey that support small invertebrates.
  • Avoid broad soil stripping across saltbush flats and cracking clay, as this removes both shelter and likely prey habitat.
  • Record any observed feeding, prey remains or foraging locations separately from shelter records.

Foraging habitat: Foraging locations and method

The species is reported to forage in the shelter of shrubbery and to use an ambush or sit-and-wait hunting strategy. Activity is reported as nocturnal and crepuscular, although the supplied sources do not define a consistent active period across the range.

No foraging range, home range, density or daily movement distance has been reported.

  • Survey shrub margins, litter pockets, grass bases and the edges of soil cracks during suitable low-light periods where permitted.
  • Keep machinery and vehicle movements out of intact shrub patches and drainage margins until the area has been checked and cleared under the project fauna procedure.

Breeding habitat: Breeding biology

Breeding information is limited. The species is reported to give birth to live young, but the timing of mating, birth and maturity is not specified in the supplied sources.

The species is viviparous. A clutch or litter of 2 to 4 young is reported, although one supplied source uses the term eggs for this value. For field planning, treat this as an estimate of reproductive output rather than evidence of eggs being laid in a nest.

The supplied sources do not identify an age at maturity, gestation length, lifespan or defined breeding season.

Reproduction: Viviparous, with live young.

Young per reproductive event: 2 to 4 reported.

Breeding season: Not reported.

Gestation: Not reported.

Age at maturity: Not reported.

Lifespan: Not reported.

Breeding habitat: Breeding habitat features

Breeding habitat is expected to overlap with the species' general shelter habitat because the species is semi-fossorial and shelters under litter and probably in deep ground cracks. Specific birth sites have not been described.

Retain connected shrub cover, litter, grassy understorey, cracking soils and nearby ephemeral drainage features. Avoid compacting or filling cracks and avoid removing cover before fauna checks are complete.

  • Treat occupied shelter habitat as potential breeding habitat even when no nest or young are visible.
  • Do not excavate, grade or infill deep cracks, litter banks or shrub bases without applying the approved fauna management procedure.
  • If a live individual or young is found, stop work locally and obtain advice from the project ecologist before disturbance resumes.

Sheltering habitat: Known refuges

The Saltbush Slender Bluetongue is cryptic and semi-fossorial. Shelter is provided by vegetation, litter and soil features rather than by large hollows or tree cavities.

The species shelters under leaf litter and probably in deep cracks in the ground. Shrubbery provides cover during the day and may conceal the animal from predators.

Records are associated with saltbush and other shrub cover, grassy understorey, heavy clay and ephemeral waterways.

Burrows or cracks: Deep ground cracks are considered probable shelter sites.

Litter: Leaf litter is a documented shelter feature.

Refuge dimensions: No shelter, crack or burrow dimensions are reported.

  • Inspect litter layers beneath shrubs and around grass bases using low-impact methods.
  • Inspect the margins and entrances of deep cracks without collapsing or filling them.
  • Retain intact shrub patches and litter around ephemeral waterways during clearing and construction.

Sheltering habitat: Site controls

Because shelter sites are small and cryptic, broad clearing can remove habitat without leaving an obvious sign. Keep disturbance footprints as narrow as practicable and retain uncleared refuge patches where the species may occur.

The supplied sources do not report use of tree hollows, rock overhangs, constructed nests, communal dens or specific shelter temperatures.

  • Use spotter catcher supervision where suitable habitat is being cleared.
  • Stage clearing towards retained habitat so animals have an opportunity to move away from machinery, where this is consistent with the approved method.
  • Do not rake, burn or stockpile natural litter and shrub debris within retained habitat unless the management plan specifically allows it.

Threats: Clearing and fragmentation

The main project risks are removal and fragmentation of shrub and ground-cover habitat, disturbance of cracking soils, and changes to ephemeral drainage. Small isolated populations are particularly vulnerable to local loss.

Land clearing, agricultural development, habitat degradation and fragmentation reduce available habitat, particularly outside protected areas in New South Wales.

Clearing can remove shrub cover, litter, grassy understorey and soil cracks at the same time. Fragmented habitat may also isolate small subpopulations.

  • Avoid clearing saltbush or samphire flats, cracking clay and shrub margins near ephemeral waterways where practicable.
  • Mark retained habitat and exclude it from access tracks, laydown areas, spoil storage and vehicle turnarounds.
  • Use a pre-clearance inspection and staged clearing procedure in potential habitat.

Threats: Soil, hydrology and fire

Earthworks, compaction, trenching and excavation may destroy deep cracks and litter refuges. Changes to drainage may alter ephemeral waterways and the vegetation that provides shelter and food.

Drought reduces plant density and food access. The supplied sources do not provide a species-specific fire response, fire interval or fire season, so fire impacts should be assessed through the effect on shrub cover, litter and soil structure.

  • Keep drainage, culvert and crossing works outside occupied or potentially occupied shelter areas where practicable.
  • Prevent unnecessary compaction and avoid filling or collapsing cracking soils.
  • Avoid broad burning or removal of litter in retained habitat unless required by an approved safety or ecological management measure.

Threats: Predators and other pressures

Predation by foxes and cats is identified as a threat, including in New South Wales, South Australia and Queensland. Heavy grazing and trampling by domestic stock, rabbits, feral goats and feral pigs can reduce food resources and ground cover.

Small isolated populations may be lost after extreme events such as floods. The supplied sources do not identify a disease threat for this species.

Disease: No species-specific disease threat is identified in the supplied sources.

Extreme events: Floods may cause local loss in isolated subpopulations.

  • Control waste, food and shelter features around worksites that could attract feral predators.
  • Prevent stock and vehicle access to retained shrub and litter habitat where practicable.
  • Record flood damage, predator activity and grazing pressure as part of post-construction monitoring.

Survey methodology: 1. Habitat assessment and targeted searches

Cyclodomorphus venustus is a cryptic, semi-fossorial skink of arid and dry shrubland habitats. It has a patchy distribution and may be under-recorded, so surveys should target shelter sites, cracking soils and ephemeral drainage lines rather than relying on broad habitat inspection alone.

Map brown to grey cracking soils, stony plains, saltbush flats, samphire flats, heavy clay areas, shrub cover, litter and ephemeral waterways before selecting survey locations.

Search beneath suitable litter and low shrub cover, and inspect deep ground cracks and other likely shelter sites carefully because the species is semi-fossorial and cryptic.

Record the extent and condition of suitable habitat, including connections between retained patches and nearby drainage lines.

Recorded length: Approximately 160 to 180 mm total length in the NSW determination, with a greatest recorded snout to vent length of 101.5 mm in the supplied trait dataset.

South Australian records: The supplied South Australian assessment records 42 animals in South Australia, including 36 in the Outback Region.

Survey methodology: 2. Diurnal refuge searches

Undertake systematic searches in suitable saltbush, shrub and stony habitat during daylight, checking litter, the edges of cracking soils and ground cracks without collapsing shelter sites.

Give priority to habitat close to ephemeral waterways, where all NSW records were associated with brown to grey cracking soils and nearby waterways.

Use a consistent search path and record the searched area, start and finish times, weather, soil type, vegetation cover, shelter features and all observations.

  • Replace or reinstate any moved litter, rocks or other shelter material immediately after inspection where this can be done safely.
  • Do not excavate cracks or dismantle shelter features during a standard fauna survey unless the approved survey method and animal welfare controls allow it.

Survey methodology: 3. Nocturnal and crepuscular searches

Conduct targeted searches during the early morning, evening and night because the species has been described as nocturnal, crepuscular and most active during the cooler parts of the day.

Use a head torch or spotlight to scan the ground, shrub bases, litter and the edges of ephemeral drainage lines for active animals and eye shine.

Plan searches around suitable weather and recent rainfall where practicable, because rainfall affects shrub density and the food and shelter available to the species.

  • Record the number of observers, search duration, route length or area covered, weather, recent rainfall, moon conditions and the number of animals detected.
  • Do not treat a negative result as evidence that the species is absent from suitable habitat, particularly where survey coverage is limited or conditions are dry.

Survey methodology: 4. Minimum effort and reporting

The supplied documents do not include a species-specific survey guideline with prescribed nights, hours, transect lengths, trap nights or survey area. Set effort through the relevant state survey guidance, project risk assessment and the extent of suitable habitat to be disturbed.

Use additional targeted effort where habitat is patchy, access is limited, records are old or the initial survey is conducted in dry conditions.

Obtain approval before using pitfall traps, funnel traps, tile grids or other capture methods, and use only appropriately trained personnel with animal welfare controls.

  • Document the survey design, dates, times, weather, recent rainfall, observers, methods, effort, searched area, habitat condition, photographs and detection or non-detection results.
  • Submit verified records, including precise coordinates and supporting photographs where available, to the relevant state wildlife database and the Atlas of Living Australia where appropriate.
  • Report any record to the project environmental manager and confirm whether the observation changes the approval, clearing or fauna management requirements.

Before habitat disturbance: Avoid and minimise

Plan the project around the species' shelter and foraging habitat. The most defensible approach is to retain connected patches of shrub cover, cracking soils, litter and ephemeral drainage habitat, then stage any unavoidable disturbance under a fauna management plan.

Retain saltbush and other native shrub cover, litter, cracking soils, stony ground and ephemeral waterways wherever practicable.

Avoid clearing isolated habitat patches and maintain connections between retained shrub and drainage-line habitat because the species has a patchy, fragmented distribution and isolated sub-populations may be vulnerable to local extinction.

Keep disturbance away from brown to grey cracking soils and nearby ephemeral waterways where practicable, as these features are associated with known records.

  • Avoid unnecessary grading, compaction, trenching, stockpiling and vehicle access across retained shelter habitat.
  • Do not remove litter, rocks or shrubs from retained areas unless this is authorised under the project approval and fauna plan.

Before habitat disturbance: Approvals and project planning

Confirm the current EPBC Act status before works begin. The supplied project information states that the species is not listed under the EPBC Act, but the approval position must be checked against the current Commonwealth species list and the proposed action.

Obtain and comply with the relevant state approval, threatened species licence and fauna handling requirements. The species is listed as endangered in New South Wales.

Prepare a fauna management plan that identifies suitable habitat, survey results, clearing limits, spotter catcher roles, animal handling arrangements, stop-work triggers, reporting and rehabilitation.

NSW status: Endangered under the NSW listing supplied with the profile.

EPBC status: Not listed under the EPBC Act in the supplied project information.

  • Engage the relevant state environment agency before works if the project is in New South Wales or if a state-listed population may be affected.
  • Confirm who is authorised to capture, handle, temporarily hold and release native reptiles on the project.
  • Include the species and its habitat in the site induction and clearing permit system.

Before habitat disturbance: Site preparation

Complete a pre-clearance survey of all proposed disturbance areas and access routes, with extra attention to shrub bases, litter, cracking soils, stony areas and ephemeral waterways.

Mark no-go areas, retained habitat, drainage-line buffers and any confirmed or potential shelter features before machinery arrives.

Install exclusion fencing where it can keep machinery and people out of retained habitat without trapping animals or blocking their movement.

Brief the fauna spotter catcher, supervisors and operators on the clearing sequence, inspection requirements, stop-work triggers and the location of retained habitat.

  • Remove waste, stored materials and unnecessary vehicles from retained habitat before clearing begins.
  • Schedule clearing in stages so the spotter catcher can inspect each work area and manage animals before machinery enters.

During habitat disturbance: Daily controls and machinery coordination

Use slow, staged clearing under the direct coordination of the fauna spotter catcher. The species shelters under litter and probably in deep ground cracks, so ground disturbance requires the same controls as vegetation removal.

Inspect the active work area each day before machinery starts, including shrub bases, litter, cracks, stony ground, drainage lines and recently disturbed edges.

The fauna spotter catcher should remain in clear communication with the operator and supervisor and should control the release of each work area before clearing proceeds.

Clear vegetation in stages towards retained habitat where the site layout allows, giving animals an opportunity to move away from machinery.

Use low ground speed and stop the machine immediately when the spotter catcher signals a stop.

  • Keep the spotter catcher outside the machine's danger zone while maintaining a clear view of the clearing face and ground disturbance.
  • Stop clearing during poor visibility, uncontrolled dust, flooding or any condition that prevents the spotter catcher from safely checking the work area.
  • Keep machinery, spoil, fuel, waste and access tracks out of retained habitat and ephemeral drainage lines.

During habitat disturbance: Handling habitat and animals

Inspect litter, low shrubs, surface rocks, cracking soils and deep cracks before they are disturbed, because these are likely shelter features for the species.

Handle rocks, logs and litter as little as possible and replace them in their original position when safe and consistent with the approved clearing method.

If an animal is found, stop nearby works, keep people and machinery back, and allow the authorised spotter catcher to assess and handle it.

Release an uninjured animal into nearby retained habitat that matches the capture habitat, with shrub cover, litter, suitable soil and access to shelter.

  • Do not allow untrained workers to catch, restrain, move or retain the animal.
  • Do not move the animal farther than necessary to reach safe, suitable retained habitat unless the approved fauna plan or wildlife authority directs otherwise.
  • Place an injured animal in a secure, appropriately ventilated container and transfer it promptly to a veterinarian or authorised wildlife carer.
  • Do not release an animal into cleared ground, a construction compound, an exposed road verge or habitat that is unsuitable for shelter.

During habitat disturbance: Stop-work triggers and records

Stop work in the immediate area if a Saltbush Slender Bluetongue is found, if an animal is injured, or if the spotter catcher cannot safely inspect the clearing face and ground.

Stop work if clearing enters a marked no-go area, an unassessed patch of suitable habitat, an ephemeral waterway or a previously unidentified cracking-soil or shrub habitat area.

Resume work only after the authorised fauna person has completed the inspection, managed the animal or feature, and recorded the decision.

  • Record the date, time, precise location, habitat, activity, animal condition, photographs, capture and release details, person handling the animal and final outcome.
  • Record all incidents, near misses, escaped animals, injured fauna, unexpected habitat and breaches of exclusion fencing.
  • Notify the environmental manager and relevant authority when required by the approval, licence or fauna management plan.

After habitat disturbance: Post-clearance checks

Treat the end of clearing as the start of the verification and recovery phase. Confirm that animals, shelter features and retained habitat were managed as approved, then monitor the areas most likely to support the species.

Complete a final inspection of the cleared footprint, retained habitat edges, drainage lines, stockpiles and access routes after machinery leaves.

Check for injured, trapped or displaced reptiles and inspect exclusion fencing for gaps, trapped animals or points where animals could enter active work areas.

Remove temporary materials and restore any retained litter, rocks or shrubs disturbed during access or clearing.

  • Keep a fauna spotter catcher or suitably trained fauna officer available for post-clearance checks where the fauna plan requires it.
  • Record the cleared area, retained area, habitat features removed or retained, animals found, relocations, injuries and corrective actions.

After habitat disturbance: Monitoring and reporting

Monitor retained habitat and rehabilitation areas using repeat targeted searches suited to the approved project risk and the relevant state guidance.

Focus monitoring on shrub cover, litter, cracking soils and ephemeral waterways because these features are associated with the species' habitat and shelter.

Interpret non-detection carefully because the species is cryptic, patchily distributed and potentially under-recorded.

  • Compare monitoring effort and conditions between surveys, including observer numbers, search time, area, weather and recent rainfall.
  • Submit confirmed records and significant project observations to the relevant state wildlife database and update the project fauna register.
  • Report unexpected mortality, repeated sightings, habitat loss or failure of controls to the approval holder and relevant regulator.

After habitat disturbance: Maintaining controls and offsets

Maintain exclusion fencing, no-go markers, drainage controls and vehicle restrictions until the site is stable and the environmental manager confirms that the controls can be removed.

Apply any offset, biodiversity credit, rehabilitation or conservation measure required by the approval or state threatened species process.

Review the fauna management plan if monitoring identifies animals in work areas, new habitat connections or unanticipated impacts.

  • Do not count a planted area as replacement habitat until it provides suitable shrub cover, litter and ground shelter for the species.
  • Link any offset or conservation action to the specific habitat features affected by the project rather than only to the mapped clearing area.

Rehabilitation actions: Restore habitat structure

Rehabilitation should rebuild the dry shrub and ground-shelter features used by this skink. Prioritise native vegetation, litter, cracking or suitable firm soils, stony shelter and connections to retained ephemeral drainage habitat.

Re-establish native shrub cover, including saltbush such as Atriplex nummularia where it is suitable for the local soil, climate and approved seed provenance.

Use local native species and structural diversity suited to arid shrubland, stony plains, heavy clay soils and nearby ephemeral waterways.

Retain and redistribute suitable natural litter, small rocks and woody debris from the project area where this is authorised and does not spread weeds or pathogens.

Reinstate natural contours and soil surfaces so that water movement and ground shelter are not replaced by compacted, bare construction surfaces.

  • Do not import mulch, soil, rocks or woody material unless it is clean, approved and suitable for the site.
  • Keep rehabilitation free of stock access, vehicle traffic and unnecessary disturbance while shrubs and ground cover establish.
  • Do not install hollows or nest boxes as a substitute for the ground shelter used by this species.

Rehabilitation actions: Manage threats and connectivity

Control weeds that reduce native shrub cover or ground litter, using methods appropriate to the local approval and rehabilitation plan.

Manage grazing, trampling and soil compaction because domestic stock, rabbits, feral goats and feral pigs can reduce habitat and food resources.

Maintain links between rehabilitated patches and retained shrub and drainage-line habitat, avoiding isolated planted islands.

Include feral cat and fox risk in the project threat assessment and apply approved predator management where required.

  • Protect ephemeral waterways and adjacent shrub habitat from sediment, altered drainage, vehicle access and stock concentration.
  • Use fire planning that protects established shrub cover and retains unburnt shelter habitat, with local fire authorities and land managers.

Rehabilitation actions: Monitoring and success measures

Monitor plant establishment, shrub cover, litter, soil condition, surface shelter, weed cover, erosion and connectivity at set intervals under the rehabilitation plan.

Use targeted diurnal and nocturnal searches in suitable weather to test whether rehabilitated areas are being used, while recognising that non-detection does not prove absence.

Compare rehabilitation sites with nearby retained habitat and record the area searched, effort, weather, recent rainfall and all reptile observations.

  • Set success measures for native shrub survival, ground cover, stable soil surfaces, retained shelter features, weed control and protection from grazing and vehicles.
  • Continue monitoring until the site has stable habitat structure and the environmental manager confirms that project controls can be reduced.
  • Submit confirmed Saltbush Slender Bluetongue records to the relevant state wildlife database and incorporate the results into the final environmental report.

Sources