Scaly-tailed Possum (Wyulda squamicaudata)

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 Scaly-tailed Possum breeds mainly during the dry season, from March to August. Timing may vary between years and locations in the northern Kimberley, and the species remains poorly known outside the documented breeding period.

Breeding mode: Marsupial. One young is raised in the pouch at a time.

Births: Mainly March to August.

Litter size: One young.

Pouch period: Young leave the pouch at 151 to 210 days of age.

Age at maturity: Probably during the second year.

Breeding and shelter sites: Daytime dens occur in rock piles, slabs and crevices. No separate maternity den type is recorded.

Breeding frequency: Not recorded.

Breeding timing may shift between years and regions, so inspect rocky shelter habitat year round and increase pre-clearing checks during March to August.

• Breeding and births: Births are reported mainly from March to August, during the dry season.
• Pouch young: Pouch young may be present outside the main birth period because they remain in the pouch for 151 to 210 days.
• Nocturnal foraging: The species is nocturnal and feeds in trees and on the ground throughout the year.
• Daytime use of rocky dens: Rock crevices, slabs and rock piles are used for daytime shelter throughout the year.
• Highest clearing risk: Risk is highest from March to August when births and pouch young are most likely, but clearing rocky shelter habitat can cause harm in any month.

Identification: Appearance

The Scaly-tailed Possum is a medium sized phalangerid with a distinctive rough, mostly naked tail. It is nocturnal and may be missed during daytime fauna searches because it shelters in rocks.

The upper body is pale grey with a dark stripe along the middle of the back. The underparts are creamy white, and the fur at the base of the tail has a rufous tinge.

The first fifth of the tail is furred. Most of the remaining tail is naked and covered with coarse scales. The tail is strongly prehensile and has a ventral friction pad.

The ears are prominent and membranous. The hind foot has a clawless, opposable hallux. There is no significant sexual dimorphism.

Identification: Size and calls

Species specific body length and weight figures are not given. Avoid relying on size alone during field identification.

A species specific call description is not established. No echolocation is associated with this species.

Body size: No reliable field measurement is stated.

Call: No confirmed call description is available.

Identification: Similar species

The mostly naked, coarse scaled tail is the best quick feature for separating this possum from common brushtail possums and cuscuses.

Brushtail possums have a mostly furred tail, with black on the terminal half. Cuscuses have small, furred ears and a tail with the distal half naked.

The Scaly-tailed Possum can appear intermediate in overall form between brushtail possums and cuscuses.

• Check the tail carefully if a possum is seen briefly at night.
• Use photographs where possible, especially of the tail, ears and dorsal stripe.

Identification: Field signs

No reliable species specific description is available for droppings, tracks, odour, stains or other ground signs. Do not identify the species from generic possum signs alone.

The most useful site clue is suitable rocky shelter close to woodland or vine thicket. A direct sighting, suitable camera record or expert identification should be sought where a project may affect this habitat.

• Search rock piles, slabs and crevices for signs of recent use without moving rocks.
• Record the location of any sighting or camera detection using a GPS point and photographs.

Distribution: Australian range

The Scaly-tailed Possum is endemic to Australia and is strongly associated with the rocky regions of north western Australia. Confirmed locality information is concentrated in the Kimberley region of Western Australia.

The species occurs in the northern Kimberley of Western Australia, including high rainfall coastal areas and the south eastern Kimberley. Records include Violet Valley Station, Kunmunya Mission and Wotjulum Mission.

The species is mapped in Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Queensland in some project and conservation datasets. Occurrence in the Northern Territory and Queensland should be checked against current state databases before decisions are made, as the detailed locality information available here is for Western Australia.

• North Kimberley, including rugged coastal and inland country.
• South eastern Kimberley, including rocky areas around Violet Valley Station.

Distribution: Site assessment

The project area may be within the species range even if records are sparse. Five records were reported within a 40 kilometre study area for one north Kimberley road project, with the nearest record 2.7 kilometres from the project location.

A database record is not evidence that the species is present on every suitable site. Conversely, the absence of a record does not rule it out in remote or poorly surveyed country.

• Check the Atlas of Living Australia and relevant state and territory databases before clearing.
• Review recent records within and around the project area, then inspect rocky habitat on the ground.

Distribution: Survey context

The species is difficult to detect when it is sheltering in rocks during the day. Night searches, remote cameras and targeted inspection of rocky habitat are more informative than a general daytime walkover alone.

Survey effort should be scaled to the amount of rocky habitat that will be cleared or disturbed, the quality of nearby woodland and the Priority 4 or EVNT status applying to the project.

Habitat: Vegetation

Look for the Scaly-tailed Possum in rugged country where large rocks provide daytime refuge and nearby vegetation provides food and climbing structure. The species is associated with relatively remote, intact habitat, but suitable habitat should still be assessed wherever rocky features remain.

Recorded habitat includes vine thickets and eucalypt woodland. Low woodland in rugged country may contain rainforest elements and is suitable habitat to investigate.

Retain connected native vegetation around rock piles. Understorey, fruiting and flowering plants, and suitable trees can provide cover and feeding opportunities.

• Vine thickets and low woodland with rainforest elements.
• Eucalypt woodland associated with boulders, slabs or rock piles.
• Native understorey linking rocky shelters with nearby trees.

Habitat: Landforms and site features

The species is associated with massive boulders, rock piles and rugged rocky country. A site with rocks close to trees should be treated as potential habitat until assessed.

Rocky habitat may extend beyond the immediate clearing footprint. Consider access tracks, laydown areas, drainage works, blasting, vibration and changes to fire or weed management around the refuge.

• Boulder fields and large surface rocks.
• Rock slabs, crevices and broken rocky outcrops.
• Woodland edges adjoining rocky shelter.

Habitat: Habitat condition

Remote, relatively undisturbed areas are likely to retain better habitat. Disturbed sites can still matter where rock shelters and connected native vegetation remain.

Map rocky features and nearby vegetation before finalising the clearing boundary. Keep machinery, storage areas and access routes away from these features where practicable.

Foraging habitat: Food plants and resources

The Scaly-tailed Possum emerges at night and feeds in trees and on the ground. Keep feeding habitat connected to daytime shelters, especially where flowering, fruiting or nut producing plants occur.

The species has been recorded feeding on eucalypt blossom. Other reported foods include leaves, fruit, nuts and insects.

A captive female prised seeds from Casuarina humilis cones and cached nuts. This suggests that seed and nut producing plants may be useful foraging resources, although the importance of each food type in the wild is not known.

• Flowering eucalypts.
• Fruit and seed producing native plants.
• Casuarina stands and other plants producing nuts or cones.
• Leafy understorey and ground habitat supporting insects.

Foraging habitat: Night foraging area

The possum climbs trees and also forages on the ground at night. A narrow clearing between rocks and trees can therefore interrupt movement between shelter and food.

Retain mature and flowering trees, native understorey and ground cover around rocky habitat. Avoid unnecessary night lighting near likely den areas.

• Tree canopy connected to rock piles or slabs.
• Ground vegetation between dens and feeding trees.
• Vegetated edges that provide cover during night movement.

Foraging habitat: Survey approach

Use remote cameras near rock shelters, tree bases and likely movement routes. No single species specific survey method is established, so combine cameras with targeted night searches and habitat assessment.

Record flowering or fruiting plants and evidence of recent disturbance. Do not disturb animals or dismantle rock shelters to improve detection.

Breeding habitat: Breeding information

Females raise one young at a time. Breeding places are not described as separate nests or colonies, so rocky daytime dens and the surrounding feeding habitat should be treated as potential breeding habitat.

Females give birth mainly during the dry season, from March to August. One young is raised at a time.

Pouch young leave the pouch at about 151 to 210 days of age. Females and males probably do not mature until their second year.

Birth period: Mainly March to August, during the dry season.

Young: One young at a time.

Pouch period: Young leave the pouch at about 151 to 210 days.

Breeding habitat: Potential breeding areas

The species has not been linked to a defined nest, maternity colony or tree hollow. Daytime dens in rock piles, slabs and crevices are the best available indicator of places that may support females and young.

Treat groups of connected rocks as a habitat unit. Avoid isolating a den from nearby trees and ground vegetation during clearing or construction.

• Rock piles with several connected crevices.
• Large slabs and boulder fields beside woodland.
• Undisturbed vegetation linking dens with feeding areas.

Breeding habitat: Work planning

Where rocky habitat must be disturbed, arrange a pre clearing fauna inspection and obtain advice from the relevant wildlife authority. Plan works to avoid direct damage to occupied crevices and to retain nearby habitat.

Do not assume that a quiet or empty looking crevice is unused. Use a qualified fauna spotter catcher for any required capture or handling.

Sheltering habitat: Den features

The Scaly-tailed Possum shelters during the day in rock crevices, rock piles and slabs. It is solitary by nature and defends a home range containing several dens, so one site may contain more than one shelter used by an individual.

Look for massive boulders, stacked rocks, slabs and narrow crevices with protected entrances. The species shelters exclusively in rocks according to project survey information.

Do not remove, roll or enter rocks during a habitat inspection unless this is necessary, authorised and supervised by an appropriately qualified person.

• Large boulder piles.
• Rock slabs with concealed spaces beneath or between them.
• Crevices within rugged outcrops.
• Rocky edges beside woodland or vine thicket.

Sheltering habitat: Home range and connectivity

A Western Australian community information page gives an approximate home range of about a hectare and notes that each animal may use several dens. Home ranges may overlap to some extent.

Avoid fragmenting rock shelters from trees, understorey and ground feeding areas. Keep construction traffic and temporary facilities outside mapped den areas where practicable.

Home range: About a hectare is reported as an approximate home range.

Social pattern: Solitary by nature, with several dens used within a home range.

Sheltering habitat: Handling and release

If an animal is found during clearing, stop work around the animal and allow the fauna spotter catcher to assess the situation. Do not relocate it to an unrelated site without approval and specialist advice.

Translocation is generally discouraged because relocated possums may have poor survival and may face competition, predation and vehicle collision risks. Any release should follow the direction of the relevant wildlife authority.

• Pause machinery and establish a temporary exclusion area.
• Keep people, dogs and vehicles away from the animal and its shelter.
• Record the original location before any authorised handling.
• Seek advice before disturbing or removing rocks.

Threats: Clearing and earthworks

No species specific population decline or single dominant threat has been established. On works sites, the main risks are loss of rocky shelter, loss of connected vegetation and disturbance during clearing or construction.

Removing boulders, slabs or rock piles can destroy daytime dens. Road widening, quarrying, trenching and drainage works can also separate shelters from trees and feeding areas.

Keep the clearing footprint as small as practicable. Clearly mark no go areas around mapped rocky habitat before machinery enters the site.

• Avoid clearing rock piles and outcrops.
• Locate compounds, storage areas and access tracks in already disturbed areas where possible.
• Retain native vegetation between rocky shelters and feeding trees.

Threats: Construction disturbance

Vibration, blasting, heavy vehicle movement, dust, lighting and repeated night activity may disturb animals using nearby dens. Noise and lighting should be managed around retained rocky habitat.

Use exclusion fencing and site controls to prevent accidental entry by machinery. Include rocky habitat protection in the Construction Environmental Management Plan.

• Avoid unnecessary night lighting near rock shelters.
• Keep plant and vehicle movement away from den areas.
• Control dust, erosion, sediment and waste near retained habitat.

Threats: Fire, weeds and introduced predators

Changes to fire regimes, weed invasion and loss of understorey can reduce the quality of woodland around rocky shelters. Cats, dogs and foxes are general threats to possums in Western Australia.

Maintain native understorey and manage weeds without damaging rocks or den entrances. Keep construction waste and food scraps secured so they do not attract predators.

• Use a site fire plan that protects retained woodland and rocky habitat.
• Prevent weed spread on vehicles and earthmoving equipment.
• Control domestic animals and waste around works areas.

Threats: Handling and removal

Possums are protected native animals and must not be harmed or retained without authority. Relocating an animal away from its home range is not a routine mitigation measure.

If a possum is encountered, stop work locally and contact the fauna spotter catcher and relevant wildlife authority. Release and handling arrangements must follow the applicable Western Australian requirements, or the requirements of the state or territory where the work occurs.

• Do not trap, keep or move an animal without authority.
• Do not dismantle a den to force an animal out.
• Document the encounter, including location, habitat and action taken.

Survey methodology: 1. Desktop assessment

The Scaly-tailed Possum is poorly known and can be difficult to detect. Surveys should focus on rocky shelters, nearby woodland and vine thickets, and the trees and ground used for night foraging.

Check current state records, habitat mapping and aerial imagery before planning field work. Map boulder piles, rock slabs, crevices, rugged country, vine thickets, eucalypt woodland and likely movement routes between shelter and feeding areas.

Treat the species as a potential constraint where suitable rocky habitat occurs, even if database records are absent. Records are concentrated in the north Kimberley, but project teams should check the relevant state and territory databases for the project area.

• Confirm the conservation listing applying to the project. Western Australian records are listed as Priority 4. Check whether a state or territory listing applies in Queensland, the Northern Territory or another jurisdiction.
• Review proposed clearing, access tracks, laydown areas, blasting, night works, lighting and fire activities against mapped rocky habitat.
• Consult Traditional Owners and local land managers about recent sightings, den locations and seasonal access constraints.

Survey methodology: 2. Field survey timing and conditions

Undertake nocturnal surveys when possums are likely to be active. Start after dark and include the period when animals emerge from daytime rock shelters to forage in trees and on the ground.

Give preference to warm, calm and dry conditions that allow safe access and good visibility. Avoid relying on a single visit, particularly where rugged terrain, dense vegetation or poor visibility could reduce detection.

Include daytime habitat inspections because dens are formed in rock piles, slabs and crevices. Do not enter unstable piles or place hands into crevices.

• Use quiet searches around rock piles, slabs, crevices, adjacent trees and likely feeding areas.
• Use handheld spotlights from safe vantage points to scan tree trunks, branches, ground cover and rock edges.
• Record the conditions, start and finish times, survey route, visibility, access limitations and any areas that could not be searched.

Survey methodology: 3. Detection methods

Combine direct observation with non intrusive methods. A single method is unlikely to detect every animal because the species is nocturnal, solitary and shelter dependent.

Use motion cameras near likely den entrances, along rock edges and on routes between rocky shelters and trees. Position cameras without blocking entrances or disturbing the shelter.

Search for fresh tracks, scats, feeding signs and other evidence, but treat indirect signs cautiously unless confirmed by an experienced ecologist.

• Conduct repeated spotlight searches across suitable rocky habitat, including trees and ground foraging areas.
• Use remote cameras for several nights where access, safety and landholder permissions allow.
• Inspect potential dens from the outside only. Do not smoke, flush, trap or handle an animal during a general habitat search.
• Use trapping only where approved, justified and supervised by appropriately authorised fauna personnel, with a species specific risk assessment and animal welfare controls.

Survey methodology: 4. Records and survey outputs

Record every observation precisely. A reliable negative result also requires a clear account of the habitat searched and the survey conditions.

Map animals, dens, rock piles, feeding signs, camera locations and areas proposed for clearing. Keep photographs that show the habitat and the observation location.

• Record date, time, location, observer, method, weather, habitat, animal behaviour and identification confidence.
• Describe whether the animal was in a tree, on the ground, near a rock shelter or inside a crevice.
• Record evidence of young, an occupied den, repeated use of a shelter, injury or disturbance.
• Provide a habitat map and a limitations statement with the survey report.

Before habitat disturbance: 1. Approvals and permits

Plan clearing around the species' rocky shelters and nearby foraging habitat. Avoidance is the preferred response because the species is poorly known and relocation can result in poor survival.

Confirm all approvals before work starts. The required approvals depend on the location, listing and proposed impact.

The Western Australian Priority 4 category is a non statutory DBCA category for rare and near threatened species that need monitoring. Apply the relevant state conservation, wildlife and clearing requirements even where a separate threatened species approval is not triggered.

• Check whether the action requires an EPBC Act referral or approval. Obtain project specific advice where listed habitat or a significant impact may be involved.
• In Queensland, check whether the animal is protected wildlife and whether tampering with a breeding place requires a species management program. Obtain the required authority before disturbance.
• Obtain state or territory permits for fauna survey, trapping, handling, relocation or possession. Confirm that the fauna spotter catcher is authorised for the proposed work.
• Include conditions from approvals, permits and the construction environmental management plan in the clearing package.

Before habitat disturbance: 2. Avoidance and work design

Redesign the work where possible to retain rocky shelters and connected woodland. Retain rock piles, slabs, crevices, understorey, suitable trees and natural food plants.

Do not assume that a rock feature is unused because no animal is seen. The species may shelter during the day and forage away from its den at night.

• Fence and mark no go areas around occupied or potentially suitable rock shelters before mobilisation.
• Keep access tracks, compounds, material storage and machinery out of rocky habitat wherever practicable.
• Avoid unnecessary removal of trees and vegetation near retained rock shelters.
• Prevent blasting, rock breaking, excavation, vibration and uncontrolled fire near retained shelter areas unless specifically assessed and authorised.
• Use lighting that is directed away from retained habitat and avoid unnecessary night lighting.

Before habitat disturbance: 3. Pre clearance inspection

Complete a final inspection shortly before clearing. The inspection should cover the complete disturbance footprint and nearby habitat that could be affected by noise, vibration, access or fire.

Have an experienced ecologist or authorised fauna spotter catcher inspect rock piles, slabs, crevices, trees and ground cover. Use cameras or repeat nocturnal searches where the risk remains high.

• Mark all potential dens, occupied shelters, animals and habitat exclusions on the clearing plan.
• Check for a female with young, an animal sheltering in a crevice or repeated use of a den.
• Brief the clearing supervisor on the species' appearance, nocturnal habits, rocky shelters and the stop work process.
• Do not disturb a suspected breeding place to confirm occupancy.

Before habitat disturbance: 4. Timing, exclusion and induction

Females give birth mainly in the dry season, from March to August. Plan high risk work outside this period where practicable, but use the actual presence of young and occupied shelters to guide decisions because breeding timing can vary and is not fully understood.

There is no established migration period for this species. Maintain habitat connectivity because movements between dens, trees and feeding areas may occur at night.

• Schedule inspections and high risk clearing outside the March to August breeding period where practicable.
• Set project specific exclusion areas around occupied shelters in consultation with the approving authority and project ecologist. Do not use an unverified generic distance.
• Induct all workers on the exclusion areas, night activity, handling restrictions, stop work authority and incident reporting.
• Ensure the spotter catcher has authority to stop work immediately when an animal, den or breeding place is found.

During habitat disturbance: 1. Sequential clearing and supervision

Clear in a controlled sequence from retained habitat towards already cleared areas. Keep an authorised fauna spotter catcher present for high risk activities and stop whenever an animal or shelter needs assessment.

Use staged clearing rather than opening the whole footprint at once. Remove vegetation carefully around retained rocky habitat and keep machinery away from marked shelters.

Inspect each work area immediately before disturbance and again as vegetation, rocks or soil are moved. Do not push, roll or break rock piles without a fauna check.

• Clearly mark the approved clearing boundary before work starts.
• Clear habitat in small sections towards safe retained habitat, where this is consistent with the approved method and animal welfare advice.
• Use a fauna spotter catcher to inspect trees, ground cover, rock slabs and crevices before machinery enters each section.
• Stop work if visibility, access, smoke, dust, darkness or machinery movement prevents a safe inspection.
• Keep workers and machinery away from an animal until the spotter catcher gives direction.

During habitat disturbance: 2. Animals, dens and breeding places

Only authorised and appropriately trained people may capture, handle, restrain or relocate the animal. The species is solitary and uses several dens within a home range, so moving one animal may not remove the impact on its shelter network.

If an active breeding place or a female with young is found, stop work and protect the shelter. Seek advice from the project ecologist and the relevant wildlife authority before proceeding.

• Establish and maintain an exclusion area around an occupied den or breeding place.
• Do not block, fill, smoke, flood, collapse or otherwise interfere with a crevice or rock shelter.
• Do not separate a female from pouch young or dependent young.
• Do not relocate rock shelters or animals unless the action is authorised and supported by a wildlife welfare plan.
• Record the location and condition of the shelter, the animal's behaviour and the decision made by the authorised person.

During habitat disturbance: 3. Handling and injured animals

Treat any possum as a protected native animal. Keep noise, handling time and exposure to heat, cold and predators to a minimum.

An injured or distressed animal needs prompt assessment by a veterinarian, wildlife carer or other authorised wildlife professional.

• Keep people, dogs and machinery away from the animal.
• Do not offer food or water unless directed by a wildlife professional.
• Place the animal in a secure, ventilated container only if an authorised handler directs this and it can be done safely.
• Contact the nominated wildlife carer, veterinarian, wildlife authority or fauna supervisor immediately.
• Record the injury, suspected cause, location, time, photographs where appropriate, handler and outcome.
• Do not release an injured animal without advice from the treating or authorised wildlife professional.

During habitat disturbance: 4. Stop work and incident records

The clearing supervisor should treat every unexpected observation as a potential environmental incident until assessed. Work should resume only after the spotter catcher and project ecologist confirm that the control measures are in place.

Keep records that allow the event to be reviewed and reported under project approvals.

• Record species identification, number of animals, age or sex where known, location and habitat.
• Record the work activity, machinery, clearing area, weather, response, handling and release or treatment outcome.
• Photograph the habitat and shelter from a safe distance, without causing extra disturbance.
• Notify the regulator or approval holder when required by the permit, approval or management plan.
• Update the clearing map and exclusion zones before work recommences.

After habitat disturbance: 1. Post clearance checks

Complete a careful handover after each clearing stage. Check retained habitat and the disturbed footprint, then review any incidents before the next stage of work.

Inspect the completed area for trapped, injured or displaced animals, damaged dens and unplanned clearing. Pay particular attention to rock piles, slabs, crevices and trees at the edge of the disturbance.

Use a nocturnal check or remote cameras where the pre clearance assessment identified likely habitat or an occupied shelter nearby.

• Confirm that all approved exclusion areas remain intact.
• Check that no rock shelter has been blocked by spoil, waste, fencing, sediment or equipment.
• Remove temporary hazards such as open pits, uncovered trenches and unsecured containers before leaving the work area.
• Record the inspection date, personnel, area checked, findings and corrective actions.

After habitat disturbance: 2. Relocated or released animals

Avoid relocation unless it is authorised and there is no safer alternative. General possum guidance indicates that translocated animals can have poor survival because they may be displaced, face food competition, encounter predators or be exposed to vehicle collisions while establishing a territory.

Where an authorised release is required, follow the approved wildlife welfare and release plan.

• Release a healthy animal only at the approved location and within the approved time frame.
• Use the same property for release where required by wildlife advice or permit conditions.
• Release the animal into suitable rocky shelter and connected habitat, not into an exposed clearing.
• Record the release location, time, condition, handler, authority and follow up requirements.
• Do not release an animal into another possum's den or into habitat that cannot provide shelter, trees and natural food.

After habitat disturbance: 3. Monitoring and reporting

Monitoring should match the risk and the approval conditions. It is most useful where rocky habitat has been retained, a den was occupied, an animal was moved, or clearing occurred close to suitable habitat.

The species has no established migration period, so monitoring should focus on shelter use, local activity and habitat condition rather than seasonal passage.

• Repeat camera or spotlight checks at retained shelters where the project ecologist considers the risk significant.
• Check for continued access between rock shelters, trees and ground foraging areas.
• Report observations, mortalities, injuries, den damage, clearing deviations and corrective actions through the project environmental reporting system.
• Share confirmed records with the relevant state or territory database and Traditional Owners where appropriate.
• Continue monitoring for the period required by approvals, permits or the management plan.

After habitat disturbance: 4. Incident review

Review each animal encounter and any breach of an exclusion area before further clearing. Use the findings to improve the next work stage.

Escalate recurring issues such as unmarked shelters, poor visibility, unsafe rock handling or inadequate crew awareness to the construction manager.

• Hold a short review with the spotter catcher, supervisor, ecologist and relevant subcontractors.
• Amend the clearing sequence, exclusion mapping, induction or supervision arrangements where needed.
• Record lessons learned and close out corrective actions before restarting similar work.
• Notify the approval holder or regulator if the incident meets a reporting threshold.

Rehabilitation actions: 1. Restore shelter and habitat structure

Rehabilitation should restore the shelter and feeding resources that make rocky woodland usable. Focus on retaining and reconnecting natural rock habitat rather than trying to create an artificial den without ecological advice.

Retain natural rock piles, slabs and crevices wherever possible. Rebuild disturbed rock habitat only under the direction of a suitably experienced ecologist and geotechnical professional, with public safety and animal access considered.

Restore links between rocky shelters, trees and ground foraging areas. The species has a home range of about a hectare, so rehabilitation should not be limited to a small isolated patch where broader habitat can be restored.

• Remove spoil, waste and sediment from the entrances to retained crevices without collapsing the shelter.
• Use locally appropriate rocks and place them to provide stable shaded gaps and access points.
• Retain or replant woodland and rainforest elements suited to the local site.
• Protect rehabilitated areas from vehicles, stock, fire, erosion and further disturbance.
• Do not create unstable rock piles or voids that could injure workers, the public or animals.

Rehabilitation actions: 2. Replacement den structures

Natural rock shelter is the preferred structure for this species. Nest boxes, bat boxes and tree based artificial roosts are not demonstrated substitutes for its rock dens.

Only install artificial structures where a project ecologist, the relevant authority and the land manager agree that they suit the local habitat and approval conditions.

• Prioritise replacement or enhancement of rock shelters over nest boxes.
• Do not install bat boxes or tree nest boxes as a standard measure for the Scaly-tailed Possum.
• If an artificial shelter is trialled, document its design, location, materials, installation date and maintenance plan.
• Keep artificial structures away from roads, bright lighting, machinery and domestic animals.
• Use cameras or other non intrusive checks to determine whether a structure is used, and remove failed structures if they become a hazard.

Rehabilitation actions: 3. Food plants, weeds and water

Restore natural food resources, including suitable eucalypts and locally native woodland plants. The species has been recorded feeding on blossom and is also reported to eat leaves, fruit, nuts and insects.

Control weeds without poisoning occupied shelters or contaminating food plants. Provide water only where it is part of an approved local rehabilitation design, because artificial water points can attract predators and disease.

• Use local provenance plants where practicable and protect them until established.
• Retain mature trees and understorey that provide food, cover and movement routes.
• Control weeds in a way that avoids den entrances, active animals and retained native vegetation.
• Manage feral cats, dogs and foxes in accordance with approved land management programs.
• Do not leave food or unsecured waste that could attract predators or interfere with natural foraging.

Rehabilitation actions: 4. Lighting, fire and long term monitoring

Night lighting, fire and repeated access can reduce the value of otherwise suitable habitat. Manage these pressures as part of the rehabilitation plan.

Monitor whether restored areas provide shelter, connected vegetation and safe night access. Adapt the works if erosion, weeds, predators or poor plant establishment reduce habitat quality.

• Direct lights away from rock shelters, tree canopies and movement routes.
• Use the lowest practical light levels and switch off temporary lighting when work is complete.
• Protect rehabilitated rocky habitat from unplanned fire and include it in the site's fire management arrangements.
• Inspect restored shelters and vegetation after major rainfall, fire, construction activity and the first period of plant establishment.
• Use cameras, spotlight searches and habitat inspections where monitoring is warranted by the project risk.
• Report monitoring results, animal observations and maintenance actions to the approval holder and relevant authority.

Sources

• 1, Australian Government DCCEEW: https://www.dcceew.gov.au/sites/default/files/env/pages/a117ced5-9a94-4586-afdb-1f333618e1e3/files/26-ind.pdf
• OFFICIAL, Western Australian Government: https://www.mainroads.wa.gov.au/49e87f/globalassets/community-environment/environment/annual-clearing/2024/kimberley/2788-kimberley-bridge-replacement-project-frog-hollow-cps-annual-clearing-report-2023.pdf
• [PDF] Encouraging Possums - DBCA Library, WA Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions: https://library.dbca.wa.gov.au/Journals/080346/080346-06.pdf
• Occurrence records for the distribution map, Atlas of Living Australia: https://biocache.ala.org.au/