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Southern Forest Bat (Vespadelus regulus)

The Southern Forest Bat is a small Australian microbat that uses forests, woodlands, mallee and other vegetated areas, with tree hollows and structures used for roosting. On clearing and construction sites, the loss of hollow-bearing trees, disturbance of maternity colonies and sealing of building roosts can affect local populations. It is listed as least concern and is not listed as endangered, vulnerable or near threatened in Australia, but in Queensland a high risk species management program is required when a breeding place of this colonial breeder is tampered with.

Conservation status

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

Breeding season

Southern Forest Bats mate from April to June, with pregnancy recorded from August to December and young dependent from January to March. Timing can vary between regions and years, so use local surveys to confirm whether a roost is active before clearing or construction.

Breeding mode: Live-bearing mammal. Females form maternity colonies in spring and give birth in the warmer months.

Litter size: One pup per female.

Gestation: Not recorded.

Lactation and weaning: Lactation is recorded from November to January. Young are weaned after about 6 weeks.

Young and maturity: Young are dependent from January to March and reach independence at about 2 to 3 months. Sexual maturity is reached at about 1 year.

Breeding places and colony size: Maternity roosts may be in tree hollows, under loose bark, buildings and roof spaces. Colonies can contain up to 100 bats. Males generally roost alone except during mating, although bats may share roosts with other species.

Breeding place care and confirmation: An active maternity roost is indicated by pregnant or lactating females, pups, repeated emergence activity, or bats entering a hollow or structure at dusk. Use acoustic detectors, emergence watches, and harp traps or mist nets where suitable. Inspect hollow-bearing trees with an endoscope or pole camera. Retain the roost and surrounding vegetation where possible. If removal is unavoidable, use staged or soft felling, and install exclusion devices only outside the maternity period. Bat boxes are supplementary and do not replace natural hollows.

Breeding and roost use may shift with temperature, rainfall, local habitat and food availability, so confirm timing over more than one season where the site could support a maternity colony.

  • Mating: Mating is documented from April to June, with males and females more likely to share roosts during this period.
  • Pregnancy: Pregnant females have been recorded from August to December, and disturbance of occupied hollows or structures should be avoided.
  • Maternity colonies and births: Females form maternity colonies in spring and give birth in early summer, with active roosts confirmed by pregnant or lactating females, pups, or repeated dusk emergence.
  • Lactating and dependent young: Young are dependent from January to March, and lactating females are recorded from November to January, so avoid closing or removing a roost while pups may remain inside.
  • Winter torpor or hibernation: Winter torpor or hibernation is reported, and bats should not be disturbed in occupied hollows, buildings, caves, mines, culverts or bridge structures during cold conditions.
  • Roost and foraging activity: Southern Forest Bats use multiple roosts and forage aerially through forest and understorey, but may return to an undisturbed roost within their home range.
  • Highest clearing risk: The highest risk is September to March, when maternity colonies, births and dependent young may be present; survey hollow-bearing trees and structures, retain active roosts, and avoid exclusion or felling during this period.

Identification: Appearance and measurements

The Southern Forest Bat is a small vespertilionid bat. It is usually identified by a combination of size, fur colour, measurements and echolocation call, rather than by one feature alone.

The back is reddish brown, sandy, red or grey brown, and the fur is darker at the base. The belly is paler, with grey ears and wings.

The head has no ridge running from the top of the skull to the nose. This feature can help separate it from other Vespadelus species.

Scientific name: Vespadelus regulus

Family: Vespertilionidae

Group: Microbat

  • Adult weight is about 3.6 to 7 g.
  • Adult forearm length is 28 to 34 mm.
  • Tail length is 28 to 39 mm.

Identification: Calls and similar species

The recorded call frequency is about 39 to 46 kHz. Call identification should be supported by reference calls, location, habitat and, where needed, measurements from a captured animal.

The Inland Forest Bat, Vespadelus baverstocki, can have sandy or red fur and may be confused with the Southern Forest Bat in far north-west Victoria.

  • Use an Anabat detector or similar full spectrum recorder for acoustic surveys.
  • Do not rely on colour alone when separating Vespadelus species.

Identification: Field signs

Look for bats emerging at dusk from hollow-bearing trees, roof spaces, wall cavities and other enclosed structures. Bat droppings may occur below a roost entrance or on ledges, but signs can be sparse and are not diagnostic on their own.

Bats do not build nests. Whitewash, stains and odour may occur around long-used enclosed roosts, but their absence does not rule out a roost.

  • Record the entrance, tree or structure type, height, aspect and surrounding vegetation.
  • Treat audible bat activity, repeated emergence and fresh droppings as reasons for further assessment.

Distribution: Australian range

The Southern Forest Bat is endemic to Australia. It is mapped across a broad part of the country, but local occurrence depends on suitable roosts, connected vegetation and insect-rich foraging habitat.

The species is mapped in New South Wales, the Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia. Records and habitat use are likely to be uneven across this broad range.

Overseas range: None. The species is endemic to Australia.

Mapped jurisdictions: NSW, NT, QLD, SA, TAS, VIC and WA

  • Check state and territory databases and local records before clearing.
  • Use local habitat, roost availability and survey results to assess whether a site supports the species.

Distribution: What the range means on a work site

A lack of previous records does not show that a site is unused. Small bats can move between several roosts and may be detected only during particular seasons or weather conditions.

Sites with old trees, loose bark, buildings or other enclosed structures should be assessed even where local records are limited.

  • Review records at the planning stage.
  • Retain suitable roost features until surveys and approvals are complete.
  • Consider nearby vegetation and roosts, not only the construction footprint.

Habitat: Vegetation and landscape

The Southern Forest Bat uses a range of vegetated habitats, from rainforest to mallee and open woodland. It is sensitive to forest fragmentation and loss of feeding and roosting resources.

Potential habitat includes dense and dry sclerophyll forests, shrublands, low shrubland woodland, mallee and open woodland. Forest edges, understorey and connected patches can provide movement and feeding areas.

The species may be absent from small isolated remnants or narrow corridors where fragmentation is severe.

  • Inspect remnant forest and woodland patches.
  • Map links between vegetation patches and nearby water.
  • Identify large old trees, dead trees and trees with loose bark.

Habitat: Site features to inspect

Prioritise old trees, dead trees, hollow-bearing trees, trees with fissures or loose bark, and buildings with roof or wall cavities. Also inspect bridges, culverts and other structures that provide enclosed, sheltered spaces.

Caves, mines and other subterranean features may support microbats generally, although the Southern Forest Bat is recorded specifically from hollows and structures.

  • Mark hollow-bearing trees and potential roost structures before vegetation removal.
  • Inspect structures scheduled for demolition, sealing, lighting or major modification.
  • Protect vegetation around known or suspected roost entrances.

Habitat: Water and connectivity

Clean dams, creeks and drainage lines can support flying insects and provide drinking opportunities. Vegetation along watercourses may also help bats move through the landscape.

Open paddocks can reduce connectivity for species that prefer to fly near vegetation.

  • Maintain vegetated links where practicable.
  • Avoid unnecessary removal of large trees along creeks and drainage lines.
  • Include nearby roosts and feeding habitat in the site assessment.

Foraging habitat: Food and flight areas

The Southern Forest Bat is an aerial insectivore. It hunts while flying through forest and understorey, often close to vegetation and at a slow to moderate speed.

Its diet includes moths and other small flying insects, including beetles, flies and bugs. It can forage through dense forest and understorey and can take off readily from the ground.

A recorded foraging home range is up to 8 km, so activity near a work site may depend on habitat beyond the disturbance footprint.

Foraging home range: Up to 8 km

Foraging style: Aerial, slow to moderate flying

Diet: Flying insects

  • Inspect forest edges, understorey, creek lines and woodland openings near the site.
  • Map likely insect-producing habitat and water sources.
  • Consider night lighting and machinery effects on nearby foraging areas.

Foraging habitat: Habitat condition

Clearing, fragmentation, insecticide use and loss of clean water can reduce the value of nearby foraging habitat. Modified fire regimes may also change forest structure and understorey cover.

Retaining a mix of mature trees, understorey and connected vegetation supports the broader habitat used by this bat.

  • Retain remnant vegetation and understorey where possible.
  • Reduce unnecessary insecticide use near retained habitat.
  • Keep cats away from work areas and retained roost habitat.
  • Maintain clean watercourses and dams.

Foraging habitat: Surveying for activity

Use Anabat or similar detectors to record ultrasonic calls. Acoustic results are strongest when interpreted with habitat observations and, where needed, capture-based identification.

Survey effort should reflect the site, season, weather and proposed impact. A single quiet night should not be treated as proof that bats are absent.

  • Record detector location, date, start and finish times, weather and habitat conditions.
  • Use emergence watches at suspected roosts to confirm use.
  • Use harp traps or mist nets only under appropriate permits, animal ethics requirements and by trained personnel.

Breeding habitat: Breeding timing

Females form maternity colonies in spring and give birth to one young in early summer. Maternity habitat requires extra care because disturbing one roost can affect many females and dependent young.

Mating is recorded from April to June. Pregnancy is recorded from August to December, lactation from November to January, and dependent young from January to March.

Young are reported to become independent at about 2 to 3 months and are weaned after about 6 weeks. The species hibernates during winter.

Maternity colonies: Form in spring

Litter size: One young

Dependent young: January to March

  • Treat spring to late summer as a period when maternity roosts may be occupied.
  • Use local survey results and advice from the relevant regulator to set any exclusion or disturbance timing.
  • Avoid assuming that a roost is empty because adults are not visible during a daytime inspection.

Breeding habitat: Potential maternity habitat

Look for hollow-bearing trees, old trees with cavities, loose bark and enclosed building spaces. Structures can include roof and wall cavities, bridges and culverts where conditions are sheltered and suitable.

A maternity roost may be part of a group of nearby roosts. Females may move between sites as conditions change.

  • Inspect trees with an endoscope or pole camera only where this can be done safely and lawfully.
  • Use emergence observations to identify the entrance used by bats.
  • Keep exclusion and demolition planning separate from maternity-roost confirmation.

Breeding habitat: Confirming a maternity roost

Confirmation is strongest where pregnant or lactating females, pups or dependent young are recorded. Emergence watches, acoustic monitoring and targeted capture surveys can help identify use, but trapping should not replace a careful roost inspection.

A suspected maternity roost should be managed as active until competent survey work shows otherwise.

  • Record pregnant or lactating females if captured under permit.
  • Record pups, juvenile bats and repeated adult emergence.
  • Seek specialist advice before opening, felling, sealing or demolishing a suspected maternity roost.

Sheltering habitat: Natural roosts

During the day and at night, Southern Forest Bats use enclosed roosts for shelter, social contact and protection. They may use several roosts, and roost use can change with season, weather and daily conditions.

The main natural roost features are hollows in old trees and spaces under loose bark. Large old or dead trees, isolated paddock trees and trees along rivers and creeks can provide suitable hollows.

Inspect fissures, loose bark, dead limbs and cavities before tree removal or major pruning.

  • Retain hollow-bearing trees wherever practicable.
  • Retain nearby vegetation around a roost tree.
  • Do not burn, chip or stack hollow limbs until they have been assessed.

Sheltering habitat: Built structures

The species may use house roofs where tree hollows are scarce. Microbats may also use roof and wall spaces, bridges, culverts and other enclosed structures.

A structure can appear unused during the day but still be occupied at night or during a different season.

  • Inspect roof spaces, wall cavities, bridge joints and culvert ends before sealing or demolition.
  • Use a qualified person for hazardous roof, bridge and confined-space inspections.
  • Control access to suspected roosts without blocking bats inside.

Sheltering habitat: Survey and exclusion approach

Use emergence watches, acoustic monitoring and, where suitable, an endoscope or pole camera to assess roost use. For building roosts, a bat sleeve can allow bats to leave while preventing re-entry, but exclusion must be timed to avoid trapping young inside.

Victorian guidance identifies October to February as a period when young may be left in a roost, and May to September as a period when bats may enter torpor. Local conditions and regulatory advice should guide the final timing.

  • Do not seal an exit until all bats have left.
  • Use two-stage or soft felling for hollow-bearing trees where removal cannot be avoided.
  • Use exclusion devices outside the maternity season and only after a competent assessment.
  • Retain replacement natural hollows where possible.

Sheltering habitat: Bat boxes

Bat boxes can provide supplementary roosting space where suitable natural hollows are unavailable. They are not a substitute for retaining mature trees and need inspection and maintenance.

Place boxes under a documented management plan and monitor whether they are used.

  • Use bat boxes as a short-term or supplementary measure.
  • Do not install a box as the only mitigation for removal of a confirmed maternity tree.
  • Keep natural roost features wherever possible.

Colonies and breeding places: What a colony looks like

The Southern Forest Bat is a colonial breeder. A colony or maternity roost may be a small group in a tree hollow or structure, but one site can hold a substantial share of the local population and needs careful assessment before disturbance.

Southern Forest Bat colonies can contain up to 100 bats. Males often roost alone, except during the mating season, while females gather in maternity colonies in spring.

Microbats generally use more than one roost and may alternate between sites. An undisturbed roost may be used again within the local foraging area.

Reported colony size: Up to 100 bats

General hollow use: Ten or more microbats may roost together in one hollow

Site use: Roosts may alternate, and bats may return to an undisturbed site

  • Do not assume that a small entrance means a small colony.
  • Treat repeated emergence from one hollow or structure as evidence of a potentially significant roost.
  • Record whether bats are entering together, singly or from several nearby entrances.

Colonies and breeding places: Recognising an active breeding place

A breeding place is more likely where pregnant or lactating females, pups or dependent young are recorded, or where repeated emergence indicates a maternity group. Fresh droppings, noise and staining around an entrance can support the assessment, but absence of these signs does not rule out use.

Use a dusk emergence watch, acoustic detector and targeted roost inspection. Harp traps or mist nets may help confirm species and sex, but must be used by trained personnel under the required approvals.

  • Watch suspected entrances from before sunset until emergence has finished.
  • Use an endoscope or pole camera only where safe and appropriate.
  • Record the number, timing and direction of emerging bats.
  • Keep observations away from the entrance and minimise lighting and handling.

Colonies and breeding places: Why colonies need special care

Disturbing a maternity roost can separate young from females, trap bats inside a tree or building, or remove a large concentration of local animals at once. Clearing can also remove nearby feeding habitat and alternative roosts.

Queensland transport guidance treats microbats as colonial breeders during the breeding season. Any roost where young are raised is a breeding place.

  • Plan avoidance first, followed by retention of the roost and surrounding vegetation.
  • Do not fell, seal, demolish or heavily modify a suspected maternity roost without specialist advice and regulatory approval.
  • Use soft or two-stage felling where a hollow-bearing tree cannot be retained.
  • Stop work and reassess if pups, lactating females or a large emergence is found.

Colonies and breeding places: Queensland approval context

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

Confirm the regulatory pathway before work starts. DETSI defines colonial breeders as animals of the same kind that co-exist in close association for breeding.

  • Have the fauna spotter catcher check suspected breeding places before disturbance.
  • Keep survey records, photographs, emergence counts and decisions in the project file.
  • Seek advice from the Queensland regulator where the breeding status or proposed action is uncertain.

Threats: Tree clearing and hollow loss

The main work-site risks are the removal of roost trees, disturbance of maternity colonies and loss of connected foraging habitat. Risk increases where several hollow trees or structures are removed together.

Clearing, pruning, firewood collection and removal of large old or dead trees can destroy roosts. A hollow tree may contain bats even when no animal is visible during a pre-clearance inspection.

Use a staged clearing approach and retain hollow-bearing trees and large dead trees wherever practicable.

  • Map and flag all hollow-bearing trees before works.
  • Avoid felling trees with confirmed or suspected maternity use.
  • Inspect cut limbs and felled sections for bats before processing.

Threats: Buildings, bridges and culverts

Sealing roof spaces, demolishing buildings and modifying bridges or culverts can block entrances or trap bats inside. Lighting and night works can also disturb movement and emergence.

Inspect structures before demolition, refurbishment or exclusion, and keep a clear record of every potential entrance.

  • Use a bat sleeve or other approved one-way exclusion only when timing is suitable.
  • Close an entrance permanently only after confirming that bats have left.
  • Retain alternative roost features where practicable.

Threats: Maternity and torpor disturbance

Disturbance during maternity activity can leave young behind or displace females from a breeding place. Disturbance during torpor can cause exhaustion and reduce survival.

Use local seasonal information and specialist advice when setting work dates. The general microbat guidance identifies October to February as unsuitable for exclusion where young may be left inside, and May to September as a torpor period.

  • Do not enter or modify a suspected roost without an appropriate assessment.
  • Stop work if dependent young or a concentrated colony is found.
  • Avoid handling bats unless authorised and trained.

Threats: Habitat fragmentation and indirect impacts

Agricultural clearing, housing, forestry, altered fire regimes and extreme fragmentation can reduce feeding grounds and connectivity. Insecticide use, cats, vehicle movement and loss of clean water can add pressure around developments.

Retaining vegetation and reducing indirect impacts can help maintain roost access and foraging opportunities.

  • Maintain connected vegetation and understorey where possible.
  • Reduce unnecessary night lighting near roosts and movement corridors.
  • Limit insecticide use near retained habitat.
  • Keep cats away from work areas and retain clean water sources.

Survey methodology: 1. Desktop assessment

Survey the Southern Forest Bat as a small colonial microbat that may roost in tree hollows, under loose bark, buildings and other structures. Use more than one method where works could affect a hollow-bearing tree, building roost or suspected maternity site.

Map hollow-bearing trees, old and dead trees, loose bark, buildings, bridges, culverts, caves and other structures within and near the work area.

Review records, habitat connectivity, nearby water, previous bat surveys and known colonies. Consider the species' use of forest, woodland, mallee, shrubland and understorey habitat.

Treat any structure with evidence of repeated bat use, or any hollow-bearing tree, as a potential roost until assessed. Southern Forest Bat movements are poorly known, and the species may use more than one roost site.

  • Check whether the project may affect a matter of national environmental significance under the EPBC Act.
  • Check state wildlife legislation, local permit requirements and any Queensland requirements for a colonial breeder.

Survey methodology: 2. Acoustic and activity surveys

Deploy Anabat or a similar ultrasonic detector at likely flyways, hollow-bearing trees, water points, forest edges and structures. Record calls throughout the night, with particular attention to the period after sunset when bats emerge.

Survey in suitable weather, avoiding strong wind, heavy rain and conditions that suppress bat activity. Repeat surveys over more than one season where a roost may be significant, because use can vary with weather, season and breeding status.

Southern Forest Bat calls can overlap with other Vespadelus species. Treat acoustic identification as an indication unless supported by call quality, location, habitat and, where necessary, capture-based identification.

  • Record date, start and finish time, weather, wind, rain, detector location, detector settings, habitat, call files and identification confidence.
  • The species has been recorded with calls in the 39 to 46 kHz range, but call frequency alone should not be used for identification.

Survey methodology: 3. Roost and emergence surveys

Watch likely roost entrances from before sunset until bat activity has finished. Use night-vision equipment where available and avoid shining bright lights into entrances.

Inspect accessible hollows, roof spaces, bridge joints, culverts and other cavities with an endoscope or pole camera. Use a qualified person and avoid entering confined spaces without the required controls.

Look for bats, pups, droppings, staining, worn entrance edges, noise, odour and repeated emergence. A maternity roost is confirmed by pregnant or lactating females, pups, or dependent young using the site.

  • Record the number of bats seen, entrance location, emergence direction, timing, behaviour, roost features and photographs where this can be done without disturbance.
  • Do not seal, fell or modify a suspected roost during the survey period.

Survey methodology: 4. Capture surveys and reporting

Use harp traps or mist nets only under the authority of an appropriately permitted and experienced bat ecologist. Place traps on flyways and check them frequently to minimise heat stress, dehydration and entanglement.

Handle bats only when authorised. Record species, sex, age class, reproductive condition, weight, forearm length, location and any injury. Southern Forest Bat adults are generally 4 to 7 g with a forearm length of 28 to 34 mm.

Use capture results to verify acoustic identifications and assess whether females are pregnant or lactating. Release healthy animals at the capture location on the same evening, unless an authorised wildlife professional directs otherwise.

  • Record all survey effort, including detector nights, trap locations, trap hours, weather, observer names and limitations.
  • Submit records to the project fauna file and relevant government or biodiversity databases where required.

Before habitat disturbance: 1. Avoidance and approvals

Plan the work around roost use rather than treating a hollow or building as an empty structure. Avoid maternity roosts wherever practicable, and obtain the approvals needed before clearing, demolition or exclusion begins.

Retain hollow-bearing trees, large old trees, dead trees with hollows, loose bark and surrounding vegetation wherever practicable. Retain connected vegetation and nearby foraging habitat, especially where bats are using a roost.

Determine whether an EPBC Act referral is required before work starts. Obtain any state or territory wildlife permits, clearing approvals, scientific permits and animal handling authorities that apply.

In Queensland, treat the Southern Forest Bat as a least concern colonial breeder. Tampering with its breeding place requires the high risk species management program pathway under the Nature Conservation (Animals) Regulation 2020, rather than the low risk pathway used for other least concern animals.

  • Confirm the approval pathway in writing with the relevant regulator before issuing a clearing or demolition work order.
  • Include roost trees, active breeding places and associated vegetation in the site environmental constraints plan.

Before habitat disturbance: 2. Timing and exclusion planning

Schedule tree removal, demolition and exclusion outside the maternity period wherever possible. Southern Forest Bat females form maternity colonies in spring and give birth in early summer. Young may remain dependent into summer.

Do not undertake building-roost exclusion during October to February when young may be left inside. Do not exclude bats during May to September, when microbats may enter torpor.

The species hibernates in winter and its broader seasonal movements are poorly known. Obtain local ecological advice before relying on a seasonal window.

  • Use a two-stage or soft-felling method for hollow-bearing trees where removal cannot be avoided.
  • Do not fell a suspected maternity tree until the roost has been assessed and the approved method statement permits the work.

Before habitat disturbance: 3. Pre-clearance inspection

Complete a final inspection shortly before disturbance. Recheck hollows, loose bark, roof spaces, bridge structures, culverts and other cavities that could shelter bats.

Use emergence observations, internal inspection with an endoscope or pole camera, and acoustic monitoring where risk remains. Search for pups, lactating females, fresh droppings and other signs of active use.

Mark each tree or structure with its roost status, required controls and no-go area. Reassess the plan if conditions change or new evidence is found.

  • Inspect trees from the ground before climbing or machinery enters the area.
  • Treat a colony, maternity roost or breeding place as active until a suitably qualified person confirms otherwise.

Before habitat disturbance: 4. Exclusion and crew induction

Use a one-way bat sleeve or another approved exclusion device only when no dependent young are present and the timing is suitable. Allow bats to leave before permanently closing the entry point.

Do not use smoke, poison, adhesive devices, high pressure water, fire, loud noise or unapproved chemicals to remove bats.

Brief all workers, operators and subcontractors before work. Show them photographs of the species, marked exclusion areas, stop-work signals and the injured animal pathway.

  • Nominate the fauna spotter catcher or ecologist who can stop work.
  • Keep access points, roost trees and exclusion devices undisturbed during the approved exclusion period.
  • Keep a licensed wildlife carer, veterinarian and regulator contact list on site.

During habitat disturbance: 1. Sequential clearing

Clear in a controlled sequence and keep a qualified fauna spotter catcher present where roosts, hollows or structures may be affected. Work must stop when a bat, colony, breeding place or unexpected roost is found.

Start with low-risk vegetation and retain the identified roost tree or structure until surrounding works are complete. Use staged clearing to give bats a safe route to retained habitat.

For hollow-bearing trees, use approved two-stage or soft felling. Lower limbs and hollow sections slowly, place them on the ground with openings clear, and leave them undisturbed for inspection where this is part of the approved method.

Keep machinery, lighting and personnel away from marked roost entrances and exclusion areas.

  • Check each felled hollow and loose-bark section before it is moved or mulched.
  • Do not stack hollow logs, limbs or demolition material where trapped bats cannot escape.
  • Maintain a clear record of the sequence, time and location of each clearing action.

During habitat disturbance: 2. Stop-work response

The fauna spotter catcher has authority to stop work immediately. Stop for any bat, pup, injured animal, active colony, maternity roost, occupied hollow, unexpected building roost or evidence of breeding.

Secure the area and prevent further vibration, lighting, noise and machinery movement. Do not attempt to flush bats from a cavity.

Have the authorised ecologist assess the site, confirm the species and reproductive status, and determine whether the approved management plan remains suitable.

  • Notify the site supervisor and regulator where required by the approval or permit.
  • Do not restart until the ecologist has released the area in writing or the relevant approval has been varied.

During habitat disturbance: 3. Handling and release

Only authorised and trained people may capture or handle bats. Use thick gloves and suitable equipment, and follow the permit, animal ethics and work health and safety requirements.

Place a healthy displaced bat in a secure, ventilated container only for the shortest practical time. Release it at the same location on the same evening when directed by the authorised wildlife professional.

Do not handle a bat bare-handed. Any bite or scratch requires immediate medical advice because Australian bat lyssavirus is a serious health risk.

  • Contact a veterinarian, licensed wildlife carer or approved rescue service for an injured or dehydrated bat.
  • Keep injured bats warm, quiet and secure during transport, without offering food or water unless directed by a veterinarian or wildlife carer.

During habitat disturbance: 4. Active breeding places and incidents

If pups, lactating females or an active maternity colony are found, stop work and protect the roost and surrounding vegetation. Do not relocate a colony or seal the entrance without specific approval and ecological direction.

Record the colony size where this can be done without disturbance. Colonies may contain up to 100 Southern Forest Bats, and more than 10 microbats may use a tree hollow together.

Report all injuries, deaths, unexpected roosts, unauthorised disturbance and approval breaches through the project's incident system and to the relevant regulator.

  • Photograph the site from a safe distance.
  • Record the date, time, location, activity, people involved, animal condition, action taken and outcome.
  • Preserve relevant photographs, call files, permit details and witness statements.

After habitat disturbance: 1. Post-clearance checks

A work area is not clear simply because no bat was seen during felling or demolition. Complete structured checks, close out records and monitor any retained or replacement roosts.

Inspect felled hollow sections, loose bark, roof spaces, bridge cavities and demolition debris for trapped, injured or dead bats. Check before material is removed, chipped, buried or transported.

Repeat an evening emergence check at retained roosts and any site where disturbance occurred. Use acoustic monitoring if activity or roost status remains uncertain.

Keep no-go areas in place until the ecologist confirms that the approved works are complete and animals can move safely through the site.

  • Check that exclusion devices have not trapped bats or blocked non-target wildlife.
  • Remove one-way devices only when authorised and permanently close access points only after confirming that bats have left.

After habitat disturbance: 2. Reporting and compliance

Complete the fauna clearance report with maps, photographs, survey effort, roost assessments, animals handled, injuries, mortalities, releases, stop-work events and approval conditions.

Report outcomes to the project manager, approval holder and relevant government agency within the required timeframe. Update the site's environmental constraints map.

Retain acoustic files, capture data, chain of custody records and veterinary or wildlife carer notes with the project records.

  • Compare the actual work sequence with the approved method statement.
  • Document any variation, corrective action and regulator notification.
  • Record whether a breeding place, colony or roost was affected.

After habitat disturbance: 3. Relocated and displaced animals

Check any approved release location for suitable hollow-bearing trees, shelter, food, water and safe flight paths. Release healthy bats at the original location wherever practicable, unless an authorised person approves another site.

Do not move bats long distances or release them into exposed conditions. Avoid release during heavy rain, strong wind, extreme heat or cold.

Monitor the release site for immediate survival, return to the original roost and use of nearby retained habitat.

  • Record release time, location, weather, animal condition and the person who authorised release.
  • Seek veterinary or wildlife carer advice for bats that are dehydrated, injured, grounded or unable to fly.

After habitat disturbance: 4. Incident review and monitoring

Review every unexpected bat finding with the fauna spotter catcher, ecologist, supervisor and contractor. Identify whether the survey, timing, exclusion or induction controls need improvement.

Monitor retained roost trees and replacement structures where required by the approval. Use emergence observations or acoustic detectors at the same locations and comparable times.

Extend monitoring over more than one season where a maternity roost or important colony may have been affected.

  • Track occupancy, emergence activity, evidence of pups and condition of retained habitat.
  • Close the corrective action only when the monitoring and reporting commitments are complete.

Rehabilitation actions: 1. Restore roost and foraging habitat

Rehabilitation should restore connected native vegetation and the roost features that bats use, rather than relying on boxes alone. Natural hollows take many years to form, so retain existing trees wherever possible and use replacement structures only as a supplementary measure.

Retain and protect large old trees, dead trees with hollows, loose bark and fallen hollow limbs where safe. Keep retained trees connected to surrounding vegetation and protect their root zones from compaction.

Replant a structurally diverse mix of locally appropriate trees, shrubs and understorey plants. Restore vegetation corridors and forest edges that support aerial insect foraging.

Control weeds and prevent aggressive climbers from covering retained trees, hollows or replacement roosts.

  • Use local provenance plants where practicable.
  • Stage rehabilitation so that shelter and foraging habitat are available as the site develops.
  • Avoid removing dead wood that can provide future hollows unless it presents a demonstrated safety risk.

Rehabilitation actions: 2. Replacement roost structures

Install bat boxes or other artificial roost structures only where they suit the local habitat and the species' roost requirements. Place them near retained vegetation and safe flight paths, and protect them from excessive heat, flooding, predators and vandalism.

Treat bat boxes as a short-term or supplementary measure. They do not replace a mature hollow-bearing tree or an active maternity roost.

Use an experienced bat ecologist to select the design, location, height and orientation. Inspect and maintain structures under an approved monitoring plan.

  • Record the type, location, installation date and condition of each box or artificial roost.
  • Do not open or move an occupied box during the breeding period or while pups may be present.
  • Use artificial nest sites only where the design provides a suitable enclosed roost, as Southern Forest Bats are not known to require an open nest.

Rehabilitation actions: 3. Water, insects and lighting

Maintain clean dams, drainage lines and watercourses where they are part of the site's habitat. Prevent sediment, chemicals and contaminated runoff from entering drinking or insect-producing water.

Reduce insecticide use and select pest controls that minimise effects on nocturnal insects. Restore understorey and shrub cover around likely foraging areas.

Use the lowest practical lighting level. Direct lights away from retained trees, roost entrances, water, vegetation corridors and likely flight paths, and avoid unnecessary overnight lighting.

  • Use warm, shielded lights where lighting cannot be avoided.
  • Turn off temporary construction lighting when it is no longer required.
  • Keep cats and other domestic predators away from restored habitat.

Rehabilitation actions: 4. Long-term monitoring

Monitor retained trees, artificial roosts, vegetation establishment and bat activity at intervals set by the approval or ecological risk assessment. Use emergence watches, Anabat recordings and inspection with a pole camera where appropriate.

Record occupancy, species evidence, reproductive use, box condition, tree health, weed cover, water condition and lighting changes.

Adapt the rehabilitation works if roosts remain unused, boxes overheat, weeds reduce habitat quality, or monitoring detects injury or mortality.

  • Compare results with the pre-clearing baseline where one exists.
  • Continue monitoring through the period needed to establish replacement vegetation and demonstrate stable roost use.
  • Report monitoring results to the approval holder and relevant regulator.

Sources