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Southern Free-tailed Bat (Ozimops planiceps)

The Southern Free-tailed Bat is a small, fast-flying insectivorous microbat recorded across New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Victoria. It uses tree hollows and buildings, and may share breeding roosts, so clearing, bridge works, roof removal and hollow-bearing tree removal can affect several bats at once. It is listed as least concern in Australia, but remains protected wildlife, and in Queensland it is treated as a colonial breeder for breeding-place management.

Conservation status

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

Breeding season

The Southern Free-tailed Bat mates from April to August, with pregnancy recorded from September to December. Lactating females and dependent young are recorded through late summer, with timing likely to vary between regions and years.

Breeding mode: Colonial breeder. Females raise young in shared maternity roosts.

Litter size: Not recorded for the Southern Free-tailed Bat. Most microbats usually give birth to one pup per year.

Gestation: Not recorded in days or weeks. Pregnancy is recorded from September to December.

Young and independence: Lactating females are recorded from December to February. Young are dependent from February to March and become independent at about 2 to 3 months.

Sexual maturity: About 1 to 2 years.

Breeding roosts: Species records include tree hollows and buildings. Microbat maternity roosts may also occur in fissures, loose bark, caves, mines, culverts, bridges and other enclosed spaces.

Colony recognition and size: Colony sizes are not recorded. An active breeding place may contain pregnant or lactating females, pups, regular bat emergence, droppings, staining or repeated acoustic detections.

Timing can shift between years and regions, so confirm local activity with acoustic surveys, emergence watches and roost inspections before clearing or exclusion works.

  • Mating: Mating is recorded from April to August, before pregnancy begins in spring.
  • Pregnancy: Pregnancy is recorded from September to December, so hollow-bearing trees and enclosed roosts need careful assessment during this period.
  • Lactating females and pups: Lactation begins in December and continues through February, with the first month shown here as the December period.
  • Dependent young: Young are recorded as dependent from February to March and may remain in a maternity roost while females forage.
  • General microbat breeding-place activity: Microbat colonies generally form during the warmer breeding season, and a roost where young are raised is a breeding place.
  • Highest clearing risk: The highest risk period is September to March, when pregnancy, lactation or dependent young may occur and maternity roosts should not be excluded or disturbed.

Identification: Appearance and measurements

The Southern Free-tailed Bat is a small molossid bat with a fast, open-air flight style. It is most reliably identified by a combination of tail structure, measurements and echolocation analysis.

The tail bone extends beyond the tail membrane. This is the defining free-tailed bat feature.

Adults weigh 7 to 13 g when not pregnant. The forearm is 32 to 35 mm long and the tail is 27 to 36 mm long.

Family: Molossidae, free-tailed bats

Typical flight: Fast and aerial, generally in open airspace

  • Use scales accurate to 0.1 g when weighing a captured bat.
  • Measure the forearm with callipers where safe and appropriate.
  • Handle bats only under an approved fauna handling procedure. Use suitable gloves and follow site biosecurity and disease controls.

Identification: Calls and similar species

Southern Free-tailed Bats use ultrasonic echolocation calls and are commonly detected with an Anabat or similar detector. Call identification should be completed by an experienced analyst using a regional reference library.

The Inland Freetail Bat occurs in north-west Victoria and may need to be considered during identification. Do not rely on a single call, photograph or measurement where similar free-tailed bats may occur.

  • Record the detector type, recording settings, location, date and weather.
  • Where identification affects clearing decisions, combine acoustic results with habitat inspection and, where authorised, capture-based confirmation.

Identification: Field signs

Look for small dark droppings below roost entrances, on ledges, window sills, bridge structures and building floors. Droppings may be scattered where bats leave a roost to feed.

Staining, dust marks, urine odour and repeated emergence from a crack or cavity can indicate a used roost. These signs are not proof of a maternity roost on their own.

Bats do not build nests. Whitewash is not expected as a normal sign of this species, although guano and staining may accumulate around a heavily used roost.

  • Watch likely exits at dusk.
  • Inspect hollows, roof gaps, bridge joints and wall spaces for droppings, staining, odour and live bats.
  • Record any calls, emergence activity and evidence of repeated use.

Distribution: Australian range

The Southern Free-tailed Bat is mapped in New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Victoria. Records from greater Melbourne show that it can use highly modified urban landscapes as well as more natural areas.

The species occurs across parts of eastern and southern Australia, including New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Victoria. Its distribution is not uniform, so a lack of a local record should not be treated as evidence that it is absent from a work site.

In Victoria, it has been recorded in greater Melbourne, including open urban green spaces, sporting venues and parks.

Mapped states and territories: New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Victoria

Known urban context: Greater Melbourne, including open parks and sporting areas

  • Check current state databases and local records before clearing.
  • Treat suitable roost features as potentially occupied where records are incomplete or survey conditions are poor.

Distribution: Regional variation

Local occurrence is likely to reflect the availability of roosts, nearby insect-rich airspace and connected open flight paths. The species is capable of travelling up to 15 km from a roost while foraging.

There is no established migration route or regular passage timing to use for site decisions. Seasonal roost use and local movements should be assessed at the project scale.

  • Consider surrounding tree cover, buildings, bridges, culverts and other structures within the broader activity area.
  • Use several survey methods where a project may affect hollow-bearing trees or occupied buildings.

Habitat: Vegetation and landscape features

This bat can occur in natural, rural and urban settings where roosts and open flying space are available. Habitat assessment should cover both the immediate footprint and nearby features that may support regular roosting or feeding.

Inspect mature trees and patches of woodland for hollows, fissures, loose bark and dead limbs. Trees around open clearings can provide roosting opportunities close to feeding areas.

In greater Melbourne, the species was recorded in open green spaces such as parks, sporting venues, sports ovals and tennis courts. More trees within 25 m of detector sites were associated with higher activity in that study.

Watercourses, dams and drainage lines may provide insect-producing habitat and flight corridors, although local relationships with water can vary.

  • Map hollow-bearing trees, dead trees, large limbs and loose bark.
  • Record nearby open paddocks, ovals, roads, watercourses, dams and artificial structures.
  • Retain linked roosting and open foraging areas where practicable.

Habitat: Built and disturbed sites

Buildings, bridges, culverts, roof spaces and wall cavities can provide shelter for microbats. A site can remain relevant even where native vegetation is sparse.

Roads were associated with lower activity in a greater Melbourne study, but roads and construction areas can still contain occupied structures and roost trees.

  • Inspect buildings before demolition, recladding, roof replacement or sealing.
  • Include bridge beams, expansion joints, drainage structures and culvert entrances in pre-clearance checks.
  • Do not assume that an actively used site is unimportant because it is urban or highly disturbed.

Foraging habitat: Foraging areas

The Southern Free-tailed Bat is an aerial insectivore that hunts in open airspace. It is a fast flyer and may continue feeding across exposed areas where slower or clutter-adapted bats are less active.

Look for open paddocks, parkland, sporting fields, road verges, watercourse margins and clearings adjoining trees. The species has been recorded over open urban green spaces.

Trees near open areas may provide roosts, shelter and insect resources. Retaining a mix of mature trees, open flight paths and vegetated edges can help maintain local habitat.

Foraging style: Aerial and fast flying

Foraging home range: Up to 15 km

  • Keep lighting, noise and construction activity away from important roost exits where practicable.
  • Avoid blocking regular flight paths with temporary structures, stockpiles or poorly placed lighting.
  • Maintain open access between likely roosts and feeding areas during staged works.

Foraging habitat: Weather and activity

Activity generally increased with warmer dusk temperatures up to about 20 to 25°C and then appeared to level off. Rain reduced recorded activity in the greater Melbourne study.

Weather affects detection. A quiet survey night does not necessarily show that a roost is unused, particularly after rain, during cool conditions or when wind and other site conditions are unsuitable.

  • Record temperature, rainfall, wind and humidity during acoustic surveys.
  • Use repeated survey nights where the result will influence tree removal, demolition or exclusion decisions.
  • Interpret detector passes as an activity index, not a count of individual bats.

Breeding habitat: Breeding season

Breeding timing makes late spring and summer works particularly sensitive. A maternity roost is any roost where young are raised, whether it is in a tree, building, bridge, culvert or another structure.

Mating occurs from April to August. Pregnancy is recorded from September to December, lactation from December to February, and dependent young from February to March.

Young become independent at about 2 to 3 months. Adult females may return to familiar breeding areas and maternity roosts can contain a substantial part of a local population.

Pregnancy: September to December

Lactation: December to February

Dependent young: February to March

Sexual maturity: 1 to 2 years

  • Plan intrusive works outside the local maternity period wherever possible.
  • Do not seal, fell or demolish a suspected maternity roost until occupancy and dependent young have been assessed.
  • Seek project-specific ecological and regulatory advice where works cannot avoid the breeding period.

Breeding habitat: Confirming a maternity roost

Confirmation is strongest when pregnant or lactating females, pups or dependent young are observed. Repeated adult emergence from the same feature during the breeding period also warrants careful assessment.

Acoustic detection alone can show activity near a feature, but it cannot confirm that young are being raised there.

  • Use dusk emergence watches at likely exits.
  • Inspect accessible hollows or structures with an endoscope or pole camera where this can be done safely and lawfully.
  • Use a harp trap or mist net only under the relevant approval, by trained personnel and with appropriate animal welfare controls.
  • Record sex, reproductive condition and the presence of pups where capture is authorised.

Sheltering habitat: Natural roost features

The species has been recorded roosting in tree hollows and buildings. As with other microbats, suitable shelter may also occur in fissures, loose bark, caves, disused mines, culverts, bridges and wall or roof spaces, but each feature needs site-specific assessment.

Inspect hollow-bearing trees, dead limbs, fissures, loose bark, broken branches and cavities at different heights. A roost entrance may be small and difficult to see from the ground.

Caves and disused mines can provide sheltered roosting habitat, while cracks in rock faces may be relevant where present. Do not enter unsafe underground workings or disturb bats in confined spaces without specialist advice.

  • Map the tree or structure and photograph likely entrances.
  • Look below entrances for droppings, staining and odour.
  • Check cavities with an endoscope or pole camera only where the inspection can be completed without harming bats or damaging the feature.

Sheltering habitat: Buildings and infrastructure

Buildings commonly provide roost spaces in roof voids, wall cavities, eaves, fascia gaps and other narrow openings. Bridges and culverts may provide comparable sheltered joints and cracks.

Before demolition or refurbishment, watch the structure at dusk and inspect possible exit points for staining or droppings. A roost can be occupied even when no bats are visible during a daytime inspection.

  • Retain or stage works around occupied roost features where possible.
  • If exclusion is approved, use a one-way device and leave it in place for at least a couple of weeks before sealing the final opening.
  • Do not exclude bats during the breeding season, October to February, when young may remain inside. Avoid exclusion during the cooler period, May to September, when bats may enter torpor.
  • Provide a bat box only as a supplementary measure. A box does not replace an occupied natural or built roost.

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

Southern Free-tailed Bats are colonial breeders. A colony or maternity roost is a shared breeding place where multiple bats use the same cavity, building space or structure, so damage to one feature can affect many animals.

A colony may occupy a tree hollow, building roof or wall space, bridge joint, culvert, cave, mine or another sheltered cavity. The entrance may be a narrow crack, hollow opening or gap under bark.

There is no reliable species-specific colony size available for field planning. Colony size can vary with the feature, season and local conditions, so a small entrance should not be taken to indicate a small colony.

Colony size: Variable and not established for this species

Possible breeding places: Tree hollows, buildings, bridges, culverts, caves, mines and other enclosed roost spaces

  • Look for repeated use of one entrance by several bats.
  • Check for accumulated droppings, staining, urine odour and audible movement in enclosed spaces.
  • Treat any roost where pups are raised as a breeding place.

Colonies and breeding places: Site fidelity and active roosts

Microbats may have several roosts within their home range and may return to regular sites. A feature that is empty during one inspection may be used at another time.

An active breeding place is best recognised through repeated emergence, pregnant or lactating females, pups, dependent young, fresh droppings or other evidence of current use.

  • Complete emergence watches on suitable evenings rather than relying on a single daytime check.
  • Use Anabat or similar acoustic monitoring to identify activity around suspected roosts.
  • Coordinate tree, building and infrastructure inspections so that evidence is considered together.

Colonies and breeding places: Managing colonies during works

Colonies need special care because disturbance, exclusion or tree removal can displace many bats and may separate mothers from dependent young. Hollow-bearing trees should not be felled abruptly when a breeding roost may be present.

Where removal cannot be avoided, use staged or soft felling under an approved fauna management procedure. This can include lowering sections carefully, checking cavities and allowing qualified personnel to respond to injured or displaced bats.

  • Avoid removing or sealing a suspected maternity roost during the maternity period.
  • Use exclusion devices outside the maternity season only after confirming that bats can leave and are not trapped inside.
  • 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.
  • Seek the applicable approval and species management advice before disturbing a breeding place.

Threats: Tree and vegetation clearing

The main work-site risks are loss of roost features, trapping or exclusion during breeding, and disturbance of bats in buildings and structures. General microbat risks also apply during transport, handling and vegetation clearing.

Removing hollow-bearing trees, dead limbs, loose bark and mature trees can remove roosts that are difficult to replace. Sudden felling can injure bats or leave dependent young inside a cavity.

Retain suitable hollow trees and connected open flight paths where practicable. Mark likely roost trees and include them in the pre-clearance register.

  • Use two-stage or soft felling for approved removal of hollow-bearing trees.
  • Inspect felled sections and cavities for bats before they are moved or mulched.
  • Stop work and contact the fauna spotter catcher if bats, pups or fresh roost evidence are found.

Threats: Buildings, bridges and exclusion

Demolition, roof work, bridge repairs and sealing gaps can trap bats or remove a regular roost. Exclusion during the breeding season can leave pups inside, while exclusion during cooler weather may affect bats in torpor.

Identify all exits, watch emergence and use a one-way device only under an approved method. Seal the final opening only after confirming that bats have left.

  • Avoid exclusion from October to February where young may be present.
  • Avoid exclusion from May to September when bats may enter torpor.
  • Use an artificial roost box as a supplementary measure, not as an automatic replacement for a natural roost.

Threats: Construction activity and landscape change

Lighting, noise, vibration, dust and temporary structures can alter access to roosts and feeding areas. Roads and increased traffic can also increase collision risk and were associated with lower bat activity in a greater Melbourne study.

Plan night works and lighting so that roost entrances and nearby flight paths remain as undisturbed as practicable.

  • Direct lights away from roost entrances, tree hollows, watercourses and retained vegetation.
  • Avoid blocking regular emergence paths with cranes, scaffolding, screens or stockpiles.
  • Keep a clear incident process for bats found on the ground, trapped in structures or injured during works.

Threats: Handling, transport and disease

Captured or displaced bats can suffer dehydration, injury and heat stress. Microbats may enter torpor in cool conditions, and transport temperatures above 25°C can cause heat stress.

Australian bat lyssavirus is a recognised health risk. Only trained and appropriately vaccinated personnel should handle bats, and all workers must follow the approved occupational health and safety procedure.

  • Use suitable gloves and minimise handling time.
  • Keep bats in secure, dark, well-ventilated containers under controlled conditions.
  • Do not release a displaced bat until its condition, release location and timing have been assessed by the responsible fauna professional.
  • Record all captures, injuries, treatments, releases and interactions with the project environmental representative.

Survey methodology: 1. Desktop assessment

Survey the Southern Free-tailed Bat as a colonial, hollow and building-roosting microbat. Species-specific information on colony size and roost dimensions is limited, so use more than one detection method where clearing could affect hollow-bearing trees, buildings, bridges, culverts or other enclosed spaces.

Map hollow-bearing trees, buildings, bridges, culverts, caves, mines, fissures, loose bark and other enclosed spaces that could provide roosts.

Check nearby records, previous fauna reports, local planning information and aerial imagery. Identify connected trees, watercourses, open flying areas and potential replacement roost locations.

Treat any place where young are raised as a breeding place. In Queensland, plan for the higher level of protection that applies to a least concern colonial breeder.

  • Record the location and type of every potential roost.
  • Record nearby clearing, demolition, vibration, lighting and access constraints.
  • Identify areas where a colony could be concentrated, even if no bats are visible during the day.

Survey methodology: 2. Acoustic and activity surveys

Deploy Anabat or similar ultrasonic detectors around likely roosts, tree lines, open flying areas and site boundaries.

Survey around dusk and during the active night period, using repeated visits where the habitat is suitable. Choose nights with low rainfall and conditions in which bats are likely to be flying.

Use regional call analysis and an experienced analyst. Treat acoustic records as detections, not counts of individual bats. The Southern Free-tailed Bat is an open-adapted, fast-flying insectivore and may forage over open areas as well as around trees.

  • Record detector location, date, start and finish times, weather, habitat, call files and identification confidence.
  • Record passes separately from estimated individuals. A high pass count does not establish colony size.
  • Use activity results to identify regular flight paths and areas that need closer roost inspection.

Survey methodology: 3. Roost and breeding-place surveys

Watch potential buildings, bridges, culverts and tree hollows at dusk to record emergence points and flight direction.

Inspect accessible hollows, fissures, loose bark, roof spaces and wall spaces with an endoscope or pole camera where this can be done safely and lawfully.

Use harp traps or mist nets only under the authority of appropriately trained and authorised personnel. Handle captured bats briefly and release them at the capture location unless a qualified person directs otherwise.

  • Look for bats, pups, pregnant or lactating females, fresh droppings, staining, noise, odour and repeated entry or exit points.
  • Confirm a maternity roost through direct evidence such as pups or pregnant or lactating females. Treat strong emergence evidence as a potential active breeding place until assessed.
  • Record species, sex and reproductive condition where this can be done safely, together with the roost type, access point and disturbance risk.

Survey methodology: 4. Colony assessment and survey records

A colony may be a group of bats sharing a hollow, roof space, fissure, bridge cavity or other sheltered roost. Colony sizes for this species are not well documented, so do not assume that a small emergence represents the whole colony.

Microbats can use several roosts within their home range and may return to regular sites. A maternity roost can hold a large share of the local population, even when bats are dispersed across nearby foraging areas.

Record the evidence needed to support a management decision, rather than trying to estimate a precise population from one survey.

  • Map all roost entrances and likely alternative roosts.
  • Record the number of emerging bats only as an observed count, with the observation period and method.
  • Record whether the roost is occupied, potentially occupied, or confirmed as an active breeding place.
  • Photograph signs and structures where this can be done without entering or disturbing the roost.

Before habitat disturbance: 1. Approvals and legal checks

Plan clearing and construction around roost protection, breeding risk and the legal status of the work. The Southern Free-tailed Bat is listed as least concern, but it is a colonial breeder and its breeding places need specific care, particularly in Queensland.

Check whether the action could affect a matter of national environmental significance and seek an EPBC Act referral if required.

Obtain state and local approvals before disturbing bats, roosts, hollow-bearing trees or breeding places. Confirm permit requirements for fauna survey, capture, handling, relocation, exclusion and tree removal.

In Queensland, obtain the required high risk species management program for tampering with the breeding place of a least concern colonial breeder. Do not rely on the low risk program used for other least concern animals.

  • Confirm the approval holder, authorised fauna spotter catcher and reporting obligations before work starts.
  • Keep approval conditions, the management plan and emergency contacts on site.
  • Escalate any proposed change in method, timing or footprint for ecological review before proceeding.

Before habitat disturbance: 2. Timing and avoidance

Schedule exclusion and roost disturbance outside the maternity period, October to February, when dependent young may be present. Avoid exclusion during the cooler period, May to September, when bats may enter torpor.

The species has recorded mating from April to August, pregnancy from September to December, lactation from December to February, and dependent young from February to March. Use local survey evidence and the relevant approval conditions to refine timing.

There is no established species-specific migration schedule to use for programming works. Treat regular local movements between roosts and foraging areas as a management consideration.

  • Retain confirmed maternity roosts wherever practicable.
  • Avoid night works, strong lighting and repeated disturbance near occupied roosts.
  • Do not clear a suspected maternity tree or close a building roost until a competent ecologist has confirmed that the action is lawful and that bats and young will not be trapped.

Before habitat disturbance: 3. Pre-clearance inspection and exclusion

Complete a final inspection shortly before disturbance. Recheck hollow-bearing trees, loose bark, buildings, bridges, culverts and other enclosed structures.

Use emergence watches and inspection equipment where access is safe. If a roost is occupied, stop and revise the method before work proceeds.

Where a building roost must be closed, use a one-way exclusion device during a suitable active period. Leave it in place until monitoring confirms that bats have left, then seal the remaining entry points.

  • Use a staged or soft-felling method for hollow-bearing trees where removal is approved.
  • Lower sections carefully and allow time for fauna inspection before further processing.
  • Do not use exclusion devices during the maternity period or when bats may be torpid.
  • Set buffers around roosts and flight paths through the approval, ecological assessment and site risk assessment. Do not apply an invented distance where the approval specifies another requirement.

Before habitat disturbance: 4. Colony and breeding-place controls

Treat a shared roost, maternity roost or place where pups are raised as an active breeding place until evidence shows otherwise. A colony may occupy a tree hollow, fissure, loose bark, cave, mine, culvert, bridge, roof space or wall space.

Protect the roost entrance, the supporting structure and safe access for emerging bats. Avoid vibration, dust, direct lighting and blockage of entry and exit points.

Provide a supplementary bat box or other roost structure only where its design, location and installation have been assessed for this species. A box is not a substitute for retaining an occupied natural roost.

  • Mark the no-go area on plans and on the ground.
  • Brief workers that bats may be protected even when they are not visible.
  • Nominate a stop-work trigger for any pup, lactating female, occupied colony or previously unrecorded roost.

Before habitat disturbance: 5. Crew induction

Give all workers a site briefing before clearing or demolition. Show photographs or diagrams of likely roosts, signs of occupancy and the approved exclusion method.

Explain that only authorised personnel may capture, handle, examine or relocate bats. Include the risk of bites and Australian bat lyssavirus exposure.

Provide a clear communication chain from machine operator to fauna spotter catcher, supervisor, ecologist and regulator.

  • Keep machinery operators within the approved clearing sequence.
  • Require workers to stop work when directed by the fauna spotter catcher.
  • Do not touch a bat with bare hands or attempt an unauthorised release.
  • Keep the incident form, rescue container, gloves and contact numbers available.

During habitat disturbance: 1. Sequential clearing

Use a slow, observable clearing sequence and give the fauna spotter catcher authority to stop work. Any unexpected roost, colony, pup or injured bat must be treated as a management event, not as a minor site find.

Clear only the approved area and follow the marked sequence. Start with low-risk vegetation and retain escape routes towards suitable retained habitat where the plan allows.

Use two-stage or soft felling for approved hollow-bearing tree removal. Lower hollow sections carefully and pause for inspection before cutting, moving or mulching them.

Keep personnel and machinery clear of retained roosts, exclusion zones and marked flight paths.

  • Inspect each felled section, hollow, cavity and loose bark before it is moved.
  • Stop work if a bat, pup, colony or new roost sign is found.
  • Record the tree or structure number, location, time, condition and action taken.

During habitat disturbance: 2. Stop-work and active breeding places

The fauna spotter catcher must have authority to stop work immediately. Stop for any occupied roost, emergence, pup, pregnant or lactating female, injured bat, or evidence that a breeding place has been disturbed.

Keep people, vehicles and machinery away from the roost. Do not seal, smoke, flood, spray, shake or force bats from a cavity.

Contact the project ecologist and the relevant approval holder. Obtain direction before resuming work.

  • Re-establish the exclusion area and protect the entry and exit points.
  • Arrange a qualified assessment of the colony, roost and breeding status.
  • Amend the clearing method, timing or approval documentation where necessary.
  • Do not relocate a colony or maternity roost unless the approved plan and authorised specialists allow it.

During habitat disturbance: 3. Handling and release

Only trained and authorised people may capture or handle a bat. Use suitable personal protective equipment and follow the project disease and animal welfare procedures.

Place an uninjured bat in a secure, breathable container away from heat, noise and direct sun. Keep handling time short.

Release an uninjured bat at the capture location on the same evening where the approved procedure allows. If that is not possible, obtain advice from the project ecologist or wildlife authority about a suitable nearby release site.

  • Do not release a bat into an unfamiliar habitat without ecological advice.
  • Do not handle a bat if it can be safely left undisturbed in a secure roost.
  • Record species, sex if known, reproductive condition, injuries, capture location, release location and time.

During habitat disturbance: 4. Injured or dead animals

Treat an injured, grounded or dead bat as evidence of a fauna incident. Keep people and pets away and contact the nominated wildlife carer, veterinarian, regulator or project ecologist.

Do not provide food, water or medication unless directed by a qualified wildlife professional. Avoid direct contact because bats can carry Australian bat lyssavirus.

If a person is bitten or scratched, wash the wound thoroughly and seek urgent medical advice.

  • Photograph the animal only if this can be done without handling it.
  • Record the cause if apparent, such as tree impact, machinery, netting, heat or collision.
  • Preserve the location and surrounding evidence for assessment where required.

During habitat disturbance: 5. Daily site records

Complete a fauna clearance record for every work area and shift. Record both positive findings and the methods used when no bats were detected.

Link records to tree numbers, structure numbers, photographs, detector files and approval conditions.

Report any breach, unapproved disturbance, injury, death or discovery of a breeding place through the project incident process.

  • Record date, weather, personnel, equipment, start and finish times and clearing methods.
  • Record roost inspections, emergence observations, captures, releases, exclusions and stop-work events.
  • Give the site supervisor and ecologist a daily summary before work continues in the next area.

After habitat disturbance: 1. Post-clearance inspection

Post-clearance checks confirm that no bats remain trapped and that the approved controls worked. Review every incident before moving the work front or closing a roost exclusion.

Inspect felled hollow sections, retained trees, buildings, bridges, culverts and work areas after clearing. Check cavities, bark, debris piles and structures where a bat could shelter.

Recheck exclusion points and one-way devices. Do not permanently seal a roost until monitoring shows that all bats have left and the approval conditions have been met.

Search for live, injured or dead animals without putting people into unsafe spaces.

  • Complete the inspection in daylight and use an emergence watch where occupancy remains uncertain.
  • Record any bat, pup, roost sign, trapped animal or newly exposed cavity.
  • Keep suitable hollow sections undisturbed until the fauna specialist has completed the check.

After habitat disturbance: 2. Relocated animals and roost outcomes

Confirm the outcome for every captured or displaced bat. Link release records to the original capture point and any approved alternative location.

Where a roost was removed, record the replacement or supplementary roost structure and the reason it was selected. Do not describe a bat box as successful until use has been demonstrated.

If a colony was disturbed, continue monitoring in accordance with the approval and ecological management plan.

  • Record release time, location, condition and any follow-up treatment.
  • Check that replacement structures remain accessible, stable and free from obstruction.
  • Report unsuccessful exclusion, repeated re-entry or continued bat distress promptly.

After habitat disturbance: 3. Monitoring and reporting

Use emergence watches, acoustic detectors or repeat inspections to check retained and replacement roosts. Set the monitoring period and method through the approval and risk assessment.

Monitor activity around retained vegetation, open flight areas and nearby roosts where construction could alter access, lighting or noise.

Prepare a close-out report that explains what was cleared, what was retained, what was found and whether conditions were met.

  • Include maps, photographs, detector records, fauna records and incident reports.
  • Report findings to the regulator, approval holder and land manager where required.
  • Keep records in the project environmental management system.

After habitat disturbance: 4. Incident review

Review every stop-work event, injury, death, trapped bat, failed exclusion and unexpected breeding place before similar work resumes.

Identify whether the issue arose from survey timing, inadequate inspection, unclear induction, unsuitable machinery movement or a change in site conditions.

Update the clearing sequence, exclusion method, training and risk controls.

  • Hold a short review with the fauna spotter catcher, supervisor, ecologist and contractor.
  • Record the corrective action, responsible person and completion date.
  • Share relevant lessons with crews working in other parts of the site.

Rehabilitation actions: 1. Retain and restore roost habitat

Rehabilitation should restore shelter, foraging habitat and safe movement between roosts. The Southern Free-tailed Bat forages in open airspace, but trees also provide roosting, shelter and insect resources, so retain and reconnect suitable vegetation wherever the project allows.

Retain suitable hollow-bearing trees, mature trees, loose bark and natural cavities wherever safe and practicable. Protect retained trees from root damage, compaction, fire, pruning and unnecessary lighting.

Restore locally appropriate native vegetation around retained trees, bridges, culverts and other roost structures.

Leave suitable fallen hollow sections in safe locations where they can provide shelter and where the approved rehabilitation plan supports this.

  • Use local provenance plants where required by the project plan.
  • Create links between retained trees and open foraging areas.
  • Avoid removing replacement habitat before natural hollows can develop.

Rehabilitation actions: 2. Replacement roost structures

Install bat boxes, artificial roost structures or other replacement cavities only where they suit the species, site conditions and approval requirements.

Place structures away from intense lighting, routine disturbance and flood risk. Ensure that access openings remain clear and that the structure is securely installed.

Use replacement structures as supplementary habitat. They do not replace the protection of an occupied maternity roost or natural hollow.

  • Select the design, orientation and mounting method with a bat ecologist.
  • Install structures before disturbance where the management plan requires early availability.
  • Inspect for damage, overheating, blockage and use during the agreed monitoring period.
  • Record installation location, height, design, date and maintenance needs.

Rehabilitation actions: 3. Vegetation, weeds and water

Control weeds around retained and replanted vegetation without blocking roost entrances or causing pesticide exposure. Use methods approved by the project ecologist and land manager.

Restore tree cover and understorey that support flying insects and provide shelter along movement routes.

Protect watercourses and drainage features from sediment, pollutants and unnecessary disturbance. Do not assume that a water source is required by this species, but manage water features as part of the wider bat habitat.

  • Stage planting so young trees are protected from grazing and machinery.
  • Maintain safe access for future roost inspections.
  • Remove invasive plants before they dominate retained habitat.
  • Keep chemicals, lights and noisy plant away from roost entrances.

Rehabilitation actions: 4. Lighting and construction design

Keep lights away from roost entrances and likely emergence paths. Use the lowest practical intensity and avoid directing light into retained trees, bridges, culverts and building gaps.

Use shields, timers and motion controls where they can reduce spill without compromising safety.

Retain dark movement routes between roosts and open foraging areas.

  • Check lighting during commissioning, not only from the design plan.
  • Inspect the site at dusk for light spill across roost entrances.
  • Correct lights that shine into occupied or potential breeding places.

Rehabilitation actions: 5. Long-term monitoring

Monitor restored areas, retained roosts and replacement structures using inspections, emergence watches and acoustic detectors where appropriate.

Compare results with the pre-clearing baseline and investigate reduced activity, repeated roost failure or evidence of injury.

Maintain the habitat and structures for the period required by the approval, rehabilitation plan or land management agreement.

  • Record bat activity, roost use, vegetation condition, weed cover, lighting and structural condition.
  • Schedule maintenance before replacement structures deteriorate or entrances become blocked.
  • Review the monitoring results with the land manager and adjust rehabilitation actions where needed.

Sources