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Troughton's Sheath-tailed Bat (Taphozous troughtoni)

Troughton’s Sheath-tailed Bat is a large insectivorous microbat associated mainly with caves, abandoned mines and rocky crevices. In Australia it is mapped in the Northern Territory and Queensland, with records concentrated around the Mount Isa region. It is least concern in Queensland and is not listed as endangered, vulnerable or near threatened in Australia, but roost destruction and disturbance can affect local colonies and breeding places.

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

Troughton’s Sheath-tailed Bat is poorly known, but is expected to breed in the warmer months. The only species-specific timing available is an inference from the related Common Sheathtail Bat, with young potentially present from November to January. Treat caves, abandoned mines and suitable rock fissures as potential maternity roosts unless surveys show otherwise.

Breeding mode: Colonial breeder. Microbats generally raise young in shared roosts, and most produce one pup each year.

Litter size: One pup per year is the general pattern for Australian microbats. A species-specific litter size is not recorded.

Gestation: Not recorded.

Fledging and weaning: Not recorded. Treat pups in a maternity roost as dependent until observations confirm that young are volant and no longer reliant on the roost.

Age at maturity: Not recorded.

Colonies and breeding places: Known roosts are in caves and abandoned mines, with cracks and crevices in rocky escarpments also used for shelter. Maternity sites have not been confirmed. Colony sizes are not recorded. A breeding place may contain pregnant or lactating females, pups, or a concentration of adults entering and leaving at dusk, so avoid disturbance until its status is resolved.

Timing may vary between years and regions, and the breeding cycle and maternity sites of Troughton’s Sheath-tailed Bat remain poorly documented.

  • Breeding and births, warmer months: Breeding in the warmer months is a general microbat pattern, with the November to January timing inferred from the related Common Sheathtail Bat.
  • Dependent young and maternity roost use: Young may be present from November to January, but this timing is projected rather than confirmed for Troughton’s Sheath-tailed Bat.
  • Roost occupancy and nocturnal activity: The species is associated with caves, abandoned mines and rocky fissures, but seasonal changes in occupancy and activity are not established.
  • Colony concentration and roost sensitivity: Colonies may be most sensitive during the projected maternity period, and colony sizes are not known for this species.
  • Highest clearing risk: The highest risk is expected from October to January, when disturbance could affect maternity roosts, colonies or dependent young.

Identification: Appearance and size

Troughton’s Sheath-tailed Bat is a large, olive-brown sheath-tailed bat. Field identification can be difficult because it resembles the Common Sheath-tailed Bat and reliable field keys are still being developed.

The fur is olive brown, with pale grey guard hairs and reddish-brown colour towards the rear of the body. The underside is slightly paler.

The species has a large skull, a wing pouch and no throat pouch, which is present in most other members of the Emballonuridae family. Adults weigh 20 to 29 g and have a forearm length of 73 to 76 mm.

Identification: Calls and similar species

No reliable echolocation call description is available for Troughton’s Sheath-tailed Bat. Acoustic results should therefore be treated as detections of a sheath-tailed or other microbat unless supported by trapping, measurements or genetic confirmation.

The main comparison species is the Common Sheath-tailed Bat, Taphozous georgianus. Troughton’s Sheath-tailed Bat is generally larger in skull, jaw and tooth measurements, but the two species can be difficult to separate in the field.

Identification: Field signs

Look for bats entering or leaving cracks, mine adits, cave entrances and rocky fissures. Droppings may accumulate below a regularly used roost, but droppings alone will not confirm this species.

There are no species-specific nest, whitewash, odour or staining features that can be relied on for identification. Record the location, roost feature, number of bats, photographs and any nearby disturbance.

Identification: Handling and confirmation

Where a definitive identification is needed, use an appropriately permitted harp trap or mist net survey and obtain measurements by an experienced bat ecologist. Handle bats carefully and release them at the capture site unless a permit or approved procedure requires otherwise.

Record sex, reproductive condition and measurements. These records can help separate Troughton’s Sheath-tailed Bat from similar Taphozous species and identify possible breeding activity.

Distribution: Australian range

The species is poorly known and has been recorded from only a small number of localities. Records are concentrated in and around Mount Isa, so apparently isolated records should be treated with care during project planning.

Troughton’s Sheath-tailed Bat is mapped in the Northern Territory and Queensland. The best documented records are from the Mount Isa Inlier in Queensland, including sites south of Mount Isa.

The type locality was a cave near Rifle Creek Dam. Confirmed records include Native Bee Mine, and other potential roosts have been identified near the Mount Isa area.

Mapped jurisdictions: Northern Territory and Queensland

Known concentration: Mount Isa Inlier and nearby Mount Isa localities

Distribution: Range uncertainty

The full range is not well established. Historical taxonomic uncertainty with the Common Sheath-tailed Bat means that some older specimens and records may need checking.

Treat suitable caves, abandoned mines, tunnels and rocky fissures as potential habitat even where the species has not previously been recorded. A lack of records does not show that a site is unused.

  • Check local databases and previous survey reports before clearing.
  • Report unusual or potentially significant records to the project ecologist and relevant wildlife authority.
  • Retain photographs and voucher information for any bat that cannot be identified confidently in the field.

Distribution: Survey planning

Survey effort should focus on the Mount Isa Inlier and other areas with suitable subterranean or rocky shelter. Summer surveys may improve the chance of detecting colonies, based on the seasonal behaviour of the similar Common Sheath-tailed Bat.

Use more than one survey method where a roost or colony could be affected. Acoustic detection, emergence watches and targeted trapping can provide complementary evidence.

Habitat: Landscape setting

Look for this bat in dry, rocky landscapes with access to subterranean shelter. Development sites near caves, old mines, rocky escarpments and connected open woodland need careful assessment before clearing or construction.

Known habitat includes open woodland and spinifex hills in the Mount Isa region. The species is associated with rocky country and subterranean features rather than a particular vegetation community.

Prioritise inspections in rugged terrain, escarpments, hills, mine areas and places where natural or constructed openings connect with open airspace.

  • Open woodland
  • Spinifex hills
  • Rocky escarpments
  • Cave and mine landscapes
  • Tunnels and other suitable man-made structures

Habitat: Features to inspect

Inspect visible caves, abandoned mine entrances, adits, shafts, tunnels, rock fissures and deep cracks. Check both the feature itself and the surrounding vegetation, because bats may leave a roost to forage over nearby open areas.

Assess whether proposed blasting, earthworks, track construction, lighting, vibration, dust or changes to drainage could affect a roost or its access.

Habitat: Site assessment

Map all potential roost features before clearing begins. Include features outside the immediate disturbance footprint if they could be affected by noise, vibration, lighting, altered access or increased visitation.

Do not enter unstable mines or confined spaces without a suitable safety assessment, specialist supervision and the required approvals.

Foraging habitat: Foraging environment

Troughton’s Sheath-tailed Bat is insectivorous and is expected to hunt in open airspace. Its detailed diet and foraging requirements are poorly known, so retain a practical connection between roosts and surrounding native vegetation.

The genus Taphozous is typically fast flying and hunts above or around the canopy. Troughton’s Sheath-tailed Bat is likely to forage in open space over woodland, spinifex country, rocky terrain and other insect-producing areas.

Avoid assuming that cleared ground has no value. Bats may travel across cleared areas between roosts and feeding habitat, particularly where open flight paths are available.

Foraging habitat: Features to retain

Retain native woodland and spinifex vegetation around known or potential roosts where practicable. Protect drainage lines, water points and sheltered edges that may support flying insects.

Limit unnecessary night lighting near roost entrances and likely flight paths. Use directional, low-spill lighting where lighting cannot be avoided.

  • Maintain access between roost features and surrounding habitat.
  • Avoid blocking cave, mine or fissure entrances with materials, spoil or equipment.
  • Schedule noisy or high-vibration works away from occupied roosts where the project assessment identifies a risk.

Foraging habitat: Survey considerations

Use Anabat or a similar ultrasonic detector to identify bat activity and flight paths. Because reliable species-specific calls are not established, acoustic results should be combined with visual observations and, where appropriate, trapping.

Record the time, weather, detector location, habitat and direction of bat movements. This information can help identify important connections between shelter and foraging areas.

Breeding habitat: Maternity habitat

Maternity sites for Troughton’s Sheath-tailed Bat have not been documented. For site management, treat occupied caves, mines and suitable rocky shelters as potential breeding places until survey evidence shows otherwise.

The species is considered an obligate cave-dweller, with suitable maternity sites thought likely to be in caves and abandoned mines that provide appropriate microclimatic conditions. Rocky crevices may also be relevant, although maternity use has not been confirmed.

The species’ breeding season and litter size are not confirmed. A November to January period has been suggested by comparison with the Common Sheath-tailed Bat, and should not be treated as a definitive timing rule.

Confirmed maternity sites: None documented

Likely maternity features: Suitable caves and abandoned mines, with rocky crevices requiring assessment

General microbat pattern: Most microbats give birth to one pup a year in the warmer months, usually spring to late summer

Breeding habitat: Recognising an active breeding place

Evidence of an active maternity roost includes pregnant or lactating females, dependent pups, repeated emergence activity and adults carrying out regular movements at the same shelter. A cluster of bats alone does not confirm breeding.

Young bats may be difficult to identify at the entrance. Use an emergence watch, targeted trapping by qualified personnel and, where safe, an endoscope or pole camera to inspect suitable cavities without entering or damaging the roost.

  • Pregnant females
  • Lactating females
  • Pups or recently volant young
  • Repeated use of the same shelter
  • Adult bats returning to the roost after foraging

Breeding habitat: Works near potential maternity habitat

Avoid disturbing a suspected maternity roost during the warmer months unless a qualified ecologist has assessed the risk and the work has been approved. Do not seal, collapse, blast, light or obstruct a cave, mine or fissure that could contain dependent young.

If a hollow-bearing tree or other structure is unexpectedly found to contain bats, stop work in the immediate area and obtain ecological advice. For trees, use a two-stage or soft-felling approach where it is safe and appropriate, and retain the felled section until bats have left.

Sheltering habitat: Known and potential roost types

Roosts are most likely in enclosed or partly enclosed structures that provide darkness, shelter and stable conditions. Several potential roost types should be checked before clearing, demolition, rehabilitation or mine closure.

Known roosts include natural caves, abandoned mines and cracks or crevices in rocky escarpments. Tunnels and other man-made structures may also provide suitable shelter.

For microbat assessments generally, inspect tree hollows, fissures, loose bark, culverts, bridges and buildings as potential roost features where they occur on the site. These features are not confirmed roost types for Troughton’s Sheath-tailed Bat, but can support other microbats and should not be dismissed without assessment.

  • Natural caves
  • Abandoned mines and mine adits
  • Rock fissures and escarpment crevices
  • Tunnels and suitable structures
  • Tree hollows, loose bark, culverts, bridges and buildings as general microbat possibilities

Sheltering habitat: Roost inspection

Inspect entrances, ledges, roof voids and nearby ground for bats, droppings and repeated use. Use an endoscope or pole camera where a cavity can be checked safely and without damaging the structure.

Carry out emergence and re-entry watches from a position that does not block the entrance. Acoustic detectors can help identify activity before works commence.

Sheltering habitat: Mine and cave safety

Old mines can be unstable and may contain poor air, shafts or other hazards. Do not enter unless the site has been assessed and the inspection is conducted by suitably trained personnel under an approved safe work method.

Mine rehabilitation, adit closure and cave works can remove or isolate roosts. Retain access where possible and obtain specialist advice before installing gates, filling openings or changing the structure.

Sheltering habitat: Exclusion and supplementary roosts

If exclusion is approved for a non-breeding roost, use one-way devices outside the maternity season and confirm that bats have left before sealing the entry. Do not exclude bats where dependent young could be trapped inside.

Bat boxes may provide supplementary shelter for some microbats, but they do not replace a natural cave, mine or maternity roost. Install them only as part of a site-specific plan and monitor their use.

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

Troughton’s Sheath-tailed Bat is a colonial breeder. A single cave, mine or shared maternity roost may hold a substantial part of the local population, even though the size of a typical colony is not known for this species.

A colony is a group of bats using the same shelter or a set of connected shelters. A maternity roost is a breeding place where females gather and raise young. It may be in a cave, abandoned mine, tunnel or suitable rocky crevice.

During the day, bats may be hidden deep inside a roost and may not be visible at the entrance. At dusk, repeated emergence, concentrated bat activity and return flights to one opening can indicate a shared roost.

Typical colony size: Unknown for Troughton’s Sheath-tailed Bat

Site fidelity: Not documented for this species. Treat repeatedly used roosts as significant until assessed.

Colonies and breeding places: How to confirm use

Use an emergence watch at dusk and an early morning re-entry watch where needed. Anabat or similar acoustic detectors can document activity, while harp traps or mist nets can support identification and reproductive assessment when used by qualified and permitted personnel.

Confirm maternity use by recording pregnant or lactating females, pups or recently volant young, and repeated use of the same roost during the breeding period.

  • Survey more than one evening where the result will affect clearing or construction decisions.
  • Keep observers and equipment away from the roost entrance.
  • Record weather, timing, bat numbers, direction of flight and any disturbance response.

Colonies and breeding places: Why colonies need special care

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

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.

  • Do not block or seal an occupied roost.
  • Avoid noisy, vibrating or brightly lit work at the entrance.
  • Do not use exclusion devices during the maternity period.
  • Obtain the required approvals and a species management program before works that may tamper with a breeding place.

Colonies and breeding places: Managing hollow-bearing trees and other structures

Tree hollows are not confirmed roosts for Troughton’s Sheath-tailed Bat, but they can support other microbats on clearing sites. If bats are found, use two-stage or soft felling where safe, retain the tree section or roost structure, and allow bats time to leave.

For buildings, bridges, culverts and similar structures, inspect before demolition or major repairs. Use exclusion devices only outside the maternity season and only after a qualified ecologist confirms that dependent young will not be trapped.

Threats: Mining and quarrying

The main project risks are loss of roosts, disturbance of colonies and changes to access around caves, mines and rocky shelters. A roost can be lost even when the surrounding vegetation is retained.

Mining, quarrying and mine rehabilitation can destroy or seal caves, mine adits and rocky roosts. A colony at Native Bee Mine was destroyed when mining recommenced.

Assess old mines and potential subterranean features before blasting, filling, capping, wall removal or other ground disturbance. Retain suitable access where safe and compatible with mine safety requirements.

Threats: Construction and clearing

Roads, tracks, utilities, pipelines and building works can remove rocky shelters, alter drainage, increase vibration or obstruct flight paths. Clearing can also reduce nearby foraging habitat.

Map potential roosts before clearing. Establish practical no-go areas around occupied roosts through the project environmental management plan, based on advice from the fauna ecologist and relevant approvals.

Threats: Human disturbance and visitation

Visitors, recreational caving, scientific activity and construction personnel can disturb bats at cave and mine entrances. Repeated disturbance may cause bats to abandon a shelter or leave young exposed.

Fence or sign sensitive entrances where appropriate, control access and keep people, vehicles and lights away from occupied roosts. Do not enter a roost simply to confirm whether bats are present.

Threats: Loss of feeding habitat and altered lighting

Clearing and land degradation from agriculture can reduce feeding habitat. Development lighting can also change bat movements around roost entrances and open flight paths.

Retain native woodland and spinifex habitat where practicable. Use directional lighting, avoid illumination of roost entrances and switch off unnecessary lights during night works.

Survey methodology: 1. Desktop assessment

Troughton’s Sheath-tailed Bat is poorly known and has a restricted, uncertain distribution around the Mount Isa region. Survey design should focus on caves, abandoned mines, tunnels, rocky fissures and other enclosed structures, while checking other microbat roost features where the project area contains them.

Map caves, abandoned mines, tunnels, rocky escarpments, fissures, old mine adits and other enclosed structures within and near the work area.

Review previous records, mine plans, aerial imagery, geological mapping and landholder knowledge. Check whether a known roost or colony could be affected by vibration, lighting, dust, access changes, blasting, demolition or altered airflow.

Treat records identified as Common Sheathtail Bat with care. Troughton’s Sheath-tailed Bat can be difficult to separate from that species, so arrange expert confirmation for unusual or significant records.

  • Identify potential maternity roosts and other breeding places before finalising the construction footprint.
  • Record the location, access condition, roost structure, signs of disturbance and likely connection to surrounding open woodland or spinifex hills.
  • Plan surveys during warmer months where practicable. November to January may be a period when young are present, based on the annual cycle of a similar species, but this timing is not confirmed for Troughton’s Sheath-tailed Bat.

Survey methodology: 2. Roost and emergence surveys

Inspect accessible roosts for bats, droppings, staining, hair, feeding remains, odour, fresh disturbance and suitable warm, sheltered chambers. Do not enter unstable mines or caves without a competent person and a site safety plan.

Conduct emergence watches from before sunset until bat activity has substantially declined. Use more than one observation point where entrances, fissures or tunnels are complex.

Use an endoscope or pole camera to inspect tree hollows, wall cavities, fissures and other confined voids where this can be done safely. Avoid blocking entrances or touching bats.

  • Use acoustic detectors such as Anabat or similar units at roost entrances and along likely flight paths.
  • Treat acoustic results as evidence of bat activity, not as a definitive identification. Reliable echolocation calls for this species have not been established.
  • Use harp traps or mist nets only under an approved survey design and by experienced, authorised personnel. Release bats promptly and minimise handling.
  • Do not trap at a maternity roost unless the method has been assessed as safe and authorised.

Survey methodology: 3. Survey effort and conditions

Use repeated visits where the first survey does not resolve whether a roost is occupied. Survey after suitable weather, when bats are likely to emerge and fly normally.

Avoid relying on a single quiet night, heavy rain, strong wind, extreme temperatures or intense nearby lighting. Record weather, moon conditions, start and finish times, equipment settings and observer locations.

Survey all entrances and likely roost features that could be affected by clearing, excavation, vibration, blasting, demolition, lighting or changes to access.

  • Record the number of bats seen or captured, entrance used, emergence direction, flight height, call detections and any evidence of pups.
  • Record pregnant or lactating females, dependent young, juveniles and bats carrying young. These observations confirm or strongly indicate a maternity roost.
  • Photograph roost entrances and signs where this can be done without disturbance. Keep locations confidential where unauthorised access could harm the colony.

Before habitat disturbance: 1. Avoidance and approvals

Plan the work to avoid known or potential roosts wherever practicable. Colonies can concentrate a substantial share of the local population, and a maternity roost is a breeding place even when the species is listed as least concern.

Retain caves, abandoned mines, tunnels, rocky fissures and other occupied or potentially occupied roosts in the design. Maintain safe access, stable entrances and suitable internal conditions.

Obtain project specific advice on approvals before disturbing a roost, colony or breeding place. In Queensland, tampering with the breeding place of a least concern colonial breeder 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.

Check whether a Queensland wildlife authority, permit, approval or species management program is required for survey, capture, handling, exclusion, clearing or disturbance.

  • Assess whether the action could affect a matter of national environmental significance and make an EPBC Act referral where required.
  • Confirm state, local government, mine safety, heritage and land access requirements before entering caves, mines or tunnels.
  • Use a suitably qualified ecologist to document the roost assessment and proposed controls.

Before habitat disturbance: 2. Pre-clearance checks

Complete a final inspection close to the start of works. Recheck all roost features, structures and trees that could contain a cavity or concealed void, even though confirmed use of tree hollows by this species has not been established.

Use emergence observations, acoustic monitoring and direct inspection where the risk assessment identifies a possible roost. Look specifically for pregnant or lactating females, pups and juveniles.

Treat any place where young are raised as an active breeding place. Stop the planned disturbance until the ecologist and relevant regulator have agreed on controls.

  • Mark no-go areas and roost entrances clearly on plans and in the field.
  • Install physical barriers where needed to prevent machinery, vehicles and unauthorised people from approaching the roost.
  • Keep vibration, blasting, dust, smoke, noise and artificial light away from roost entrances.

Before habitat disturbance: 3. Timing, exclusion and crew induction

Avoid disturbance during the likely maternity period, generally the warmer months from spring to late summer. For this species, November to January is a precautionary period based on a related species, not a confirmed breeding calendar.

Do not exclude bats from a maternity roost. If exclusion is approved for a non maternity roost, use one way devices under an ecologist’s direction and schedule the work outside the maternity season.

For hollow bearing trees, use a two stage or soft felling method where appropriate. Inspect the tree and any resulting sections for bats before removal or relocation.

  • Induct every worker, contractor and machine operator before work starts.
  • Show crews the roost exclusion zones, stop work triggers, wildlife contact details and emergency access arrangements.
  • Tell workers never to enter a cave or mine, block a roost entrance, touch a bat or remove a bat box without authorisation.
  • Provide the spotter catcher with authority to stop work immediately.

During habitat disturbance: 1. Sequential clearing

Use a staged approach that allows bats to move away and gives the spotter catcher time to respond. No worker should handle a bat unless authorised, trained and equipped for wildlife handling and disease precautions.

Clear vegetation and structures in stages, starting away from retained roosts and moving towards the safe refuge area. Keep roost entrances, flight paths and exclusion zones protected throughout the work.

Use soft felling for hollow bearing trees where the risk assessment identifies a possible bat cavity. Lower sections carefully, leave them undisturbed and inspect them before moving or stacking.

Schedule noisy or high vibration activities outside periods of confirmed bat activity where practicable. Stop if bats begin circling, returning to a disturbed entrance or attempting to enter machinery or structures.

  • Keep the spotter catcher present for high risk clearing and demolition.
  • Check cavities, fissures, culverts, bridges and buildings immediately before disturbance.
  • Do not seal, collapse, blast or fill a cavity or mine opening until it has been assessed and cleared under the approved controls.

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

Stop work if a colony, maternity roost, pup, pregnant or lactating female, injured bat, dead bat or previously unknown roost is found.

Stop work if bats are flushed from a structure, tree, fissure, mine or tunnel and the roost status is not known.

The spotter catcher should define the immediate exclusion area, protect the entrance and contact the supervising ecologist and project manager.

  • Do not chase bats, smoke them out, spray them, plug entrances or use unapproved exclusion devices.
  • If an active breeding place is found, retain the place and defer disturbance unless the relevant approval expressly allows otherwise.
  • Record the location, structure, evidence of breeding, estimated numbers, photographs, time, weather and work activity at the time of discovery.
  • Resume work only after the ecologist has confirmed the controls and any required regulator notification or approval.

During habitat disturbance: 3. Handling and injured animals

Handle bats only when necessary, by an authorised and trained person. Use appropriate personal protective equipment and follow the project’s zoonotic disease and Australian bat lyssavirus procedures.

Place a healthy bat in a suitable, ventilated, secure container only on the direction of the spotter catcher or wildlife officer. Keep it quiet, shaded and away from machinery.

Do not feed, give water or release a bat without advice from the authorised wildlife professional.

  • For an injured bat, contact the nominated wildlife rehabilitator, veterinarian or wildlife authority immediately.
  • Keep people and pets away from the animal. Do not attempt treatment in the field.
  • Record capture, handling, condition, treatment, release or transfer details, including the person responsible.

After habitat disturbance: 1. Post clearance inspection

Post clearance checks confirm that no animals remain trapped and that controls worked as intended. Keep records that allow the project team, regulator and ecologist to review the outcome.

Inspect the work area, retained roosts, felled hollow sections, demolition debris, exclusion devices and access points after each clearing stage.

Check for trapped, injured or dead bats, fresh disturbance, blocked entrances and bats attempting to return to a removed or altered roost.

Complete a final dusk inspection where the work involved a known roost, colony or possible breeding place.

  • Remove temporary exclusion devices only when the authorised ecologist confirms that it is safe.
  • Leave retained roost entrances open and free from spoil, vegetation piles, fencing and construction materials.
  • Do not enter unstable mines or caves for post clearance checks.

After habitat disturbance: 2. Reporting and records

Prepare a clearance report that describes the area searched, methods, dates, personnel, weather, findings, photographs, maps, incidents and actions taken.

Report any death, injury, breeding place disturbance, colony disturbance, unauthorised handling or permit breach through the project incident system and to the relevant authority where required.

Update the site environmental management plan and marked up drawings with retained roosts, exclusion zones and rehabilitation commitments.

  • Retain acoustic files, trap records, emergence counts and identification photographs.
  • Record whether bats were released at the capture site, transferred to care or found dead.
  • Provide the landholder and future maintenance crews with the location and management requirements for retained roosts and bat boxes.

After habitat disturbance: 3. Monitoring and incident review

Monitor retained roosts after works where disturbance, altered access, lighting, vibration or demolition occurred nearby. Use the same methods where practicable so results can be compared.

Review incidents with the project manager, spotter catcher, ecologist and contractor before the next clearing stage.

Change the work method if bats show repeated avoidance, distress, injury or attempts to re-enter a disturbed roost.

  • Set monitoring frequency and duration through the approval, SMP or project risk assessment.
  • Check whether exclusion, lighting controls, buffers and staged clearing were effective.
  • Use the review to update inductions, pre-start checklists and emergency contacts.

Rehabilitation actions: 1. Restore roost and foraging habitat

Rehabilitation should restore secure roosting areas and open foraging habitat around retained colonies. Troughton’s Sheathtail Bat is associated with caves, abandoned mines and rocky fissures, so artificial structures should supplement, not replace, protection of natural or established subterranean roosts.

Stabilise retained mine and cave entrances without sealing access used by bats. Use designs that preserve airflow, darkness, temperature variation and safe entry and exit.

Retain rocky escarpments, fissures, open woodland and spinifex habitat where practicable. Reconnect roosts with uncluttered flight paths.

Remove spoil, rubbish and construction materials from around retained roosts without entering unsafe structures.

  • Replant cleared areas with locally appropriate native species.
  • Control weeds and prevent dense growth from blocking roost entrances or flight paths.
  • Avoid creating new bright lighting near roosts. Use the lowest practical intensity, shielding and warm spectrum lighting where lighting cannot be avoided.
  • Manage dust, smoke, runoff and chemical use so they do not enter caves, mines or fissures.

Rehabilitation actions: 2. Artificial roost structures

Use bat boxes or other artificial roost structures only where an ecologist confirms that the local conditions suit microbats and the target species. Their use by Troughton’s Sheathtail Bat is not established.

Prefer structures designed for crevice or cave roosting rather than nest boxes intended for birds. Locate them away from bright lights, heavy machinery, frequent human access and domestic animals.

Do not install a box as a substitute for retaining an occupied cave, mine, tunnel or rocky fissure.

  • Use durable materials and designs that provide stable shelter and more than one internal option where appropriate.
  • Install, inspect and maintain structures under an approved rehabilitation plan.
  • Record location, orientation, installation date, condition and any bat use.
  • Do not open, relocate or clean an occupied structure without an authorised ecologist.

Rehabilitation actions: 3. Water, weeds and long term care

Protect natural drainage and water quality near roosts and foraging areas. Do not create stagnant water, erosion or polluted runoff at cave or mine entrances.

Maintain native vegetation and open flight space while preventing weeds from covering entrances or access tracks.

Use low disturbance maintenance methods and schedule inspections outside periods of confirmed breeding activity where practicable.

  • Inspect rehabilitated roosts, artificial structures and exclusion fences regularly for damage, vandalism and blockage.
  • Monitor bat activity with emergence observations or acoustic detectors where the risk assessment requires it.
  • Review monitoring results with the landholder and regulator, and repair or redesign structures that are unused, unsafe or causing unintended impacts.
  • Keep long term records of roost condition, bat activity, breeding evidence and management actions.

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