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Western Mouse (Pseudomys occidentalis)

The Western Mouse is a small, nocturnal native rodent found only in Western Australia, mainly in isolated reserves of the southern Wheatbelt and south coast. Dense, long-unburnt vegetation may occur on or beside clearing and construction sites, so habitat removal, fire and introduced predators need to be considered. In Western Australia it is listed as Priority 4, a non-statutory category for rare and near threatened species that need monitoring, and is profiled as an EVNT species.

Conservation status

Western Australia, WA Threatened and Priority Fauna List: Near threatened. Priority 4 (rare, near threatened) on the Western Australian priority fauna list. Priority species are not listed under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 but should be considered in assessments.

Breeding season

The Western Mouse breeds in spring. Pregnant females are recorded in early to mid spring, young are born from mid to late spring, and young are weaned in early summer. Timing may vary between years and between isolated populations in the southern Wheatbelt and south coast of Western Australia.

Breeding mode: Live-bearing mammal. Young are born in a nest chamber within a communal burrow.

Pregnancy: Pregnant females are found in early to mid spring.

Young born: Young are born from mid to late spring.

Gestation: Not recorded.

Litter size: Not recorded.

Weaning: Young are weaned in early summer.

Age at maturity: Juveniles can breed at less than one year old, with breeding recorded by July or August. Young are fully grown by May or June.

Breeding timing may shift between years and regions, and small isolated populations may respond differently to rainfall, food availability, fire history and local habitat condition.

  • Pregnancy and breeding: Pregnant females are recorded in early to mid spring, with breeding activity centred on September and October.
  • Births and dependent young: Young are born from mid to late spring and remain dependent through late spring and early summer.
  • Weaning and recruitment: Young are weaned in early summer and enter the population around this period.
  • Young reaching breeding age: Young may be fully grown by May or June and can breed by July or August when less than one year old.
  • Highest clearing risk: Clearing from September to December has the greatest potential to disturb breeding animals, occupied burrows and dependent young, especially in dense long-unburnt habitat.

Identification: Appearance and size

The Western Mouse is a soft-furred rodent with a long tail and large hind feet. It is nocturnal, largely ground dwelling, and can also climb low shrubs while feeding.

The upperparts are dark grey and yellowish-buff, with black guard hairs. The underparts are greyish-white and the paws are white.

The tail is longer than the head and body. It is grey or dark-haired above and paler below, with a darker line along the upper surface. The snout is rounded and sometimes described as roman-nosed.

Head and body: 85 to 110 mm

Tail: 120 to 140 mm

Weight: 33 to 53 g

Identification: Calls and similar species

The Western Mouse is not known for a distinctive call used in field identification. Echolocation is not relevant to this species.

It can be confused with the Ash-grey Mouse, particularly in the eastern Wheatbelt. Confirm records using the full combination of fur colour, tail pattern, white paws, hind feet and habitat.

Identification: Field signs

Look for a small burrow with a single vertical entrance and a connected loop. Burrows are usually 20 to 40 cm deep, with a nesting chamber opposite the entrance.

Chewed quandong nuts can be a useful sign near mature quandong trees. The mouse makes a small hole in the hard shell to remove the kernel.

Droppings, nests, stains, odour and other surface signs are not reliable identification features on their own. Treat burrows and chewed nuts as indicators only, and use suitably authorised trapping or other specialist survey methods for confirmation.

  • Inspect dense shrub bases, gravelly ground and areas around granite rocks for burrow entrances.
  • Record the location, habitat condition, fire age and photographs of any suspected signs.
  • Do not excavate burrows or handle animals unless the work is covered by the relevant approvals.

Distribution: Current Australian range

The Western Mouse is endemic to Western Australia. Current records are scattered and populations are isolated, so a species record or suitable habitat near a project should be treated seriously even where local abundance appears low.

Current populations are known from the southern Wheatbelt and parts of the south coast of Western Australia. Records include isolated reserves such as Anderson Lakes, Bendering, Dragon Rocks, Fitzgerald River, North Karlgarin, Rock View and Tarin Rock.

The species has also been recorded from or may occur in the Ravensthorpe Range and other reserves containing suitable long-unburnt shrubland. The mapped state occurrence is Western Australia.

State: Western Australia only

Main regions: Southern Wheatbelt and south coast

Distribution: Former range and local persistence

Subfossil remains show that the former range was much broader. It extended from the mid-west coast of Western Australia across the southern Wheatbelt and Nullarbor Plain to the Eyre Peninsula and Kangaroo Island in South Australia.

Some historical locations, including King George Sound, Nyabing and Hatters Hill, no longer have confirmed current populations. A mid-west coastal population north of Perth is considered extinct.

Distribution: Works site checks

Before clearing, check the current fauna database and local records for the project area. Search beyond the immediate footprint where the project could affect connected dense vegetation, fire refuges or movement between reserves.

A lack of recent records does not demonstrate absence. The species is patchily distributed, occurs at low density and may be difficult to detect.

  • Map dense shrubland, mallee, quandong stands, granite outcrops and long-unburnt vegetation before finalising the disturbance footprint.
  • Have an ecologist assess any proposed clearing near a known record or suitable habitat.
  • Escalate suspected captures, burrows or fresh feeding signs to the project ecologist and follow approval conditions.

Habitat: Vegetation structure

Look for the Western Mouse in semi-arid shrublands, mallee and woodlands with a dense understorey. The best habitat is often a long-unburnt patch surrounded by cleared or more recently burnt country.

Suitable vegetation ranges from sparse low shrubland to tall dense shrubland, shrub mallee, mid-dense woodland and very open woodland. All known sites have patches of extremely dense vegetation.

The understorey may be up to 2.5 m high and can include dense heath, shrubs and sedges.

  • Eucalyptus mallee and woodland
  • Isopogon, Petrophile, Acacia, Allocasuarina, Melaleuca and Calothamnus shrublands
  • Quandong, Santalum acuminatum, and sedge-rich understorey
  • Dense shrubland around granite outcrops

Habitat: Soils and landform

The species is associated with sandy clay loams and sandy loams, often with a high gravel component or a gravelly soil matrix.

On a works site, focus on dense vegetation over gravelly loam, particularly where it forms a relatively undisturbed patch or fire refuge.

  • Sandy loam and sandy clay loam surfaces
  • Gravelly rises and patches
  • Granite outcrops and adjoining dense vegetation
  • Uncleared remnants surrounded by cropping or grazing land

Habitat: Fire age and habitat condition

Most records are from vegetation that has not burnt for 30 to 50 years. Dense cover provides shelter and may reduce exposure to introduced predators.

Large wildfires can remove the shrub layer across a reserve. Recently burnt or heavily grazed areas may therefore be less suitable, although habitat should not be ruled out without assessment.

  • Map fire history and recent burns.
  • Retain continuous dense vegetation where practicable.
  • Avoid creating narrow strips or isolated small remnants through clearing.

Foraging habitat: Food plants and prey

The Western Mouse feeds mainly on the ground but climbs low shrubs and bushes. Feeding habitat is usually within dense native vegetation that provides seeds, flowers, fruit, plant material and invertebrates.

The diet includes underground tubers, seeds, fruits, flowers and fibrous plant material. It also takes invertebrates such as beetles, moth larvae and other insect larvae.

Recorded foods include Acacia and Hibbertia flowers, Banksia seeds and quandong nuts. Quandong kernels are rich in protein and oils and can remain edible on the ground for 12 to 18 months.

  • Quandong trees and accumulations of chewed nuts
  • Flowering Acacia and Hibbertia
  • Native shrub and sedge communities
  • Leaf litter and ground cover supporting beetles and larvae

Foraging habitat: Foraging signs and areas

Piles of chewed or decomposing quandong nuts beneath mature trees can indicate repeated use by native rodents. The sign is not species-specific, so confirm the animal before relying on it for a project decision.

Individuals may travel up to 600 m in a straight-line distance during one night. Feeding areas and burrows may therefore lie outside the clearing footprint but still be affected by the works.

  • Survey habitat around, not just inside, the proposed footprint.
  • Retain links between dense vegetation patches where possible.
  • Keep machinery, laydown areas and spoil out of likely feeding areas.

Foraging habitat: Site management

Where suitable foraging habitat occurs, minimise the area of native vegetation removed. Keep retained vegetation connected and protect the ground layer from unnecessary compaction, vehicle traffic, weed invasion and grazing impacts.

  • Use clearly marked exclusion areas around retained dense shrubland and quandong stands.
  • Control weeds and grazing animals where they are degrading habitat.
  • Prevent construction activities from starting unplanned fires.

Breeding habitat: Breeding timing

Breeding occurs in burrows and associated nest chambers. Spring and early summer are the main periods when young are born, become independent and enter the population.

Pregnant females have been recorded in early to mid-spring. Young are born from mid to late spring and become independent in early summer.

Juveniles can breed at about 9 to 10 months of age. Detailed information on litter size and gestation is limited, so avoid disturbing occupied burrows whenever practicable.

  • Treat mid-spring to early summer as a sensitive period for breeding activity.
  • Do not assume an unoccupied-looking entrance is inactive.
  • Seek advice from the fauna ecologist before disturbing burrows or dense breeding habitat.

Breeding habitat: Breeding places

The breeding place is associated with the burrow system. A typical burrow has a vertical entrance, a connected loop 2 to 3 m in diameter and a nesting chamber opposite the entrance.

Several individuals may share burrows or nests during the day. Burrow systems may be used communally, so a single entrance can represent more than one animal.

  • Inspect proposed disturbance areas for burrow entrances before clearing.
  • Protect the surrounding dense vegetation, not only the entrance itself.
  • Do not fill, collapse or block suspected burrows during site preparation.

Breeding habitat: Preclearance response

If a live mouse, occupied burrow or fresh sign is found, stop work in the immediate area and contact the project ecologist. The response should follow the project approval, fauna handling authority and advice from the relevant Western Australian agency.

  • Use a qualified fauna spotter catcher for any approved clearing near suspected habitat.
  • Record the location and condition of burrows before and after works.
  • Consider redesigning the footprint to retain occupied burrows and connecting cover.

Sheltering habitat: Burrow structure

The Western Mouse shelters communally in burrows during the day. Burrows are usually in dense vegetation and may be protected by surrounding shrubs, heath, sedges, gravel or granite rocks.

Burrows generally have one vertical entrance shaft, a horizontal tunnel or loop, and a nest chamber. Reported depths are about 20 to 40 cm, and the loop may be 2 to 3 m in diameter.

Individuals may use four or more burrows within their home range over a series of nights. A burrow entrance should therefore be treated as part of a wider shelter network.

  • Small round or oval vertical entrances
  • Loose soil or disturbance around the entrance
  • Dense shrubs or sedges covering the surrounding ground
  • Burrows near gravel, granite rocks or mature quandong trees

Sheltering habitat: Shelter requirements

Shelter is associated with dense, long-unburnt understorey rather than tree hollows or caves. Dense cover may reduce exposure to cats and foxes.

Home ranges can be large, up to 150 ha, and individual ranges overlap. Construction activity can affect shelter even when the burrow itself is outside the footprint.

  • Retain dense understorey around known burrows.
  • Maintain movement routes between suitable vegetation patches.
  • Avoid lighting, noise, vehicle traffic and storage areas beside retained shelter habitat where practicable.

Sheltering habitat: Handling and protection

Do not open burrows, place materials over them or use them as access points. If a burrow is encountered during clearing, stop work locally and obtain direction from the project ecologist and fauna spotter catcher.

Specific standard buffer distances are not established here. Use a precautionary site exclusion area around suspected burrows until the animal and the appropriate management response have been assessed.

  • Mark suspected burrows before machinery enters the area.
  • Keep spoil, slash, pipes and equipment away from entrances.
  • Check retained vegetation after clearing for collapsed burrows, fire damage or loss of cover.

Threats: Clearing and fragmentation

The Western Mouse has a small, fragmented distribution and may occur at low density. For a Priority 4 species, works should focus on finding suitable habitat early, avoiding unnecessary loss and maintaining monitoring where the species is known or reasonably likely to occur.

Clearing for roads, pads, tracks, services and laydown areas can remove dense shrubland, feeding areas and burrow systems. Small remnants are vulnerable because they are isolated within cleared farming and grazing landscapes.

Keep the disturbance footprint as small as practicable. Retain connected patches of dense native vegetation, especially on gravelly or sandy loam soils and around granite outcrops.

  • Complete a habitat and records check before final design.
  • Avoid clearing long-unburnt dense shrubland where alternatives exist.
  • Use marked exclusion zones to prevent incidental vehicle and equipment impacts.
  • Rehabilitate temporary disturbance with local native species and suitable ground cover.

Threats: Fire and changed fuel conditions

The species is usually associated with vegetation that has been unburnt for 30 to 50 years. Wildfire or frequent planned burning can remove the dense shrub layer used for cover and feeding.

Prepare a project fire plan that protects retained habitat. Prevent sparks, hot works and vehicle access from starting fires, and coordinate any planned burning with the land manager and species requirements.

  • Map fire age before clearing and construction.
  • Avoid broad, uniform burns across occupied or suitable habitat.
  • Retain fire refuges around dense shrubland, granite outcrops and quandong stands.
  • Inspect habitat after fire and record changes in cover and signs.

Threats: Cats, foxes and grazing animals

Introduced cats and foxes are recognised threats, particularly where small populations are confined to reserves. Rabbits and other grazing animals can degrade the understorey and reduce food and cover.

Continue or support feral predator control within conservation reserves where approved. Manage grazing and rabbit impacts so retained habitat remains dense and structurally suitable.

  • Do not create rubbish, food or shelter that attracts predators to the work area.
  • Report predator sightings and evidence to the land manager.
  • Keep domestic animals out of retained habitat.
  • Control weeds and grazing pressure during rehabilitation.

Threats: Survey and monitoring for projects

The species can be difficult to detect because it is nocturnal, patchily distributed and spends the day in burrows. A desktop search alone is not enough where suitable long-unburnt habitat or recent records occur.

Use a suitably experienced ecologist to design survey effort for the site and season. Methods may include targeted trapping under approval, remote cameras, spotlighting and searches for burrows, diggings and chewed quandong nuts.

  • Survey known populations and areas with previous records.
  • Record trap effort, weather, fire age, habitat structure and all signs found.
  • Monitor retained habitat after clearing, fire or major construction disturbance.
  • Apply additional controls if the species is detected, including stopping local works and reviewing the footprint with the project ecologist.

Survey methodology: 1. Desktop assessment

Survey for the Western Mouse should focus on long-unburnt, dense shrubland and mallee on sandy or gravelly loams. The species is nocturnal, uses shallow communal burrows, and can occur at low density, so a single negative survey does not reliably exclude it.

Map all native vegetation that has remained unburnt for about 30 to 50 years, especially dense shrubland, mallee heath, woodland understorey, granite outcrops and vegetation containing quandong or sedges.

Check the DBCA threatened and priority species databases, Western Australian Museum records, previous project reports and nearby reserve records. Treat habitat as potentially occupied where records are old, because populations are patchy and isolated.

  • Map clearing footprints, access tracks, laydown areas, firebreaks and proposed burn areas against suitable habitat.
  • Identify links between habitat patches and areas that could support movement between burrows and feeding sites.
  • Record the fire history, vegetation condition, grazing pressure, predator control, weeds and evidence of recent clearing.

Survey methodology: 2. Field detection

Use a combination of live trapping, motion-sensing cameras, track or sand pads, targeted spotlighting and searches for burrows, diggings and chewed quandong nuts. Use methods under the relevant animal ethics and fauna permits.

Place survey equipment in dense cover, beside likely feeding areas, around granite outcrops, and near burrow entrances. Do not excavate or damage burrows.

Inspect sites during the night when animals are active. Spotlighting should be carried out quietly and without prolonged illumination of an animal.

  • Use live traps only where authorised, with appropriate shelter, food and checking arrangements for weather conditions.
  • Deploy cameras or track pads for repeated nights where trapping is unsuitable or where the species is suspected but not detected.
  • Where practicable, survey in more than one suitable season and include a period after useful rainfall, when food and animal activity may increase.
  • Have a qualified ecologist design the survey effort where the project could remove or isolate suitable habitat.

Survey methodology: 3. Survey conditions and records

Avoid relying on evidence collected immediately after fire, during hot or very dry conditions, or after intensive grazing has removed the understorey. Record conditions so that a negative result can be interpreted properly.

Record every detection and all signs that may indicate use, including species identification, date, time, coordinates, habitat, fire age, soil type, vegetation structure, burrow characteristics and the method used.

  • Photograph burrows, tracks, diggings, chewed nuts and representative habitat without disturbing the feature.
  • Record trap nights, camera nights, search hours, survey personnel, weather, moon conditions where relevant, and any animal welfare issues.
  • Document species that could be confused with the Western Mouse, including the Ash-grey Mouse where it occurs, and retain photographs or measurements needed for verification.
  • Map occupied habitat, potential habitat, burrows, feeding areas and movement links in the project spatial database.

Before habitat disturbance: 1. Avoidance, approvals and permits

Avoid clearing Western Mouse habitat wherever practicable. The species is listed as Priority 4 in Western Australia, and some project assessments also identify it under Commonwealth threatened species legislation, so confirm the current legal status and approvals before work starts.

Redesign the footprint to retain dense, long-unburnt vegetation, quandong stands, sedge patches, granite-associated shrubland and links between habitat patches.

Obtain advice from the Western Australian environmental regulator and DBCA before clearing. Check whether a clearing permit, fauna authorisation, animal ethics approval or other approval is required.

Assess the action under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 where the species may be present or suitable habitat may be significantly affected. Make an EPBC referral when required.

The known Australian range is in Western Australia. Queensland near threatened wildlife provisions and a species management program for disturbance to a breeding place apply only if the relevant species and Queensland legislation are engaged. Confirm this with the Queensland regulator rather than assuming a Queensland approval is needed.

  • Check current Commonwealth and Western Australian listings before finalising the environmental management plan.
  • Obtain written approval for trapping, handling, marking, release or relocation before these activities occur.
  • Include stop-work and reporting obligations in the construction environmental management plan.
  • Do not treat a Priority 4 listing as permission to clear occupied habitat.

Before habitat disturbance: 2. Pre-clearance survey and habitat marking

Complete a targeted pre-clearance survey in all suitable habitat before finalising the clearing boundary. Reinspect areas that have changed since the original survey, including after fire, grazing or major weather events.

Mark retained habitat, burrows, feeding areas and no-go zones on plans and on the ground. Use fencing, bunting and clear signs that can be recognised by machinery operators.

Inspect likely burrows without blocking entrances or filling tunnels. A burrow may have a vertical entrance, a loop about 2 to 3 m in diameter, and a nesting chamber opposite the entrance.

  • Have an experienced ecologist brief the fauna spotter catcher on identification, habitat indicators and the limits of the approved work area.
  • Set project-specific buffers around occupied habitat and burrows in consultation with the regulator and the project ecologist. No universal Western Mouse buffer is established in the available guidance.
  • Keep machinery, vehicles, spoil, chemicals and fire away from retained habitat and marked burrows.
  • Stop and reassess if fresh tracks, animals, occupied burrows or concentrated chewed quandong nuts are found.

Before habitat disturbance: 3. Timing and workforce preparation

Plan clearing outside the main breeding period where practicable. Pregnant females have been recorded in early to mid-spring, young are born from mid to late spring, and young are weaned in early summer.

The species does not have a described migration season. Plan around breeding and habitat conditions rather than seasonal passage.

Provide a site induction before clearing begins. Explain the species, its burrows, the no-go areas, handling limits, stop-work authority and the injured animal pathway.

  • Use a staged work program that allows habitat to be checked immediately before each clearing stage.
  • Avoid broad-scale fire or fuel reduction in occupied long-unburnt habitat unless it has been assessed and approved as part of a species management plan.
  • Nominate the fauna spotter catcher and project ecologist by name in the work pack.
  • Give all operators photographs and simple instructions for reporting a suspected detection.

During habitat disturbance: 1. Sequential clearing

Clear only within the approved footprint and under direct fauna supervision where required. The fauna spotter catcher must have authority to stop work whenever an animal, occupied burrow or other potential breeding place is found.

Clear in small, sequential stages from the least disturbed edge towards retained habitat, where this is safe and appropriate. This gives animals an opportunity to move into nearby cover and allows each area to be checked before machinery enters.

Remove vegetation progressively and inspect the ground, dense understorey, burrow entrances and debris after each stage. Do not push cleared material into retained habitat or across burrows.

Suspend clearing during unsafe weather, excessive heat or conditions that could compromise animal welfare.

  • Mark and protect all retained habitat before machinery arrives.
  • Keep the fauna spotter catcher close enough to see the active clearing face and ground disturbance.
  • Use hand methods around marked burrows and habitat retained inside or beside the work area.
  • Recheck stockpiles, windrows, pipes and other material that could shelter an animal before moving them.

During habitat disturbance: 2. Animal handling and breeding places

Only authorised and suitably trained personnel may capture, handle, transport or release a Western Mouse. Do not chase, handle or relocate an animal without the required approval and a suitable release plan.

If an active burrow, nest, dependent young, communal group or other potential breeding place is found, stop work in the immediate area. Protect the feature from people, vehicles, vibration, dust, runoff and predatory animals until the ecologist and regulator-approved procedure is confirmed.

Do not fill, collapse, smoke, flood or excavate a burrow. Do not remove vegetation around it unless the approved procedure specifically allows this.

  • Establish a temporary exclusion area around the feature, with the size set by the project ecologist and regulator advice.
  • Record the location, photographs, condition of the burrow, signs of use and any animals observed.
  • Allow the fauna specialist to determine whether the feature is active and whether work can proceed elsewhere.
  • Keep cats, dogs and other unauthorised animals out of the work area.

During habitat disturbance: 3. Injured or displaced animals

Treat an injured, trapped or displaced animal as a wildlife incident. Stop nearby work and protect the animal from heat, machinery, people and predators.

Contact the nominated wildlife carer, veterinarian, fauna specialist or regulator-approved wildlife service. Keep the animal quiet and secure only as directed by an authorised person.

  • Do not provide food, water or medication unless directed by a qualified wildlife carer or veterinarian.
  • Record the location, time, apparent cause of injury, condition, photographs, handler and destination.
  • If release is approved, use suitable nearby habitat selected by the fauna specialist. Do not release an animal into cleared ground, an active work area or unsuitable fire age.

During habitat disturbance: 4. Work records and stop-work events

Maintain a daily fauna log for all clearing and construction near suitable habitat. Record both detections and confirmed absences, not just animals that require handling.

  • Record the date, crew, machinery, clearing area, weather, spotter catcher, searches completed and outcome.
  • Record every stop-work event, burrow, animal, handling action, release, injury, death and regulator notification.
  • Report any suspected breach of an approval or unexpected mortality immediately through the project incident system.
  • Retain maps, photographs, permits, handling forms and release details with the project environmental records.

After habitat disturbance: 1. Post-clearance checks

Post-clearance checks confirm that animals and burrows have not been overlooked and that retained habitat remains secure. Monitoring should be scaled to the amount of habitat affected, the confidence of the survey and the conservation advice applying to the project.

Inspect the completed clearing area, retained edges, access tracks, spoil areas and habitat interfaces after each clearing stage. Look for animals, fresh burrows, tracks, diggings, chewed quandong nuts and signs of injury.

Check that exclusion fencing, no-go markers and erosion controls remain in place and have not damaged habitat or blocked animal movement.

  • Complete a final fauna inspection before releasing the area to construction crews.
  • Reinspect areas where vegetation was felled by hand, material was moved, or machinery operated near burrows.
  • Remove temporary hazards such as open trenches, uncovered pits, loose netting and unsecured pipes.

After habitat disturbance: 2. Monitoring and relocated animals

Monitor retained habitat and any approved release sites where the project has removed suitable habitat, affected an occupied area or recorded an animal. Use repeat cameras, track pads, trapping or other methods selected by the ecologist.

Do not assume that a relocated animal has survived or established. Check its condition and the use of the release habitat in accordance with the approved relocation plan.

  • Compare post-work detections with the pre-clearing baseline and nearby reference sites where suitable.
  • Monitor fire, weeds, grazing, predator activity, vegetation cover and changes at habitat edges.
  • Use the approval conditions and regulator advice to set the duration and frequency of monitoring. Do not invent a monitoring period where one has not been approved.
  • Report poor survival, repeated predator activity, habitat damage or loss of cover promptly.

After habitat disturbance: 3. Reporting and incident review

Prepare a completion report that describes the work area, survey effort, detections, incidents, handling, releases, mortality, retained habitat and rehabilitation commitments.

Review every unexpected detection, injury, death, active burrow or unauthorised disturbance before the next clearing stage proceeds.

  • Notify DBCA, the Commonwealth department or another regulator when required by the relevant approval or permit.
  • Update the species records with verified coordinates and supporting photographs through the appropriate database process.
  • Identify the cause of each incident and change the method, timing, exclusion controls or induction if needed.
  • Close out corrective actions with a named person and a completion date.

Rehabilitation actions: 1. Habitat restoration

Rehabilitation should restore dense native cover and reconnect retained habitat wherever possible. The Western Mouse uses ground burrows and does not depend on nest boxes or bat roost structures, so habitat quality is more useful than artificial shelter in most projects.

Retain and spread suitable local topsoil and coarse natural debris where this will not introduce weeds or disease. Re-establish native shrubland, mallee and woodland understorey suited to the local soil and vegetation community.

Aim for dense, structurally varied cover on sandy or gravelly loams. Include locally appropriate quandong, sedges and other native food plants where they formed part of the original community.

Reconnect isolated patches where the design allows. Keep rehabilitation areas free from vehicles, stock, unauthorised fire and repeated slashing.

  • Use local provenance seed or plant material where available and appropriate.
  • Do not plant a simplified grass cover over habitat that formerly supported dense shrubland.
  • Protect regenerating shrubs from grazing and browsing until they are established.
  • Design drainage, erosion controls and access routes so that they do not wash out burrows or divide habitat.

Rehabilitation actions: 2. Artificial structures and shelter

Do not install nest boxes, bat boxes, artificial nest sites or bat roost structures as a substitute for Western Mouse habitat. The species shelters and nests in ground burrows, and artificial tree or bat structures are not identified as suitable for it.

If an occupied burrow must be protected, retain the surrounding vegetation and soil profile. Any artificial shelter proposed for a particular project should be designed and approved by a specialist, and should not replace avoidance.

  • Keep heavy machinery and stockpiles away from burrows and rehabilitation areas.
  • Do not place artificial structures where they could attract cats, foxes or other predators.
  • Use temporary shade or cover only as directed by an authorised wildlife carer during an animal rescue or approved relocation.

Rehabilitation actions: 3. Weeds, predators, fire and water

Control weeds before they seed and avoid herbicide drift into retained shrubland, quandong stands, burrows and feeding areas. Use methods that protect native understorey and comply with chemical label and approval requirements.

Support coordinated feral cat and fox control in and around reserves and retained habitat. Manage rabbits and other grazing animals where they are degrading cover or rehabilitation.

Plan fire management to retain a mosaic that includes long-unburnt dense vegetation. Avoid broad, intense burns through occupied habitat and consider the effects of fire on cover and food resources.

  • Do not create permanent artificial water points unless they are part of an approved local conservation design, because they may alter predator activity and disease risk.
  • Keep construction water, sediment, pollutants and fire suppression runoff out of burrows and rehabilitation areas.
  • Inspect rehabilitation after fire, weed control, grazing events and major storms.

Rehabilitation actions: 4. Long-term rehabilitation monitoring

Monitor plant survival, shrub density, weed cover, grazing, fire age, predator activity and use by native fauna. Include the Western Mouse in monitoring where suitable habitat was retained, restored or affected by the project.

Use the results to adjust weed control, predator management, grazing controls and fire planning.

  • Map rehabilitation boundaries and retain a record of fire history and maintenance treatments.
  • Search for burrows, tracks, diggings and chewed quandong nuts during follow-up fauna inspections.
  • Use cameras, track pads or authorised trapping when signs suggest recolonisation or persistence and the project ecologist considers monitoring appropriate.
  • Continue monitoring until the regulator, land manager and project ecologist agree that the rehabilitation is stable and protected.

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