The Vertebrate Fauna of Jenolan Karst Conservation Reserve: Final

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Management response Target areas or habitats Cave-dwelling species affected Continue prioritisation of threats which impact on brush-tailed rock-wallaby as the loss of a single animal is significant. Fire In the absence of further information, assume the karst areas require a low fire frequency. High intensity fire should be avoided in the karst area. Fire mitigation outside of the karst catchment could be considered to reduce fire risk around the caves. A patchwork regime of low intensity autumn fire would be the most appropriate. Planned burns should be avoided within the karst and catchment system. In the event that planned burns are deemed essential they should be undertaken in spring in small patches. Planned burns should be avoided around major bat roosts. Planned burns should be avoided around caves where sooty owls are breeding. Planned burns should include generous exclusion zones around sites that pose an erosion risk to the cave system. 126 Brush-tailed rock-wallaby population. Brush-tailed rockwallaby. Karst. All cave-dwelling species. Karst. All cave-dwelling species. All except karst and catchment. All cave-dwelling species. Karst and catchment. Cave-dwelling bats. Mammoth and Paradox Caves. Eastern bentwing-bat, Eastern horseshoe bat. Key sites include Arch Cave, Nettle Cave and the Devil’s Coach House. Steep slopes and waterways upstream of caves. Sooty owl. All cave-dwelling species. Alteration to the natural flow regimes of rivers and streams, including sedimentation Continue to avoid activities which alter the natural water flow into the caves and/or increase erosion and sedimentation. Continue removal of sycamore maple and other weeds in a staged fashion, replanting with native species, including further temporary erosion control measures if necessary. Consider closing trails that are not required or that are unstable using barricades, fencing or plantings to reduce run-off and sedimentation. Continue introduced herbivore control to avoid habitat degradation leading to increased erosion. Avoid any increase in hard surfaces upstream of the caves and ensure existing ones have adequate storm water retention reservoirs. Ensure roadworks, carpark and trail maintenance and construction are conducted with careful consideration to reducing run-off and sedimentation that may impact the caves. Work cooperatively with neighbours to identify and ameliorate water issues originating outside the park. Steep slopes and close to waterways upstream from the caves. Steep slopes and close to waterways upstream from the caves. Steep slopes and close to waterways upstream from the caves. Steep slopes and close to waterways upstream from the caves. Cave-dwelling bats. Cave-dwelling bats. Cave-dwelling bats, all aquatic or semi-aquatic species. Cave-dwelling bats. Upstream of the caves. Cave-dwelling bats. Upstream of the caves. Cave-dwelling bats. Northern and western boundaries of JKCR. 9.5.2 Maintaining wildlife data systems for cave-dwelling fauna Cave-dwelling bats. The ongoing assessment of the fauna values of Jenolan relies on the maintenance of corporate wildlife data systems. The Atlas of NSW Wildlife “the Atlas” (maintained by OEH) is an ideal platform for the collation and storage of fauna information. Incidental sightings of interesting wildlife seen by guides and cave visitors can be stored alongside systematic research data collected by academics. The Vertebrate Fauna of Jenolan Karst Conservation Reserve
Much of this data is then available to anyone via the web, though those interested in obtaining full details must apply to OEH under licence. The Atlas is flexible enough to take data on the results of subfossil excavations through to systematic monitoring of common species. Sensitive records are easily kept separate, though still available to those who require them for management. Due to the long history of Jenolan Caves, most wildlife data has not been maintained in a central database. Prior to this project, most information was only available as paper records or by contacting observers or researchers first hand. As part of this project we have transferred much of the anecdotal records and data from previous research projects into the Atlas. It is vital to the ongoing successful monitoring and management of the cave fauna that this database is kept up-to-date. If kept up-to-date, the Atlas will be an extremely useful tool in managing the vertebrate fauna of Jenolan Caves. In particular, recording of the presence of bats in caves observed during cave tours or caving expeditions will greatly improve the knowledge of bat ecology within the reserve. The following points are strongly recommended to provide a better understanding of the fauna present in the cave system: All research studies must contribute their data to the Atlas of NSW Wildlife (including. trapping effort and results). This is a mandatory condition of the issue of scientific research permits though irregularly enforced. This legal obligation should be reinforced to consultants, academic researchers and anybody else working on the vertebrate fauna of the cave system. Approval for any new research on fauna in the caves should be contingent on sufficient funds being set aside for data entry of results into the Atlas where they will be preserved in perpetuity and available to managers. Speleologists are in a unique position to provide new and interesting information on fauna. Permits for the exploration of wild caves should be contingent on cavers submitting records of bats to the Karst and Geodiversity Unit as part of their trip report, to be passed on to the Atlas if warranted (i.e. if sufficient useful information is obtained). Cave guides and other staff are strongly encouraged to submit records of interesting fauna to the Atlas. If a species is very rare or has not been previously recorded, records should be submitted to the Atlas along with photographs or recordings (if possible). Personal log books or a centrally based log book (stored at the guides office) should be periodically submitted to the Atlas The minimum requirement for submitting a record to the Atlas is the species, a description of the location, number of individuals, date, time and observer (though all can be given as approximations if the sighting is important). For sightings of bats, details about their position (e.g. in crevice, hanging from roof etc.) and if the bats are in aggregations or solitary is helpful. Records can be submitted to the Wildlife Data Unit of OEH by emailing gis@environment.nsw.gov.au. Further information about the Atlas can be obtained at http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/wildlifeatlas/about.htm. 9.6 MONITORING, FURTHER SURVEY AND RESEARCH ON CAVE-DWELLING FAUNA In this section we discuss recommendations for monitoring, further survey and research specifically relating to cave-dependent vertebrate fauna and cave environments. For discussion of further study for JKCR generally (i.e. not just the cave system), including how to implement a fauna monitoring program – see section 8. In addition to the factors discussed below, any further survey or monitoring within the cave system should follow guidelines set out in the Cave Access Policy (DECCW 2010a). The cave system at JKCR has a long history of scientific research in areas such as chemistry and invertebrate taxonomy. There have also been several investigations into the paleobiological deposits within the caves and the ongoing Fox TAP monitoring of the brush-tailed rock-wallabies. Research and monitoring of the other vertebrate fauna and how they use the caves has been relatively limited. We now have a good understanding of what species use the caves, however a deeper insight into how and when cave-dependent vertebrate fauna use the caves would be useful in managing these fauna in the long term. It should be emphasised that invasive methods of surveying including capture of bats, disturbing roosting bats with torches or other means is not permitted without approval from an animal care and ethics committee, a permit from the Karst and Geodiversity Unit and a scientific licence. The Vertebrate Fauna of Jenolan Karst Conservation Reserve 127
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The Vertebrate Fauna of the Jenolan
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Published by: Office of Environment
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CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION............
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6.4.12 Inbreeding..................
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1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 PROJECT RATIONAL
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Map 1: Location and features of Jen
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Hydrology JKCR encompasses the uppe
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1.3.5 Vegetation Much of the vegeta
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wheel-driving and other motor sport
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Multiple banding trips undertaken b
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ground mammal surveys in all vegeta
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Bat Ultrasonic (‘Anabat’) Call
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undisturbed in situ. As agreed with
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Table 4: Statewide vegetation class
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Map 5: Location of OEH standard sys
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3 METHODS USED TO ASSESS AND PRIORI
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Table 5: Factors used to calculate
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Common name Scientific name Reason
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species occur in the southern Blue
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The proximity of the reserve to mor
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extinct. A remnant population there
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Table 8: Comparison of detection ra
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Map 7: Distribution of introduced b
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5.2 NATIVE SPECIES PROFILES This se
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STUTTERING FROG MIXOPHYES BALBUS EP
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FLAME ROBIN MELANODRYAS CUCULLATA C
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GLOSSY BLACK-COCKATOO CALYPTORHYNCH
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LITTLE EAGLE HIERAAETUS MORPHNOIDES
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REGENT HONEYEATER ANTHOCHAERA PHRYG
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SPECKLED WARBLER CHTHONICOLA SAGITT
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VARIED SITTELLA DAPHOENOSITTA CHRYS
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POWERFUL OWL NINOX STRENUA EPBC Act
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BETTONG SPECIES BETTONGIA SPP. EPBC
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BRUSH-TAILED PHASCOGALE PHASCOGALE
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Management Considerations Continue
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EASTERN QUOLL DASYURUS VIVERRINUS E
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KOALA PHASCOLARCTOS CINEREUS EPBC A
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NEW HOLLAND MOUSE PSEUDOMYS NOVAEHO
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PLATYPUS ORNITHORHYNCHUS ANATINUS E
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SMOKY MOUSE PSEUDOMYS FUMEUS EPBC A
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SPOTTED-TAILED QUOLL DASYURUS MACUL
Page 85 and 86: WHITE-FOOTED RABBIT-RAT CONILURUS A
Page 87 and 88: EASTERN BENTWING-BAT MINIOPTERUS SC
Page 89 and 90: EASTERN FALSE PIPISTRELLEFALSISTREL
Page 91 and 92: GREATER BROAD-NOSED BAT SCOTEANAX R
Page 93 and 94: LARGE-EARED PIED BAT CHALINOLOBUS D
Page 95 and 96: FERAL CAT FELIS CATUS Feral cat. Ph
Page 97 and 98: FERAL DOG CANIS LUPUS Feral dog. Ph
Page 99 and 100: FERAL PIG SUS SCROFA Occurrence in
Page 101 and 102: RABBIT ORYCTOLAGUS CUNICULUS Occurr
Page 103 and 104: 6.3 RELATIVE PRIORITY OF THREATS In
Page 105 and 106: 6.4.6 Environmental degradation, co
Page 107 and 108: operations (particularly during mop
Page 109 and 110: 7 MANAGEMENT OF THREATS 7.1 RECOMME
Page 111 and 112: Management response Target areas or
Page 115 and 116: 8 FURTHER SURVEY AND MONITORING 8.1
Page 117 and 118: esolved and projects are rarely fun
Page 119 and 120: 8.3.3 Suggested monitoring programs
Page 121 and 122: OVERVIEW Limestone karst is a limit
Page 123 and 124: Cook visited after limited installa
Page 125 and 126: adept climbers and may predate on b
Page 127 and 128: Interference by the public Some ver
Page 129 and 130: Predation and competition by the fo
Page 131 and 132: can also alter the temperature and
Page 135: Management response Target areas or
Page 139 and 140: Spotted-tailed quoll The spotted-ta
Page 141 and 142: Overall, the current study shows th
Page 143 and 144: Common Name Morris et al. (1997) OE
Page 145 and 146: DECC (2007) Terrestrial vertebrate
Page 147 and 148: Keith, D.A. (2004) Ocean shores to
Page 149 and 150: Soderquist, T.R., Traill, B.J., Far
Page 151 and 152: Common name Scientific name NSW leg
Page 159: Cave Date inspected Mattagang Cave
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