The Vertebrate Fauna of Jenolan Karst Conservation Reserve: Final

9.6.1 Suggested monitoring programs
As discussed in section 8, the design of fauna monitoring programs is a complex issue requiring
extensive planning and consultation. There is already one long-term monitoring program underway at
Jenolan Caves – for the brush-tailed rock-wallaby population. However, the bat fauna at Jenolan
Caves has never had any monitoring or long-term study, despite the presence of at least one
regionally significant roosting location. Currently, speleological groups are required to complete a trip
report as part of their permit to enter the caves. Trip reports include details of bat sightings, fresh
guano, bat behaviour as well as sightings of other vertebrate species. Should these trip reports be
regularly collated and entered into the Atlas of NSW Wildlife they could provide a baseline for
monitoring cave usage by bats in a number of caves at Jenolan. Monitoring specifically for individual
species is outlined below.
Eastern bentwing-bat
Paradox Cave is the most important roost for the eastern bentwing-bat within JKCR. It is a wild cave
that has deliberately, and appropriately, been given a low profile. Nonetheless, Paradox Cave is one
of the most important eastern bentwing-bat roosts in the Southern Blue Mountains and at this point,
knowledge of it remains incomplete. Should a serious monitoring study of eastern bentwing-bats be
undertaken at JKCR, the obvious location would be Paradox Cave. A better understanding of the use
of this cave, both seasonally and from year to year, would improve our understanding of the relative
importance of this cave and assist in appropriate management, as well as improve our understanding
of eastern bentwing-bats generally.
Appropriate methods to monitor eastern bentwing-bats would include fly-out counts by direct
observation or bat counters (laser arrays), thermal imaging cameras and associated bat counting
software (as per that used by Doug Mills, OEH). Acoustic monitoring at cave entrances can be
used to monitor cave occupancy. Manual inspection of roosts is also useful for monitoring bat
populations, however these should be designed to minimise impacts on bats. Radio-tracking
individuals might also be appropriate and yield useful information about movements of bats.
Large-eared pied bat
The large-eared pied bat is a poorly known
species with virtually no studies having
been undertaken on them. Only an
extremely rudimentary knowledge exists of
their habitat preferences, conservation
status, feeding preferences and other
aspects of their biology. A study on largeeared
pied bats at JKCR could help
determine how this species uses the caves.
It is generally thought to use sandstone
overhangs and then travel to higher fertility
areas to feed, sometimes covering large
distances (DECC 2007). Though this study
has shown that they are using the Devil’s
Coach House in quite large numbers, the
extent to which they use the remainder of
the caves and caverns and where they are
feeding and breeding remains unknown.
Addressing these knowledge gaps will
assist in managing for this bat in the long term at JKCR as well as improving our understanding of this
species generally.
Sooty owl
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The large-eared pied bat is in need of further research on its
biology and life history. Photo © M. Schulz
The sooty owl is not particularly well studied. There have been some preliminary observations of sooty
owl nesting success at JKCR and a program that expanded on this could answer some pertinent
questions about the breeding biology of this species. Over time, monitoring could provide answers to
questions relating to cave management. For example, is there a difference in the fledging rate from
nests in different caves? Do the sooty owls prefer some caves over others? Is there any way current
management is interfering with their cave use or nesting success?
The Vertebrate Fauna of Jenolan Karst Conservation Reserve