The Vertebrate Fauna of Jenolan Karst Conservation Reserve: Final

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YELLOW-BELLIED GLIDER PETAURUS AUSTRALIS EPBC Act: Not Listed TSC Act: Vulnerable Priority in Area: Low Yellow-bellied glider. Photo © R. Williams Old yellow-bellied glider feedmarks in a grey gum. Photo © M. Schulz/OEH 76 Occurrence in the Survey Area Uncommon resident. The yellow-bellied glider has been recorded by multiple observers within JKCR over the last decade, indicative of a resident population. There are eight records in the Atlas of NSW Wildlife, three of which are from the current survey program. Two individuals were heard calling about 500 metres east of the research station on the Jenolan River. Another individual was recorded on the southern boundary of the reserve and a feed tree was noted near the old koala enclosure. Yellow-bellied Gliders have a distinct preference for grey gum (E. punctata) as a feed tree (Mackowski 1988). All of the sightings of the animals within JKCR and the neighbouring Kanangra-Boyd have been in habitats where grey gum is a dominant or co-dominant canopy species. Kanangra Gorge Sheltered Grey Gum Forest (with approximately 400 hectares within the reserve) is likely to be the primary habitat for this species. This vegetation type occurs in the south-east of the JKCR and is where all sightings to date have been located. Regional Conservation Significance The yellow-bellied glider is widespread in many parts of the region. It has been found to be common and secure throughout much of the southern Blue Mountains, generally favouring gorge country, such as is found in Nattai NP, the Cox’s River and Kedumba Valleys. Favoured feed trees in the region include grey gum, forest red gum (E. tereticornis) and monkey gum (E. cypellocarpa). This glider is well reserved within the region and there are few threats operating within the park system. The small size of JKCR and the relatively small amount of suitable habitat within means that JKCR does not contribute significantly to the regional conservation of the species. Threats in the Survey Area Predation by foxes and dogs, though intensive control in JKCR means this threat is minor at the present time. Loss of hollow bearing trees. Wildfire will temporarily reduce the availability of food resources, though the historically low fire regimes at JKCR mean this is a minor threat. Management Considerations Ongoing fox control may benefit this species. Protection of hollow-bearing trees. Protection of active feed trees. The Vertebrate Fauna of Jenolan Karst Conservation Reserve
EASTERN BENTWING-BAT MINIOPTERUS SCHREIBERSII OCEANENSIS EPBC Act: Not Listed TSC Act: Vulnerable Priority in area: High Eastern bentwing-bat. Photo © M. Schulz Eastern bentwing-bats roosting. Photo © N. Williams Occurrence in the Survey Area Common resident with regionally important roosting sites. This species has recently been revised to M. orianae oceanensis although it still appears on the NSW and Commonwealth legislative schedules under its former name therefore this nomenclature has been retained for this document. The karst system at JKCR provides a wide diversity of caves, overhangs and other features that this species uses to roost. It is found throughout JKCR including: Mammoth Flat, Blue Lake, Jenolan River Campsite, McKeowns Valley, Binda Bush cottages, Jenolan River (near Stockyard Creek), Jenolan River Trail dam, the Info Bay trail, Oaky Camp trail (at gate), the Devil’s Coach House and Surveyors Creek weir. The 2011 surveys recorded a large number of eastern bentwing-bats (~1000) in the ‘southern limestone’ area (Paradox Cave). Approximately 50 animals were also observed within Mammoth Cave; however guides indicate that numbers tend to be higher in August and September. Mammoth Cave may not be used all year around, with researchers previously recording an absence of eastern bentwing-bats in June (Euston et al. 2009). Due to the extensive area of karst, it is likely that further sizable roosts occur unrecorded within JKCR. This survey found colonies of eastern bentwing-bats at JKCR to be temporally segregated based on age and/or sex, which is typical of the species (Dwyer 1966). No evidence of a maternity roost was found during this or previous surveys. It is still possible that a large maternity roost is present, though this seems increasingly unlikely. No bats captured during this study showed evidence of lactation, although the sample size was relatively low, and the survey later than ideal. During the maternity period the population at Paradox Cave was male biased and all females captured were non-reproductive. It is not known if JKCR historically supported a maternity roost, though Tear Drop Cave has been highlighted as a former maternity cave (E. Holland pers. comm. to A. Spate). Due to the extensive nature of the cave system at Jenolan, it is likely that some part may have once been suitable. However, early cave management practices tended to be insensitive and would have impacted this species. Ideal maternity sites are thought to require high domed ceilings, small low entrance passageways, the propensity to trap metabolic heat released from roosting bats (Hall and Richards 2003) and a stable temperature of 20-29 degrees centigrade (Dwyer 1963, 1971). None of the caves visited during this survey fulfil these requirements, though Paradox Cave is thought to be the most suitable. However, this bat is also known to breed in smaller caves and artificial sites (Hoye 2000 and R. Williams pers. comm.) meaning smaller sites remain a possibility at Jenolan. Banding data shows bats from Jenolan have moved to or from maternity sites at Wee Jasper, Bungonia and mine adits in the Warragamba catchment (P. Wilson pers. comm.). Elsewhere in NSW maternity sites occur at Willi Willi caves and Nimbin (Hall and Richards 2003) and in a mine in the Hunter Valley (Hoye 2000). Seasonal movements of eastern bentwing-bats are The Vertebrate Fauna of Jenolan Karst Conservation Reserve 77
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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
Page 35 and 36: Table 5: Factors used to calculate
Page 37 and 38: Common name Scientific name Reason
Page 39 and 40: species occur in the southern Blue
Page 41 and 42: The proximity of the reserve to mor
Page 43 and 44: extinct. A remnant population there
Page 45 and 46: Table 8: Comparison of detection ra
Page 47 and 48: Map 7: Distribution of introduced b
Page 49 and 50: 5.2 NATIVE SPECIES PROFILES This se
Page 51 and 52: STUTTERING FROG MIXOPHYES BALBUS EP
Page 53 and 54: FLAME ROBIN MELANODRYAS CUCULLATA C
Page 55 and 56: GLOSSY BLACK-COCKATOO CALYPTORHYNCH
Page 57 and 58: LITTLE EAGLE HIERAAETUS MORPHNOIDES
Page 59 and 60: REGENT HONEYEATER ANTHOCHAERA PHRYG
Page 61 and 62: SPECKLED WARBLER CHTHONICOLA SAGITT
Page 63 and 64: VARIED SITTELLA DAPHOENOSITTA CHRYS
Page 65 and 66: POWERFUL OWL NINOX STRENUA EPBC Act
Page 67 and 68: BETTONG SPECIES BETTONGIA SPP. EPBC
Page 69 and 70: BRUSH-TAILED PHASCOGALE PHASCOGALE
Page 71 and 72: Management Considerations Continue
Page 73 and 74: EASTERN QUOLL DASYURUS VIVERRINUS E
Page 75 and 76: KOALA PHASCOLARCTOS CINEREUS EPBC A
Page 77 and 78: NEW HOLLAND MOUSE PSEUDOMYS NOVAEHO
Page 79 and 80: PLATYPUS ORNITHORHYNCHUS ANATINUS E
Page 81 and 82: SMOKY MOUSE PSEUDOMYS FUMEUS EPBC A
Page 83 and 84: SPOTTED-TAILED QUOLL DASYURUS MACUL
Page 85: WHITE-FOOTED RABBIT-RAT CONILURUS A
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
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Much of this data is then available
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Spotted-tailed quoll The spotted-ta
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Overall, the current study shows th
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Common Name Morris et al. (1997) OE
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DECC (2007) Terrestrial vertebrate
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Keith, D.A. (2004) Ocean shores to
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Soderquist, T.R., Traill, B.J., Far
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Common name Scientific name NSW leg
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Cave Date inspected Mattagang Cave
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The Vertebrate Fauna of Jenolan Karst Conservation Reserve: Final

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