Enhancing Biodiversity Hotspots Along Western Queensland Stock ...

4. Mitchell – Forestvale Road
STOCK ROUTE NUMBER: M701
PRIORITY SPECIES: Animals:
yakka skink (Egernia rugosa).
RATING: BIODIVERSITY HOTSPOT
SHIRE COUNCIL: ROMA REGIONAL COUNCIL
Along the Mitchell – Forestvale Road there are some large stock route reserves that
have a dense cover of grass, including buffel grass (Pennisetum ciliare). Amongst
those reserves is this site, north of the dingo fence, which is heavily forested in
cypress pine (Callitris sp.) with minimal understorey in many sections. In this cypress
forest is an area of pushed up road material interspersed with dead branches that is
a habitat for yakka skink (Egernia rugosa) (Plate 59), whose healthy abundance
could be determined by the number of scats observed during the field visit.
Plate 59. Yakka skink (Photo: B. Walsh).
THREATS: The major threats to this site are predation by feral cats, foxes and dogs,
and inappropriate fire regime.
CURRENT MANAGEMENT: None.
RECOMMENDATIONS: The priority recommendation for this site is to include it in
the Roma Regional Council pest and weed management programme, with emphasis
on the control of feral predators.
For any future controlled fires at this site, it is recommended that they be of low
intensity, and that any mounds of timber/plant material are unburnt as they are used
as habitat by yakka skink.
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