Byron Flora and Fauna Study 1999 - Byron Shire Council

A GREENPRINT FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
Terrestrial vertebrates were considered to include aquatic, estuarine and ocean shore species but not those
which are predominantly marine.
From this information, a list was derived of species included in Schedules 1 and 2 of the TSC Act, 1995
known to occur in the Shire. A detailed database was then developed - the Byron Shire Threatened Fauna
Database, to include records of Threatened species from all land tenures within the Shire with the exception
of public reserved land or National Parks, Nature Reserves and State Forests. Records were limited to the
period 1970 to the present to maintain relevance and only those for which a date and AMG co-ordinates (to
the nearest 100 m) were available were included. Additional information collected for each record was a
description of the location, the observer/recorder and source (whether published or unpublished). The
references and other sources of information used to compile the database are given in Appendix 8.
All records entered in the database were checked for accuracy, either by referring to original documented
material or contacting the observer. Records were not included if the observer was equivocal about
identification, if the record could not be dated to the year or if AMG co-ordinates could not be assigned to
an accuracy to 100 m.
Records not in documented form were solicited by a direct approach to known local observers, including
amateurs, students and professionals, and by public advertisement of a request for records and then circulation
of a questionnaire. A copy of the questionnaire is included as Appendix 6.
6.2.2 Field surveys
The collation of existing information showed that a relatively extensive amount of location data was available
for some Threatened species as the result of past systematic surveys and from the data sets of a number of
resident observers. Examples of such species with location sources were:
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• Wallum Froglet – Australian Museum Business Services 1995, Fanning 1994, Greenloaning
Biostudies 1997, Milledge 1991, NPWS 1995, Parker 1994;
• Osprey – Australian Museum Business Services 1995, Milledge 1991, NSW NPWS 1995; D.
Milledge, D. Stewart unpubl. data;
• Bush-hen Amaurornis olivaceus – Biosis Research 1990, Milledge 1991, Milledge et al. 1995,
NSW NPWS 1995, Parker 1993c; H. Bower, D. Milledge, D. Stewart, unpubl. data;
• Wompoo Fruit-dove – Biosis Research 1990, Milledge 1991, Murray and Baverstock 1991; M.
Fitzgerald, D. Milledge, D. Stewart unpubl. data;
• Rose-crowned Fruit-dove – Ptilinopus regina – Biosis Research 1990, Gilmore et al. 1986,
Milledge 1991, Milledge et al. 1995, Murray and Baverstock 1991; H. Bower, D. Milledge, D.
Stewart unpubl. data;
• White-eared Monarch – Biosis Research 1990, Gilmore et al. 1986, Greenloaning Biostudies
1997, Milledge 1991, Milledge et al. 1995, Murray and Baverstock 1991; H. Bower, D. Milledge,
D. Stewart, unpubl. data;
• Common Planigale – Australian Museum Business Services 1995, Baker and Miller 1998,
Biosis Research 1990, Milledge 1991, Murray and Baverstock 1991, Parker 1996b;
• Koala Phascolarctos cinereus – Biosis Research 1990, Gilmore et al. 1986, Milledge and McKinley
1992, Phillips 1995; H. Bower, M. Fitzgerald, D. Milledge unpubl. data;
• Common Blossom-bat – Australian Museum Business Services 1995, Biosis Research 1990,
Fanning 1994, Gilmore et al. 1986, Greenloaning Biostudies 1997, Milledge 1991, Milledge
and McKinley 1992, Milledge et al. 1995, Murray and Baverstock 1991, NSW NPWS 1995; M.
Fitzgerald, D. Milledge unpubl. data.
Consequently, it was decided that field investigations should target the most poorly known Threatened
species in the Shire rather than attempting a more general Threatened species survey. Concentration on the