This paper outlines the development in 2001 of a management policy for the Yellow-bellied Glider Petaurus australis in the Eurobodalla Shire in response to case studies conducted by the author for a development proposal. The proposal to clear habitat for a school indicated that significant impact on the Yellow-bellied Glider was likely after addressing the “eight part test” under section 5A of the NSW Environmental Planning & Assessment Act (1979). The subsequent Species Impact Statement placed the impacts of the development into a regional context in respect to the distribution of the glider and included an estimate of population size and identified a habitat corridor in the Broulee area. The local government then requested concurrence from the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service. A ‘condition of concurrence’ was that a policy be developed by the Local Government Authority to conserve Yellow-bellied Glider habitat in the Broulee subregion. The policy to conserve the Yellow-bellied Glider in the Broulee area identified a major limitation in the EP&A Act, that is, the failure to consider the cumulative impact of development.

ABSTRACT We present the results of field surveys and a radio-tracking study of the Greater glider Petauroides volans minor in the Bluff State Forest, North Queensland. Twenty-three spotlighting transects were surveyed twice in July 2018, mean abundance of P. v. minor was 0.24 ha −1 in wet sclerophyll and 0.38 ha −1 in dry sclerophyll forest. Field observations (n= 330) were collected from nine radio-collared animals across three field sites from July to October 2019. 95% kernel home range estimates varied, ranging from 1.03–11.45 ha. Observations of denning (n=66) across 22 den trees identified that the gliders utilised between 1 and 4 dens during the study. Den trees were predominantly large Blue gum Eucalyptus tereticornis , with Gum-topped box Eucalyptus moluccana, Narrow-leafed ironbark Eucalyptus drepanophylla, Tindale’s stringybark Eucalyptus tindaliae and unidentifiable tree stags were used to lesser extent in one field site. Mean availability of suitable den trees was 2.07±1.12 per ha in Site 1 and 2, and 1.57±1.24 in Site 3. Foraging observations (n=148) were collected, Pink Bloodwood Corymbia intermedia and E. moluccana were the most commonly observed feed trees utilised by the study animals during the tracking period. This study provides baseline data for P. v. minor within high elevation habitat (950 to 1000 m) at its most northern extent. Given the widespread decline of P. volans across much of its range, these data may be used for developing local conservation strategies for the species in North Queensland.

At dusk on the 20 March 2012 bird watcher David Koffel observed a large gliding possum glide between trees at the southern end of Lady Carrington Drive in Royal National Park. David reported his observation to the Royal National Park Visitors Centre and a spotlighting excursion was organised to investigate the sighting. On the 30 March 2012 David Koffel, Debbie Andrew and Glen Harvey located the glider and confirmed its identity as a greater glider Petauroides volans . This was the first confirmed observation of a greater glider in Royal National Park since the wildfire of 1994, 18 years prior, which burnt more than 90% of Royal National Park and 50% of neighbouring Garawarra State Conservation Area. An account of the sightings and background to the observations are provided.

Clearing of native vegetation for urban and rural development constitutes one of the major threats to conservation of forest-dependent fauna in New SouthWales. The Hills Shire is an extensively forested local government area in northwestern Sydney which is experiencing rapid population growth and the associated expansion of residential and infrastructure development in both urban and rural areas. The Yellow-bellied Glider is one of many threatened species occurring in the Shire and information about this species' habitat requirements is needed for conservation planning. This study tested the hypothesis that the occurrence of Swamp Mahogany Eucalyptus robusta is an important factor explaining the distribution of the Yellow-bellied Glider in The Hills Shire. Spotlighting and call broadcast surveys for this and five other threatened species were undertaken on four occasions at each of 33 randomly-located sites stratified by proximity (<500 m and >1500 m) to forest containing Swamp Mahogany. The Yellow-bellied Glider was detected at 10 sites and was significantly more likely to occur at sites where Swamp Mahogany was present. Yellow-bellied Gliders were strongly associated with forests on alluvial soils occurring below 20 m elevation where Swamp Mahogany was present. Swamp Mahogany appears to be indicative of locations where a confluence of factors, including the forest types on adjacent slopes and ridges, results in favourable habitat for the gliders. The food resources provided by the winter-flowering Swamp Mahogany and other river-flat eucalypts, including Forest Red Gum E. tereticornis , is also thought to be important. The population of Yellow-bellied Gliders in The Hills Shire, based on all known records, was estimated to be 50 to 75 individuals occurring in at least 15 family groups most of which were distributed within seven core areas. The conservation of the Yellow-bellied Glider in the Shire requires the protection of these core areas and the existing forested corridors linking them. The Yellow-bellied Glider population in The Hills Shire is geographically isolated and warrants consideration for listing as an endangered population under the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995.

ABSTRACT The Eastern Pygmy-possum Cercartetus nanu s is a small arboreal marsupial in the family Burramyidae that is threatened in parts of its range. Considered a generalist omnivore, its diet is known to include invertebrates, seeds, nectar and pollen. Tree sap has never before been recorded as a part of the diet of C. nanus . Here, we report on two observations of C. nanus feeding on eucalypt sap in south-eastern New South Wales.

A regional survey of 253 forest sites on the southwestern slopes and adjacent highlands of New South Wales recorded a total of 530 animals from five species of nocturnal forest birds and nine species of arboreal marsupials. One additional species, the Squirrel Glider Petaurus norfoicensis , was tapped during supplementary searches. Elevation (climate) and best type were the major factors accounting for the distribution of this fauna. Minor environmental gradients included geology, the density of hollow-bearing trees, topography, logging intensity and fire. The patterns of landuse in the region contributed to interactions between elevation, forest type and management history (logging, fire and grazing) which restricted inferences about the habitat requirements of animals. Forest types occurring at either end of the elevational (wet-dry) gradient (Alpine Ash and Box-Stringybark) were poorer in species than forests occurring at intermediate elevations (Alpine Gums, Wet Peppermint and Dry Peppermint). The Wet Peppermint forest type, which was the richest in species of nocturnal animals, has been deliberately selected in the past for conversion to pine plantations. The fauna of the region was generally more sparse and patchy compared to four other regions (northeastern and southeastern New South Wales, and northeastern and Central Highlands of Victoria) where similar studies have been undertaken. Numbers of large forest owls and the Greater Glider Petauroides volans were recorded less commonly than expected and may have declined in the region. The Common Brushtail Possum Trichosurus vulpecula was particularly abundant. This species and the Common Ringtaii Possum Pseudocheirus peregrinus appeared to maintain their numbers in small (<2 000 ha), isolated forest fragments.

Tree hollows are a major feature within Australian habitats and an important functional resource for many species in terms of shelter, reproduction, and thermoregulation. Water-filled tree hollows, or phytotelmata, also function as a valuable resource, but their use is only scarcely documented. We used camera trapping to determine which vertebrate species were utilising a known water-holding hollow in dry woodland habitat, and assessed whether antagonistic behaviour, such as hoarding of the resource, was occurring. Camera footage was obtained over a period of three days and nights, and species’ use of the hollow analysed. A total of seven vertebrates (one frog, two reptile and four mammal species) were recorded using the hollow, which included diurnal and nocturnal species. Use by the Feathertail Glider was the most frequent compared to other species. The study highlights an ecological significance of water-filled hollows that should be considered in the management of dry woodland habitats, where the availability of these resources may be depleted by land clearing and loss of existing hollow-bearing trees.

ABSTRACT A total of 783 dietary items from a Sooty Owl Tyto tenebricosa tenebricosa with suspected partial xanthochromism (yellow plumage colouration) was identified from Yarrangobilly Caves, NSW. Observations of the owl at the cave and collection of feathers suggest that prey items accumulated between 2011 and 2018. A total of 12 mammal species was detected in the diet, with the Bush Rat Rattus fuscipes , Agile Antechinus Antechinus agilis , Sugar Glider Petaurus breviceps and Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus dominating. The diet also included three threatened species, the Eastern Pygmy Possum Cercartetus nanus , Smoky Mouse Pseudomys fumeus and Broad-toothed Rat Mastacomys fuscus . The diversity of prey identified in the diet contrasts markedly with that found in studies of subfossil deposits from the area, supporting evidence of extensive mammal declines since European settlement.

Trpor is the most effective means for energy conservation available to mammals and is characterized by substantial reductions in body temperature (T b ) and metabolic rate (MR). Most Australian terrestrial mammals are small with high mass-specific energy requirements and, although it is widely believed that torpor is not needed in a ‘warm’ country like Australia, a large number of species are heterothermic (i.e. capable of changing T b , in contrast to homeothermic mammals with a constant high T b ). These heterothermic species (estimated >43% of terrestrial Australian native mammals) employ periods of daily torpor or prolonged multi-day torpor (hibernation) to conserve energy. Daily torpor is used by dasyurids (e.g. dunnarts, antechinus, quolls), myrmecobiids (numbat), tarsipedids (honey-possum), petaurid possums (e.g. sugar glider), rodents (but only known in the introduced house mouse), and small megabats (blossom-bats). During daily torpor, T b is reduced from ~35°C during the active or normothermic phase to ~I0-25°C during torpor, and the torpor MR (TMR) is ~30% of the basal metabolic rate (BMR). Daily torpor is often, but not exclusively, used during the rest phase and, between bouts of torpor, animals usually forage and feed. Recent evidence shows that free-ranging arid zone dasyurids may employ daily torpor on every day in winter and that torpor may last twice as long as in captivity (often up to around 20 hours), which will reduce energy expenditure and thereby food requirements by up to 80%. Hibernation or prolonged torpor has been observed in the Monotremes (echidna), marsupials (pygmy-possums and feathertail glider) and insectivorous bats (e.g. long-eared bats). During prolonged torpor, which often, but not exclusively, is expressed in winter, T b is usually reduced to a minimum of ~0-10°C, and torpor bouts may last for several days or weeks, but in all species periodic arousals with brief normothermic periods (hours) between bouts of torpor have been observed. The TMR during hibernation is extremely low and can be as little as 1 -5% of the BMR; daily energy expenditure can be reduced to only 3% of that in active individuals permitting survival on stored body fat for months without the need to feed. Daily and prolonged torpor in many Australian mammals appear to be opportunistic and not only important for survival of adverse seasonal conditions, but apparently also for dealing with unpredictable events such as droughts and perhaps fires and floods. As torpor substantially reduces energy requirements its use will in turn reduce the need for foraging and consequently exposure to predators. Predator avoidance by employing torpor and minimising foraging may be one of the reasons why none of the known heterothermic Australian species has gone extinct. In contrast many of the similar-sized perceived homeothermic species, such as rodents and bandicoots, have suffered high rates of extinction possibly because they must forage long and frequently to meet large energetic demands and thus are more vulnerable to predation by introduced foxes and cats.

A survey of the mammals of the coastal State Forests, adjacent farmlands and coastal national park near Bega, on the south coast of New South Wales, was undertaken between 1979 and 1984. A total of 39 native and 10 exotic species was found in the area surveyed. That 17 (44%) of the native species were bats demonstrates the importance of considering this order of mammals in both future surveys and forest management. The presence of species varied according to the land-use category of the area surveyed. State Forest was richest and contained 37 of the 39 native species found. Coastal national park supported 17 native species, while only 7 were found on farmland. Of the 39 species, 14 were considered rare in the survey area, 11 were uncommon and 14 common. Of the twelve methods of detection used, the most productive was predator scat analysis, which yielded 24 native species and 9 exotic species. The survey was conducted using a wide variety of detection methods in logged and unlogged, burnt and unburnt forest and through drought years. Observations were made about the impact of logging, fire and drought on native mammals and proposals made for their conservation and management.

ABSTRACT There are 5.2 million hectares of public native forest within the coastal Integrated Forestry Operations Approval (IFOA) regions in New South Wales on and east of the Great Dividing Range. 4.3 million hectares or 83% of these forests are set aside in formal or informal conservation reserves. State Forests which comprise 1.55 million hectares or 30% of the public estate within the coastal IFOA regions in New South Wales are managed for a variety of reasons including timber production, recreation, and conservation. While commonly associated with timber harvesting, 43% (675,717 hectares) of the native State forest estate is set aside for conservation in informal reserves. State forest conservation areas include formal Flora Reserves, and a suite of informal reserves including riparian protections, ridge and headwater connection, old growth patches, rare and non– commercial forest types, rainforest, heath, rock outcrops, steep slopes, wildlife corridors, large forest owl protection areas and species specific exclusion zones. These informal reserves receive legal protection via the State Forest Management Zones (FMZ) across the landscape. These informal reserves facilitate the movement of forest fauna and provide important habitat for a unique subset of species. When harvesting occurs in adjoining forest land the reserved areas provide refugia and opportunities from which re–colonisation can occur. Additionally and importantly, the juxtaposition of the undisturbed forest in informal reserves and open areas created by harvest operations creates an ecotone and a variety of successional forest habitats. In addition to describing the current extent of these areas in State Forests in eastern NSW, we reviewed research that assessed their effectiveness as a complementary conservation measure to formal Reserves. Our review indicates that there is a considerable body of knowledge supporting their effectiveness at the local level. To date, however, there has been limited investment in extending and testing these findings more broadly across the landscape. The current forestry regulatory framework is a mix of broad landscape exclusions, general protective conditions implemented routinely regardless of the result of biodiversity surveys and also the option of implementing a condition in lieu of survey, but relies heavily on localised pre– harvesting surveys of threatened species. The costly nature of these surveys and the requirement for these surveys to comply with licence conditions, however, limits the ability to undertake post– harvest surveys or monitoring on a broader scale with available resources. A new model is currently being developed whereby minimum standards are set for informal reserves across the landscape, in conjunction with local scale protection of key habitat features. The new direction has arisen from recognition that effective biodiversity conservation demands a holistic approach. However, the effectiveness of this approach and proposed retention thresholds needs to be rigorously monitored. This would require transferring effort from pre–harvest surveys towards monitoring occupancy trends and status of biodiversity over time.

Nest predation is the most common source of nest failure in most passerines, yet the identity of the predators is generally poorly known. Recent advances in surveillance cameras have made the identification of nest predators much easier. We used this technology to investigate the nest predators of a woodland bird community in south-east Australia, for which nest predation averaged 59% per annum over four years. Despite the loss of more than 240 clutches or broods during this period, only one predation event was witnessed prior to the use of cameras, and the identity of predators remained virtually unknown. During the 2012/13 breeding season, cameras recorded 17 acts of nest predation involving seven species of nesting birds, and we identified seven species of predator (four birds and three mammals). For two of the avian predators, we recorded hitherto unknown behaviour.

Surveys targeting 24 threatened fauna species were conducted in riparian (37 study sites) and mallee (3 study sites) vegetation communities in State Forests and other Crown timber lands in south-western New South Wales. The surveys were successful in locating eleven of the targeted threatened species and two non-target species. Five threatened species (four birds and one mammal) were recorded within the mallee study sites and seven from the riparian study sites (one amphibian, one reptile, three birds and two mammals). The surveys extended the known distribution of the Brush-tailed Phascogale Phascogale tapoatafa and Squirrel Glider Petaurus norfolcensis in New South Wales.