Evaluating the effectiveness of salvage and translocation of Striped Legless Lizards

Megan O’Shea

February 2013

Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Technical Report Series No. 243

Evaluating the effectiveness of salvage and translocation of Striped Legless Lizards

Megan O’Shea

February 2013

Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Department of Sustainability and Environment Heidelberg, Victoria

Report produced by: Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Department of Sustainability and Environment PO Box 137 Heidelberg, Victoria 3084 Phone (03) 9450 8600 Website: www.dse.vic.gov.au/ari © State of Victoria, Department of Sustainability and Environment 2013 This publication is copyright. Apart from fair dealing for the purposes of private study, research, criticism or review as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968 , no part may be reproduced, copied, transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical or graphic) without the prior written permission of the State of Victoria, Department of Sustainability and Environment. All requests and enquiries should be directed to the Customer Service Centre, 136 186 or email [email protected] Citation: O’Shea, M. (2013). Evaluating the effectiveness of salvage and translocation of Striped Legless Lizards. Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Technical Report Series No. 243. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg. ISSN 1835-3827 (print) ISSN 1835-3835 (online) ISBN 978-1-74287-763-1 (print) ISBN 978-1-74287-764-8 (online) Disclaimer: This publication may be of assistance to you but the State of Victoria and its employees do not guarantee that the publication is without flaw of any kind or is wholly appropriate for your particular purposes and therefore disclaims all liability for any error, loss or other consequence which may arise from you relying on any information in this publication. Accessibility: If you would like to receive this publication in an accessible format, such as large print or audio, please telephone 136 186, or through the National Relay Service (NRS) using a modem or textphone/teletypewriter (TTY) by dialling 1800 555 677, or email [email protected]

This document is also available in PDF format on the internet at www.dse.vic.gov.au Front cover photo: Striped Legless Lizard Delma impar. (M. O’Shea) Authorised by: Victorian Government, Melbourne Printed by: NMIT Print Room, Preston, Victoria

Contents Acknowledgements...... ii Summary...... 1 1 Introduction...... 2 2 Project objectives ...... 3 3 Biology of the Striped Legless Lizard ...... 4 4 Translocation of reptiles...... 7 5 Policy and guidelines ...... 8 6 Study area...... 9 7 Source animals ...... 10 8 Recipient site selection...... 12 9 Recipient site establishment and pre-treatment...... 22 10 Founder populations...... 24 11 Transportation and timing of release...... 25 12 Experimental design ...... 26 13 Measures of success ...... 27 14 Post-release monitoring...... 29 15 Caveats...... 32 16 Activity schedule ...... 33 References...... 34 Appendix 1 ...... 39 Appendix 2 ...... 40 Appendix 3 ...... 41 Appendix 4 ...... 44 Appendix 5 ...... 49 Appendix 6 ...... 53

i

Acknowledgements This project has in-principle funding from the Manager of DSE Regional Services Port Phillip, until June 2016. Initial survey work has been conducted with Arthur Rylah Institute Animal Ethics Committee approval (AEC 11/29) and a scientific permit (number 10006167) issued under the Wildlife Act 1975. The project is guided by a Technical Reference Group (TRG) that consists of the following people: Geoff Brown (chair), Chris Banks (Zoos Victoria), David Bryant (DSE), Nick Clemann (DSE), Garry Peterson (DSE), Peter Robertson (Wildlife Profiles), Michael Scroggie (DSE) and Alan Webster (DSE). Vivienne Turner was chair of the TRG in the year 2012. David Bryant has coordinated and implemented on-ground works. Sally Koeher (Biosis Research) provided the information in appendix 6. Garry Peterson (DSE) provided the information in appendix 1. Garry Peterson (DSE), Michael Scroggie (DSE) and Ted Rohr (Applied Ecological Research) provided the information in appendix 2. Maria Pham (DSE) provided the shape files for figures 3 & 4. Joanna Sumner (Museum Victoria) provided the original digital files for figure 2. For their assistance, thank you to Silvana Acevedo (DSE), Reg Abrahams (Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative), Silvana Acevedo (DSE), Rohan Ball (DSE cadet), Matthew Bruce (DSE), Kwai Chang-Kum (Mt Rothwell Biodiversity Interpretation Centre), Ellen Corrick (DSE cadet), Meredith Kirkham (DSE cadet), Katie McClaren (DSE cadet), Michael McCormack (DSE cadet), Paul Moloney (DSE), Kay Morris (DSE), Annette Rypalski (Mt Rothwell Biodiversity Interpretation Centre), Steve Sinclair (DSE), Charles Todd (DSE – PVA assistance), Matt White (DSE) and Kaitlin Wright (DSE cadet).

ii Evaluating the effectiveness of salvage and translocation of Striped Legless Lizards

Summary The Victorian Department of Sustainability and Environment’s Port Phillip Regional Environment and Water Group, together with the Biodiversity and Ecosystems Services Division, require effective strategies for managing populations of threatened fauna whose habitat is removed during urban expansion. Working outside the Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) and particularly in the new Western Grassland Reserves (WGR), the aims of this project are to: • refine current knowledge of the distribution of the Striped Legless Lizard in order to locate recipient sites for Striped Legless Lizards salvaged from within the UGB • establish whether or not translocated animals establish self-sustaining, viable populations at recipient sites. Striped Legless Lizards used in the project will be salvaged from grassland habitat in the Melbourne West Investigation Area, as part of the expansion of the Melbourne UGB. Salvaged Striped Legless Lizards will be temporarily housed at Zoos Victoria facilities for at least four weeks, until enough lizards are available for translocation during the species’ active period. This project develops a set of criteria for identifying and evaluating potential translocation recipient sites. These criteria take into account: • the species historic distribution • species current presence/absence • land conservation status • habitat extent and quality • past, present and future land management practices. Translocation sites will be identified through the use of presence/absence surveys and habitat assessments within the WGR by early 2013. This project focuses on the introduction of animals to suitable but unoccupied lizard habitat. It does not investigate the supplementation of existing populations that may be below carrying capacity. A replicated scientific program for the translocation of Striped Legless Lizards has been developed, utilising 12 release sites and 900 animals. Using a population viability analysis it was determined that a minimum of 35 ha of grassland habitat was required to release a minimum of 75 individuals at each site, with a 0.04 probability of extinction over 100 years. Ideally, founder populations will have an equal sex ratio and 75 per cent mature animals. Animals will be grouped into cohorts on the basis of their original capture location, with those salvaged in closer proximity to each other being grouped together. Translocation will be undertaken at a minimum of three recipient sites. This may occur in a series of partial releases of smaller numbers of animals until the minimum number of 75 animals per site has been achieved. The translocation process incorporates a period of soft- release within a 55 × 30 m compound, which will be removed after one year to allow the free dispersal of animals. To evaluate translocation success, a yearly program of monitoring has been developed. Monitoring will include roof tile and pit-fall trapping surveys, as well as habitat evaluations. Measures of success are based on adult survival and reproductive success. The translocation of Striped Legless Lizards will be considered a viable conservation tool if all measures of success are achieved at a minimum of 50 per cent of the study areas.

Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Technical Report Series No. 243 1 Evaluating the effectiveness of salvage and translocation of Striped Legless Lizards

1 Introduction The Victorian Department of Sustainability and Environment’s (DSE) Port Phillip Regional Environment and Water Group and the Biodiversity and Ecosystems Services Division require effective strategies for managing populations of threatened fauna whose habitat is removed during urban expansion. The salvage and translocation of animals to secure sites is often suggested and sometimes applied as a mitigation measure for wildlife in development areas, with varying degrees of success (Dodd & Seigel, 1991; Platenberg & Griffiths, 1999; Fischer & Lindenmayer, 2000; Germano & Bishop, 2008; Short, 2009; Massei et al ., 2010). The Striped Legless Lizard has been identified as a species likely to be impacted by habitat loss as a result of the planned expansion of Melbourne’s Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) (DSE, 2009). Taking into account the principles of avoidance and minimisation of impact, the salvage and translocation of populations of Striped Legless Lizards has been proposed (DSE, 2011a). Although there are examples of reptile translocation projects that have been deemed successful in the short-term (Towns & Ferreira, 2001; Lyle, 2008; Short, 2009), few have reported the successful establishment of self-sustaining populations at release sites (Germano & Bishop, 2008). The Victorian Striped Legless Lizard Working Group and the National Striped Legless Lizard Recovery Team recommended that the potential for using translocation as a mitigation measure for Striped Legless Lizards salvaged from alienated habitat should be investigated scientifically. Furthermore, given the costly nature of conducting wildlife translocation projects (Fischer & Lindenmayer, 2000; Massei et al ., 2010), it is important to evaluate the effectiveness of such actions before attempting to justify any future Striped Legless Lizard translocation events. This project will run for a five-year period to June 2016. The cost of the work will be recovered from the development process through the price of native vegetation offsets purchased from DSE within the Western Grassland Reserves (DSE, 2011a). This investigation aligns with the actions outlined in the recently revised Action Statement for the Striped Legless Lizard (Webster et al ., 1992; Peterson, in prep.) and the draft Striped Legless Lizard National Recovery Plan (Robertson & Smith, 2010).

2 Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Technical Report Series No. 243 Evaluating the effectiveness of salvage and translocation of Striped Legless Lizards

2 Project objectives The aims of this project are to: • Refine current knowledge of the distribution of the Striped Legless Lizard in order to locate recipient sites for Striped Legless Lizards salvaged from within the UGB • Determine the success or failure of translocated Striped Legless Lizards to establish self- sustaining, viable populations. The specific objectives are as to: • Develop criteria for selecting translocation recipient sites • Design, implement, monitor and evaluate a trial translocation project • Develop criteria by which the success or failure of Striped Legless Lizard translocations can be evaluated • If translocation is determined to be successful and feasible, use the outcomes of this study to inform protocols for the future translocation of Striped Legless Lizard populations where permanent habitat removal occurs.

Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Technical Report Series No. 243 3 Evaluating the effectiveness of salvage and translocation of Striped Legless Lizards

3 Biology of the Striped Legless Lizard The Striped Legless Lizard Delma impar (Fig. 1) belongs to a family of lizards that are endemic to the Australian region, the Pygopodidae. Pygopodids lack forelimbs and have only vestigial remnants of their hind limbs (Greer, 1989). In association with their limblessness, they have elongated bodies (Shine, 1986). Striped Legless Lizards can grow to about 30 cm in total length, about two-thirds of which is tail (Coulson, 1990). They have a series of brown/black parallel dorso-lateral longitudinal stripes that run from the tympanum along the body and tail (Cogger, 1996). Many individuals have a sulfur-yellow colouration around the face (Coulson, 1990).

Figure 1. Striped Legless Lizard Delma impar .

Striped Legless Lizards are cryptic, semi-fossorial animals that inhabit the temperate lowland grasslands of south-eastern Australian (Coulson, 1990; Robertson & Smith, 2010) and have also been recorded in open grassy woodland (Robertson & Smith, 2010). Genetic analysis suggests that there are four Evolutionarily Significant Units (ESUs) throughout this range that have been isolated from each other for more than one million years (Maldonado et al. , 2012) (Fig 2).

4 Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Technical Report Series No. 243 Evaluating the effectiveness of salvage and translocation of Striped Legless Lizards

Figure 2. The four Evolutionarily Significant Units identified for Striped Legless Lizards (adapted from Maldonado et al., 2012). Blue = NSW/ACT; Red = SA/Horsham; Orange = south western VIC; Green = eastern VIC. Numbers 1 to 17 refer to population clusters (see Section 7 – Source animals).

Habitat consists of tussock grasses that may form either a dense sward or open structure. Although grasslands with native tussock-forming vegetation are preferable, the species has often been recorded in habitat that is dominated by exotic tussock-forming vegetation such as Toowoomba Canary Grass Phalaris aquatica, Serrated Tussock Nassella trichotoma and rushes Juncus spp. (Coulson, 1990; Hadden, 1995; Dorrough & Ash, 1999; O’Shea, 2005; Thompson, 2006; Candy, 2008). In Victoria, many sites that support the species have clay soils of volcanic origin (Hadden, 1995) and only a light cover of surface rocks (Coulson, 1990; Hadden, 1995; Kimber & Timewell, 2001). Usually, sites have not had high levels of frequent disturbance, such as ploughing or heavy grazing (Dorrough & Ash, 1999). Within this habitat, Striped Legless Lizards are thought to be largely sedentary, generally moving only short distances and occupying small home ranges (Rauhala, 1997; Dorrough & Ash, 1999; O’Shea, 2005; Maldonado et al. , 2012). They are diurnal (Martin, 1972) and most active in the period from September to late March (Kukolic, 1994; Kukolic et al. , 1994; O’Shea, 2005). In the cooler months of April – August they brumate in burrows in the soil (Banks et al. , 1999). Striped Legless Lizards are specialist invertebrate feeders (Coulson, 1990). Their diet consists of spiders, cockroaches, crickets and noctuid caterpillars. Consumption of these items probably varies with fluctuations in availability (Wainer, 1992; Nunan, 1995; Kutt et al. , 1998). Striped Legless Lizards are long-lived, slow-growing animals with a low fecundity (Banks et al. , 1999). Some individuals, collected from the wild as adults, have been held in captivity for 15 years (Chris Banks, pers. comm. 14 Feb 2012). The species is thought to be polygynous

Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Technical Report Series No. 243 5 Evaluating the effectiveness of salvage and translocation of Striped Legless Lizards

(Coulson, 1990), and females are capable of producing only two eggs per year (Banks et al ., 1999). Eggs are deposited under rocks or in soil cavities in early December, and hatchlings emerge in February (O’Shea, 2005). Communal egg laying is common (Peterson & Rorh, 2010). Limited recapture data suggests that females reach reproductive maturity at approximately three years of age (ARAZPA, 1996). The Striped Legless Lizard is recognised as a globally threatened species (IUCN, 2011) and is listed as Vulnerable under the federal Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (the EPBC Act). It is also listed under conservation legislation in all the states and territories in which it occurs (NSW, ACT, Vic, SA). In Victoria, it is listed as a threatened species under the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 (the FFG Act), and classified as endangered (DSE, 2007). The most significant threat to this species is the loss of grassland habitat (Robertson & Smith, 2010). This habitat includes two communities — Natural Temperate Grassland of the Victorian Volcanic Plain and the Western (Basalt) Plains Grassland — that are listed as threatened under the EPBC Act and FFG Act respectively. Other threats to the lizard include habitat degradation from activities such as ploughing and heavy grazing. Direct mortality has been observed during fires that have occurred at times when the soil is wet and soil cracks are closed, usually in spring (Coulson, 1990). The timing and frequency of fire are thought to influence population survival as a result of direct mortality (Coulson, 1995), increased predation and a decline in recruitment success (ARAZPA, 1996). The availability of nearby unburnt vegetation may provide a refuge for displaced animals, or a source from which animals can recolonise grassland habitat that has regenerated following fire (Koehler, 2004; O’Shea, 2005).

6 Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Technical Report Series No. 243 Evaluating the effectiveness of salvage and translocation of Striped Legless Lizards

4 Translocation of reptiles Animals are translocated for a range of reasons, including conservation, research, and managing and mitigating human–wildlife conflicts (Dodd & Seigel, 1991; Germano & Bishop, 2008). The majority of animal translocations have involved birds and mammals (Fischer & Lindenmayer, 2000; Seddon et al , 2005; Short, 2009; Sheann et al . 2012). Most reptile translocations have involved lizards (Lyle, 2008), of which there are numerous examples from New Zealand (Thomas & Whitaker, 1995; Towns & Ferrier, 2001; Lettink, 2007; Miller, 2009; Miller et al. , 2011; Reintroduction Specialist Group, 2012) and others from the United Kingdom (UK) (Platenberg & Griffiths, 1999; Lyle, 2008) and Australia (Hartley & Pearson, 2008; Smith, 2001; Christie et al. , 2011). Comparative analyses report of translocation project success rates that range between 19 per cent and 43 per cent for herpetofauna (Dodd & Seigel, 1991; Germano & Bishop, 2008) and between 33 per cent and 37 per cent for reptiles alone (Lyle, 2008; Short, 2009). In the majority of cases, the outcomes of herpetofauna translocation projects are unknown due to a lack of post-release monitoring, an insufficient period of post-release monitoring or poor reporting of results (Germano & Bishop, 2008). A higher rate of translocation success for reptiles is associated with well-planned projects (Lyle, 2008). This possibly reflects differences in the motivation for the translocation. Projects involving the conservation of a threatened species tend to be better planned and resourced and include follow-up monitoring. In contrast, reactionary projects aimed to resolve human–wildlife conflicts (e.g. involving snakes or crocodiles) may be ad hoc with little resourcing, and have a high rate of project failure (German & Bishop, 2009). A trial translocation of Striped Legless Lizards has previously been conducted using a combination of soft and hard-release strategies at three locations in Melbourne (Smith, 2001). Soft-release involved translocation into an enclosure installed at the release site, whereas hard –relealsed animals were set free into open grassland habitat. Most effort was focused on the Organ Pipes National Park site, so that there was limited replication in the study. Monitoring detected only 0.03% of hard-released animals within 3.5 years. In contrast, 42% of soft- released animals could still be detected after five years following release. Based on these results, it is unclear whether translocation is a viable conservation measure for Striped Legless Lizards. An experimental approach with robust post-release monitoring and clearly defined and achievable measures of success is required to evaluate the probability of success of the translocation of Striped Legless Lizards. Such an approach would enable a more informed judgement of whether translocation would contribute to the conservation of the species.

Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Technical Report Series No. 243 7 Evaluating the effectiveness of salvage and translocation of Striped Legless Lizards

5 Policy and guidelines The World Conservation Union provides ‘Guidelines for Re-introductions’ that are intended to be used for the planning, approval and implementation of re-introduction programs (IUCN, 1998). Under these guidelines, this proposed project would be categorised as a ‘translocation’ as it involves the ‘deliberate and mediated movement of wild individuals or populations from one part of their range to another’. The National Recovery Plan for the Striped Legless Lizard recommends that there be an assessment of the need for salvage and translocation of the species (Robertson & Smith, 2010). Where such a need is identified, the Recovery Plan recommends that a trial translocation is undertaken to determine the feasibility of translocation and develop protocols for such action. Similar actions are also outlined in the Victorian Flora and Fauna Guarantee Action Statement for the Striped Legless Lizard (Webster et al . 1992; Peterson, in prep.). As a result of the program Delivering Melbourne’s Newest Sustainable Communities (DSE, 2009), the Federal Minister for the Environment has recognised the potential need for translocation in some situations and approved a ‘Prescription for Striped Legless Lizard’ (DSE, 2011a) that provides for translocation. Following the principles of avoid, minimise and offset, the prescription requires a fully costed translocation plan for Striped Legless Lizards that are salvaged from destroyed habitat within Melbourne’s expanded UGB (DSE, 2011b). The use of translocation in some cases is also proposed in the Biodiversity Conservation Strategy for Melbourne’s Growth Areas which, once approved by the Federal Minister, will be implemented in place of the prescription for much of the growth corridors. A Management Authorisation under the Victorian Wildlife Act 1975 approves the removal of Striped Legless Lizards at approved development sites within the UGB. In Victoria, proposed translocations of threatened vertebrate fauna require the approval of the Executive Director, Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, following assessment by the Translocation Evaluation Panel (DSE, 2011d). Additionally, experimental translocations must be approved by a properly constituted Animal Experimentation Ethics Committee. Authorisations to implement a translocation action are issued under the Wildlife Act.

8 Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Technical Report Series No. 243 Evaluating the effectiveness of salvage and translocation of Striped Legless Lizards

6 Study area The Delivering Melbourne’s Newest Sustainable Communities (DSE, 2009) program involves three investigation areas: Melbourne West, Melbourne North, and Melbourne South East. Striped Legless Lizards do not occur naturally in the Melbourne South East Investigation Area. Although the species may occur at some sites scheduled for development in the Melbourne North Investigation Area, it is unlikely that a sufficient number of animals would be salvaged to enable a replicated scientific experimental design for a translocation study. Therefore, this project will focus on the Melbourne West Investigation Area, which includes the Wyndham and Melton–Caroline Springs growth areas (Fig. 3). Within this study area, release sites will be located in (or near) two large (approximately 15 000 ha) grassland reserves, collectively called the Western Grassland Reserves (WGR) (see Section 8 – Recipient Site Selection). These reserves are outside the UGB and will be established by the Victorian Government to offset the loss of grassland habitat within the development area.

Figure 3. The Melbourne West Investigation Area. Blue shading depicts areas proposed for development within the Urban Growth Boundary. Green shading depicts the location of the Western Grassland Reserves. (Source: DSE Biodiversity Interactive Maps).

Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Technical Report Series No. 243 9 Evaluating the effectiveness of salvage and translocation of Striped Legless Lizards

7 Source animals Throughout their distribution, Striped Legless Lizard populations are managed in 17 clusters that have been tentatively defined using geographic and environmental criteria to represent areas of similar habitat (Robertson & Smith, 2010; see Figure 2). Clusters 1 and 2 occur within Melbourne’s expanded UGB and are represented by populations in the Melbourne North and Melbourne West investigation areas, respectively. Genetic analysis across the species’ distribution range suggests that populations from cluster 2 most likely group with the south-western Victoria ESU (Maldonado et al ., 2012). It is unknown which ESU cluster 1 belongs to, because there has been no genetic analysis of these populations. Animals that are salvaged from the Melbourne North Investigation Area will be subject to genetic analysis. These animals may be added to cohorts sourced from the Melbourne West Investigation Area if they are found to group with the south-western Victoria ESU. If they do not group with the south-western Victoria ESU, then they will only be used in this translocation study if they are salvaged in sufficient numbers to establish a minimum of three replicated translocation sites within the Melbourne North Investigation Area. Where an insufficient number of Striped Legless Lizards are salvaged from the Melbourne North Investigation Area, these animals may instead be used in experimental trials to evaluate potential individual identification marking techniques and tracking methods, or for public education purposes. The majority of animals to be translocated during this project will be sourced from development areas within the Wyndham and Melton–Caroline Springs growth areas. Within these areas almost 4000 ha of grassland will be destroyed. Using the precautionary approach, it is assumed that most of this grassland is potentially suitable habitat for Striped Legless Lizards (DSE, 2009). Generally, targeted surveys for the species have not and will not be conducted within this area. Therefore it is likely that the majority of populations available for salvage and translocation will be identified during the construction process, rather than through targeted fauna surveys (DSE 2009). Salvage operations will be conducted independently of this project by environmental/herpetological consultants, following the Salvage & Translocation of Striped Legless Lizard in the Urban Growth Area of Melbourne Strategic Approach/Operational Plan (DSE, 2011a, b). Animals that are salvaged are to be temporarily housed at Zoos Victoria facilities until they are translocated to a release site. For each salvaged animal, the following information will be recorded: • specimen number (DSE & herpetological consultant) • GPS coordinates of the location of capture (herpetological consultant) • snout–vent length (mm) (DSE/Zoos Victoria) • weight (g) (DSE/Zoos Victoria) • sex (DSE/Zoos Victoria).

10 Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Technical Report Series No. 243 Evaluating the effectiveness of salvage and translocation of Striped Legless Lizards

These procedures will also be conducted on each lizard: • dorsal head-scale photograph for individual identification (O’Shea, 2005) (DSE) • tail tip sample for genetic analysis (DSE) — see Appendix 1 for methodology • veterinary health check (Zoos Victoria), • visible implantable elastomer tag, pending the success of tagging trials on animals held in captivity (DSE) — see Appendix 2. A database will be established to store and manage the information relating to each animal. Temporary housing arrangements for salvaged Striped Legless Lizards are described in the operational plan (DSE, 2011b). In an effort to maintain a level of consistency in the treatment of individuals and groups of animals, all salvaged Striped Legless Lizards will be housed for a minimum of one month during the species’ active period (September–April). Efforts will then be made to translocate animals as quickly as possible, while working within the other parameters of this project (see Section 11 – Timing of release, and Section 13 – Experimental design). Animals will be available for translocation pending a positive health check that is conducted by veterinary staff on the day prior to the release event. Risks to the project • Surveys for Striped Legless Lizards will not be conducted before the approval and commencement of salvage operations. It is not known whether a sufficient number of animals will be made available for this project (see Section 13 – Experimental design), because the number of lizards that will be salvaged from the cleared areas cannot be known with certainty in advance. • As part of the Delivering Melbourne’s Newest Sustainable Communities (DSE, 2009) program, development activities will be conducted over a long period (20–30 years). Because the schedule of development is undefined, it is not known when animals might be salvaged and made available for this translocation project. Achievements to date To date 22 Striped Legless Lizard salvage plans have been approved. Salvage operations will be conducted at nine of these sites if the species is detected during development operations. Operations have been conducted at eight other sites prior to the commencement of development works, resulting in the salvage of 17 Striped Legless Lizards. Salvage operations at one of these sites is ongoing. Salvage plans are being prepared for a further three sites.

Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Technical Report Series No. 243 11 Evaluating the effectiveness of salvage and translocation of Striped Legless Lizards

8 Recipient site selection Within the study area, the search for recipient sites will be targeted around the WGR but may include other suitable nearby public and private properties. The seven fundamental criteria for selecting recipient sites for translocated Striped Legless Lizards, and the rationale for these criteria, are as follows.

Criterion 1. The site is within the historic range of the species Within the Melbourne West Investigation Area, historic records of the Striped Legless Lizard are all in areas covered by the pre-1750s Ecological Vegetation Class (EVC) Plains Grassland (Fig. 4). Few of these records occur within the vicinity of the WGR, which is probably a reflection of the limited survey effort on freehold land in this area (M. White, DSE, pers. comm., 28 September 2012). The distribution of translocation sites will be limited to areas within the pre-1750s Plain Grassland EVC.

Figure 4. Historical records of Striped Legless Lizard Delma impar are in areas covered by the pre- 1750s Plains Grassland EVC. (Source: DSE Biodiversity Interactive Maps).

Criterion 2. There are no confirmed records of Striped Legless Lizard within one kilometre of the site in the past 20 years The IUCN’s Guidelines for Re-introductions recommended that there be no remnant population of the target species at the translocation recipient site (IUCN 1998). This is intended to prevent the spread of disease, social disruption and introduction of alien genes. Because Striped Legless Lizards are thought to be sedentary animals, a minimum distance of one kilometre should provide sufficient independence from extant populations. This distance

12 Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Technical Report Series No. 243 Evaluating the effectiveness of salvage and translocation of Striped Legless Lizards is based on evidence derived from recapture data and genetic analysis. The greatest distance that an individual Striped Legless Lizard has been observed to travel was 60 m over two days (Kukolic et al ., 1994) and the average distance moved by recaptured individuals has been calculated at 4.05 m (O’Shea, 2005). Genetic analysis also revealed that populations were genetically structured at distances less than 400 m, indicating that the species is relatively sedentary and does not disperse long distances (Maldonado et al. , 2012). On the basis of the sedentary nature of the species, and in order to maintain site independence, recipient sites will not be located within one kilometre of any records of Striped Legless Lizard that have been from the last 20 years, based on Victorian Biodiversity Atlas (VBA) records. In addition, the survey effort at potential recipient sites will be sufficient to ensure 95 per cent confidence of detecting the Striped Legless Lizard if it is present. Presence/absence surveys The survey technique of searching under artificial cover objects (roof tiles) has proven effective in long-term surveys of this species (Koehler, 2004; O’Shea, 2005). Grids of roof tiles will be installed at randomly selected sites that have potentially suitable habitat. Independence between sites will be achieved by maintaining a minimum spacing of one kilometre between sites. Each independent site will contain three roof tile survey grids that are spaced approximately 100 m from each other (Fig. 5). Each survey grid will contain 50 concrete roofing tiles (Thompson, 2006) arranged in a 5 × 10 grid, with 5m spacing between adjacent tiles. Thus, each site will consist of 150 roof tiles. The location of the corner tiles of each grid will be recorded using a portable GPS receiver. Roof tile survey grids will be established approximately two months prior to the commencement of surveys. The detectability of Striped Legless Lizards under roof tiles is influenced by three variables: season, time of day, and temperature (Appendix 3). Of these, season is the most important, and several studies suggest that spring – early summer is the optimum time for conducting surveys for the species (Kukolic, 1994; Kukolic et al ., 1994; O’Shea, 2005; Thompson, 2006; Appendix 3). The detectability of Striped Legless Lizards under roof tiles has been found to: • be highest during the middle of the day (Thompson, 2006; Appendix 3) • increase slightly with increasing temperature under the tiles, up to about 35°C (O’Shea, 2005; Appendix 3), • increase slightly with increasing ambient air temperature, once seasonal effects were taken into account (Appendix 3). Laboratory studies by Osmond (1994) indicate that the preferred body temperature range of the species is between 24.5°C and 27.5°C, which is achieved mostly through thigmothermy at the soil surface. On the basis of these studies, roof tile surveys of potential translocation recipient sites will be conducted in the optimum period between mid-September and mid-November. During this time 6–8 surveys are necessary to obtain a 95% confidence of recording the species if it is present (Appendix 3). Surveys will be conducted under the following conditions: • during the middle of the day, between 10.00 am and 4.00 pm • when the temperature under the roof tiles is 18–40°C • when the ambient air temperature is 15–30°C.

Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Technical Report Series No. 243 13 Evaluating the effectiveness of salvage and translocation of Striped Legless Lizards

Grid C

100m

100m

45m Grid A Grid B

20m

Figure 5. The approximate arrangement of three roof tile grids to form a study site. Diagram not to scale. For each visit, the order in which study sites and roof tile grids are to be surveyed will be randomised. By turning each tile, the sheltered area underneath will be inspected for the presence of Striped Legless Lizards, their eggs or sloughed skins (which can provide reliable evidence of the species’ presence). Attempts will be made to capture all observed individuals, which may require the use of a survey box, as described by O’Shea (2005). The following data will be recorded for all captured animals: • capture location (GPS coordinates and tile coordinates) • capture and release time • snout–vent length (mm) • total length (mm) • point of autotomy (mm) if present • sex • reproductive status of females (gravid/not gravid) • weight (g) • digital photograph of the dorsal head-scale pattern for individual identification. Sloughs of Striped Legless Lizards found under the tiles will be collected, labelled and stored in standard paper envelopes. Observations of all other vertebrates under the tiles will be

14 Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Technical Report Series No. 243 Evaluating the effectiveness of salvage and translocation of Striped Legless Lizards recorded (as well as any incidental observations), except the House Mouse Mus musculus which will be categorised for each grid as either: • absent • 1–10 individuals per grid of roof tiles • more than 10 individuals per grid of roof tiles. Meteorological variables will also be recorded at the commencement of surveys at each grid. These measures will be taken at the first tile of each grid and also at tiles under which Striped Legless Lizards are observed, immediately following the replacement of the tile and stabilisation of conditions. The variables that will be measured are: • ambient air temperature in the shade (°C) • ambient relative humidity of air • temperature under the tile (°C) • humidity under the tile • cloud cover • wind direction and strength • precipitation at the time of survey, and in the preceding 24 hours. A survey data sheet is provided in Appendix 4. In addition to presence/absence surveys conducted at potential translocation recipient sites, concurrent surveys using the same methodology will be conducted for comparison at one or more nearby sites where the species is known to occur. The probability of detecting the Striped Legless Lizard when it is present at potential translocation recipient sites can be determined using detection probability models that have been developed for the species at sites in south-west Victoria (Appendix 3). These models take into account the history of detection/non-detection under roof tiles at a site during the pre-translocation surveys, as well as a set of seasonal and temperature conditions. At sites where the species is not detected, and there has been an adequate survey history that would result in a high probability of detection if the species was present, it will be possible to conclude with a high level of confidence that the species is in fact absent. Risks to the project There is a risk that no suitable recipient sites will be identified. It is possible that all (or most) planned recipient sites have extant populations of Striped Legless Lizard, which would be detected during preliminary roof tile surveys for the species. Following IUCN (1998) guidelines, translocation will not be conducted at sites where the species is known to be present. Achievements to date Striped Legless Lizard survey grids were established at 13 potential translocation recipient sites in the year 2012 (Fig. 6). Surveys were conducted on a weekly basis and where possible, in the middle of the day and under the temperature parameters specified, during the following time periods: • 18 January and 4 April 2012 at two sites only (blue stars on Fig. 6) • 17 September and 22 November 2012 at two sites only (purple stars on Fig 6.) • 18 January – 4 April and 17 September – 22 November 2012 at nine sites (red stars on Fig 6.).

Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Technical Report Series No. 243 15 Evaluating the effectiveness of salvage and translocation of Striped Legless Lizards

Overall, between 8 and 19 surveys were conducted at each site, with a total of 29 700 roof tile turns. Very few reptiles or amphibians were observed in these surveys, including three observations of Striped Legless Lizard that were recorded at a single site (Table 1). No eggs or sloughs were detected.

Figure 6. The location of Striped Legless Lizard survey grids established in 2012. Blue stars indicate Jan-April surveys; purple stars indicate Sept-Nov surveys; red stars indicate both Jan-April and Sept-Nov surveys. (Modified from DSE Biodiversity Interactive Maps).

Table 1: Species observed during surveys of potential recipient sites.

Species Common name No. observations No. sites

Crinia sp. Frog 1 1 Delma impar Striped Legless Lizard 3 1 Limnodynastes dumerilii Pobblebonk Frog 1 1 Limnodynastes tasmaniensis Spotted Grass Frog 100 13 Notechis scutatus Tiger Snake 3 2 Tiliqua scincoides Eastern Blue- tongued Lizard 21 8

As a comparison, one survey site was established at Iramoo Wildlife Reserve, a grassland that is known to support a robust population of Striped Legless Lizards. This site was surveyed concurrently with the potential translocation recipient sites on five occasions in the period 20 February - 4 April 2012 and a further ten occasions in the period 27 September – 12 December 2012. Although no Striped Legless Lizards were observed under the tiles during

16 Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Technical Report Series No. 243 Evaluating the effectiveness of salvage and translocation of Striped Legless Lizards the first survey period, 27 sightings and six sloughs were recorded during the second survey period. Criterion 3. The property is permanently reserved for conservation purposes, or will soon be reserved To ensure that translocated populations of Striped Legless Lizard are not impacted by future land development, all recipient sites will be located on land that is (or will soon be) permanently reserved for conservation purposes. In some instances, such as the WGR, land may be scheduled for acquisition and gazetted during the life of this translocation project. Some sites may be located on private properties that are permanently covenanted for conservation purposes. Criterion 4. The site has a minimum of 35 ha of continuous grassland habitat, excluding marginal wetland habitat Recipient sites will have a minimum area of 35 ha of continuous habitat that is dominated by native tussock-grass vegetation. A VORTEX (Lacy, 2012) population viability analysis (PVA) has predicted that there is a 0.02 probability of a translocated population becoming extinct within 100 years when the carrying capacity is 245 individuals. At a density of 7 per hectare this equates to a minimum habitat area of 35 ha (refer to Appendix 5 – Population viability analysis). The probability of extinction is greater when the area of available habitat is less than this. The area of available habitat for each potential recipient site will be assessed using the current vegetation transition state map, predictive distribution models for native grassland vegetation (DSE – Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research, unpublished data) and ground- truthing. Methods for assessing the extent of native tussock-grass vegetation are described in point 5, below. Criterion 5. The vegetation at the site is dominated by native tussock grasses Vegetation composition will be measured in spring to enable positive floristic identification. At each site (35 ha) the line-point intercept method will be implemented at 12 randomly located line transects that are each 50 m in length. A pin, approximately 1 m in length, will be vertically positioned at 0.5 m intervals along the transect, providing 100 data points per transect. The vegetation that is contacted by the point of the pin, as well as any overhanging vegetation that touches the pin at each of these points will be recorded in the following categories: • native tussock grass • exotic tussock grass • annual grass • native herb • exotic herb • tree/shrub (native or exotic). Where no vegetation touches the pin, the point will be categorised as either bare ground (including crusts, lichens and bryophytes) or rock. Points at which vegetation is recorded will be tallied and the proportion of native tussock vegetation will be calculated. Only sites where the proportion of native tussock vegetation is greater than the proportion of exotic vegetation will be selected for translocation.

Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Technical Report Series No. 243 17 Evaluating the effectiveness of salvage and translocation of Striped Legless Lizards

The line-point intercept method will also be used to measure the cover of bare ground and rocks (see ‘Rock cover’ below). Criterion 6. The soils consist of basalt-derived clays The grasslands of the Werribee Plain are on recent (< 4.5 million years old) lava flows (Rosengren, 1999). Degradation of the basalt has produced shallow clay soils, with many rocks at or near the surface. Within the study area, the basalt plain is interrupted by a series of low granite ridges (the You Yangs) that result in an abutting outwash of granitic sands. In Victoria, Striped Legless Lizards are usually associated with cracking soils that have a moderate to high clay content (Hadden, 1995). Potential recipient sites will therefore be located only on basalt-derived clays. Criterion 7. The site has been subject to appropriate biomass management in the last three years Biomass reduction is an important feature of the ecology of the Natural Temperate Grasslands of the Victorian Volcanic Plain. The dominant grass species, such as Kangaroo Grass Themeda triandra , produce large amounts of biomass, effectively outcompeting wildflowers and eventually resulting in the senescence of the tussocks (McDougall, 1989; Lunt & Morgan, 1999; Morgan & Lunt, 1999). To prevent grassland senescence, regular biomass reduction is required at a frequency no less than every six years (Morgan & Lunt, 1999). Biomass reduction is usually achieved by burning or grazing. Although Striped Legless Lizards have evolved and continue to persist with such processes, the immediate impacts are not well understood. In particular, spring fires and heavy grazing that are either frequent or intense may have a negative effect on individual survival and population persistence. Despite these concerns, biomass management has been identified as an action that positively influences Striped Legless Lizard persistence at a site (G. Peterson, pers. comm., 25 July 2012). To avoid the need for intensive habitat management activities in the first few years following translocation, only sites that have undergone a process of biomass reduction at any stage during the three years preceding translocation will be selected. Once meeting these seven fundamental criteria, sites will be further ranked and scored for the following features. 1. Vegetation transition state In areas that will form the WGRs, the grassland vegetation has been characterised and mapped into seven distinct ‘states’ (DSE, 2011c) (Fig. 7). Three of these states are not considered to provide suitable habitat for translocated Striped Legless Lizards because recently ploughed or fertilised vegetation has been associated with a lower probability of presence and lower abundance of Striped Legless Lizards (Dorrough & Ash, 1999). Therefore, potential recipient translocation sites will only be considered if they support one of the remaining four ‘states’: • high-quality native grassland (HNG) • Themeda grassland (TG) • Austrostipa grassland (AG) • de-rocked native pasture (DP)

18 Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Technical Report Series No. 243 Evaluating the effectiveness of salvage and translocation of Striped Legless Lizards

Figure 7. Vegetation transition states in the Western Grassland Reserves. (Source: DSE, 2011c).

2. Vegetation composition Sites will be scored and ranked into three categories, based on the vegetation composition information collected using the line-point intercept method described in criterion 5 above: • 76–100 per cent native tussock grass composition • 61–75 per cent native tussock grass composition • 50–60 per cent native tussock grass composition.

3. Habitat extent and connectivity Using the current vegetation transition state map, predictive distribution models for native grassland vegetation (DSE) and a process of ground-truthing, potential recipient sites will be ranked and scored on the basis of the extent of connectivity with adjacent native grassland habitat. The two measures of connectivity will be: • >50 hectares of continuous grassland habitat • 35–50 hectares of continuous grassland habitat.

4. Cultivation history The management history of sites supporting native temperate grassland helps to explain the presence or absence of Striped Legless Lizards. In particular, recent soil cultivation has been associated with the absence of the species (Dorrough & Ash, 1999). The effects of cultivation may be due to direct mortality associated with impacts from tillage equipment, increased predation associated with habitat loss and increased bare ground, and a resultant habitat that is no longer suitable.

Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Technical Report Series No. 243 19 Evaluating the effectiveness of salvage and translocation of Striped Legless Lizards

Although the species may undergo a contraction in population size or distribution across a site as a result of such disturbances, it may persist or recolonise the area after the disturbance has ceased. This is dependent on the re-establishment of tussock vegetation cover and the availability of nearby undisturbed refugia during the period of disturbance (Dorrough & Ash, 1999). Given the species’ semi-fossorial habit, it is likely that the restoration of soil structure is also important following disturbance. The history of soil disturbance will be determined through the examination of sequences of satellite imagery (e.g., Landsat), a process of ground-truthing and where possible, landholder recollections. Sites will be scored and ranked using three categories: • the site is not known to have been cultivated • the site was cultivated over 10 years ago and has returned to native temperate grassland • the site was cultivated in the last 10 years and has returned to native temperate grassland.

5. Rock cover Striped Legless Lizards are semi-fossorial animals that spend at least some time in burrows in the upper layers of the soil. In Victoria, the species is mostly associated with areas where there is less than 10 per cent cover of surface rock, although in some instances the cover can be greater than 50 per cent (Hadden, 1995; S. Koehler, Biosis Research, pers. comm., 18 April 2012). At potential translocation recipient sites, the amount of surface rock will be assessed in conjunction with and using the methods described above for assessing vegetation composition. Potential Striped Legless Lizard recipient sites will be ranked and scored using three rock cover categories: • <1 per cent rock cover • 1–10 per cent rock cover • >10 per cent rock cover.

6. Future land management practices Plans for the future management of potential Striped Legless Lizard recipient sites will be discussed with the relevant land managers in order to avoid any potentially negative impacts. Sites will be ranked and scored for the following categories: • fire frequency and season • grazing • weed management. The selection criteria were developed on the basis of the current understanding of the biology and ecology of Striped Legless Lizards. The criteria were ranked by a panel of ecologists and herpetologists, with some criteria being ranked equally. Each rank was assigned a score (1–4), with the most valuable criteria scoring highest. There were up to three options assigned to each criterion. For each criterion, the options were scored (1–3) by the panel, with the most valuable option being scored highest. For each of the criteria, the criterion rank was multiplied by the option score. The criteria, options and relevant scores are presented in Table 2.

20 Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Technical Report Series No. 243 Evaluating the effectiveness of salvage and translocation of Striped Legless Lizards

Table 2. Ranks and scores of secondary recipient site selection criteria.

Criteria & Options Score Total possible score Vegetation Transition State High-quality native grassland (HNG) or Themeda grassland (TG) 12 12 Austrostipa grassland (AG) 8 De-rocked pasture (DP) 4 Vegetation Composition 76–100% native tussock 12 12 61–75% native tussock 10 50–60% native tussock 8 Habitat Extent & Connectivity >50 hectares of continuous grassland habitat 9 9 35–50 hectares of continuous grassland habitat 6 Site history Uncultivated 9 9 Cultivated over 10 years ago and returned to native grassland 6 Cultivated less than 10 years ago and returned to native 3 grassland Rock cover 1–10% cover 9 9 0–1% cover 6 >10% cover 3 Future Land management Practices – Fire and Grazing Regular autumn fire (3–5 years) 6 6 Light grazing 6 Occasional autumn fire (6–10 years) 5 Regular summer fire (3–5 years) 5 Occasional summer fire (6–10 years) 2 Infrequent autumn fire (>10 years) 3 Infrequent autumn fire (>10 years) 2 No grazing 2 Future Land Management Practices – Weed Management Maintenance 3 3 Localised 2 Extensive but not within release area 1 Total possible score 60

It is assumed that all sites meeting the above fundamental and ranked criteria will have sufficient oviposition sites (such as soil cracks and invertebrate burrows) and availability of prey for lizards. It is assumed that extirpation of the original Striped Legless Lizard population at potential recipient sites is due to past management activities such as heavy grazing, frequent cultivation and frequent fires. Translocation will not occur at sites where such potentially extirpating pressures continue.

Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Technical Report Series No. 243 21 Evaluating the effectiveness of salvage and translocation of Striped Legless Lizards

9 Recipient site establishment and pre-treatment At sites that meet the Recipient Site Selection Criteria, one roof tile grid will be selected as the translocation grid. The selection will be based on the comparative scores of each grid for vegetation composition and rock cover (as per Table 2). Variables will be measured using the line-intercept method (described under criterion 5) at 50 cm intervals along a tape that extends diagonally across the roof tile grid. Around the selected roof tile grid, a soft-release compound will be established. The purpose of the soft-release compound is to limit the post-release dispersal of animals and encourage the development of site fidelity. Post-release dispersal, atypically large home ranges, and homing behaviours have frequently been associated with poor translocation success for a range of taxa, including reptiles (Fischer & Lindenmayer, 2000; Sullivan et al. , 2004; Butler et al. , 2005; Tuberville et al. , 2005; Armstrong & Seddon, 2007; Germano & Bishop, 2008; Attum et al. , 2010; Dickens et al. , 2010). Such behaviour not only limits the capacity for detection in post-release surveys, but may also limit the survival of individuals due to increased stress (Teixeira et al. , 2007), deprivation of (or inability to memorise the location of) refuges and resources within the new environment (Sullivan et al. , 2004; Teixeira et al. , 2007), dispersal into unsuitable habitat or habitat with inherent risks (such as roads), and increased predation (Dickens et al. , 2010). These factors are considered the probable cause of low detection rates of animals that were released in a previous Striped Legless Lizard translocation project at Organ Pipes National Park, Victoria. In that project, 272 individuals were released immediately outside a soft- release compound and 12 individuals were released inside the compound (Fig. 8). Although post-release monitoring was sporadic, these surveys were able to detect only 0.03 per cent of the hard-release animals. In contrast, 83 per cent of the soft-release animals were known to be present within the first year and 42 per cent of the soft-release animals could still be detected after five years. It is unclear whether these differences in detection were associated with rates of survival or patterns of post-translocation dispersal and habitat use.

Figure 8. The soft-release compound at Organ Pipes National Park.

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The soft-release compound to be used in the current project will be constructed around the selected roof tile grid, and will measure 55 m × 30 m, occupying 0.165 ha of grassland. The materials to be used and the method of construction are yet to be determined. The compound will have a minimum above-ground height of 40 cm and will be buried to a depth of 20 cm below the soil surface. Following one year of post-release monitoring, the compound will be removed. Before translocation, the vegetation quality across recipient sites will be mapped, including the presence and location of listed threatened species and high impact weeds. A vegetation management plan will be developed (and incorporated into any existing broader land management plans) for each site, and will include strategies for biomass and weed management. Where appropriate, weed management activities will commence within the release area, prior to translocation. Snakes that are found within the soft-release compound will be captured by a snake handler who has a DSE Wildlife Controller permit, and released immediately outside the enclosure.

Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Technical Report Series No. 243 23 Evaluating the effectiveness of salvage and translocation of Striped Legless Lizards

10 Founder populations Studies of Striped Legless Lizard populations have reported widely varying sex ratios, including parity, male bias and female bias (Rauhala, 1999; Kimber & Timewell, 2001; O’Shea, 2005; Thompson, 2006). Such differences are most likely associated with differential activity patterns between the sexes, rather than being true indicators of the sex ratio (Rauhala, 1999; O’Shea, 2005). On this basis, the population of translocated animals will have an equal sex ratio. The Striped Legless Lizard is a long-lived and slow-growing animal. Reproductively mature individuals form a large proportion of the populations that have been studied (O’Shea, 2005). Females are believed to reach reproductive maturity at about three years of age (ARAZPA, 1996), at a snout–vent length greater than 70 mm. Males are thought to be reproductively mature at two years of age (ARAZPA, 1996), although the size at sexual maturity of these animals is unclear given recent evidence of sexual dimorphism (Thompson, 2006). On this basis, animals with a snout–vent length greater than 70 mm should comprise approximately 75 per cent of the translocated population. Cohorts of animals for translocation will be formed on the basis of the location at which they were salvaged. Although Maldonado et al. (2012) did not find any evidence of sub-structuring in their study population, they did find genetic structuring that indicated that animals were more closely related to each other at distances less than 400 m. On this basis, animals that are salvaged in closer proximity to each other will be grouped to form a cohort for translocation to a single site, where possible. The founder population for this project is defined as the population of animals persisting in the soft-release area at the time that the soft-release enclosure is removed (approximately one year after release). A VORTEX population viability analysis (Lacy 2005; see Appendix 5) suggested that a founder population consisting of a minimum of 60 founder animals will have a 4 per cent probability of extinction over 100 years. Using the Organ Pipes NP translocation project as an indicator (83 per cent survival within the soft-release compound after one year), a minimum of 75 Striped Legless Lizards will be released into the soft-release compound to achieve an average founding population of 62 animals at the time the compound is removed. The release of 75 Striped Legless Lizards into the soft-release enclosure equates to a density of 455/ha. This is about 75 per cent of the density created in the soft-release compound at Organ Pipes NP. In both these examples the densities far exceed any naturally occurring rates that have been reported, the greatest being 45 animals per hectare (S. Koehler, Biosis Research, pers. comm., 8 February 2012). The effects of the high initial densities proposed for this study are unclear but may include stresses associated with competition for mates, retreat sites and food resources. However, after five years, the minimum density of animals within the soft-release compound at Organ Pipes NP was still high, at 225/ha. The soft-release compound will be removed one year after release in this project, relieving any ongoing negative impacts associated with high stocking rates.

24 Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Technical Report Series No. 243 Evaluating the effectiveness of salvage and translocation of Striped Legless Lizards

11 Transportation and timing of release

Transportation The day before release, each lizard will be given a health check by a veterinarian at Melbourne Zoo. Release cohorts will be placed into two appropriately labelled 20 litre plastic buckets that are one-third filled with moist palm peat and have aeration holes in the lids. Buckets of animals will be transported by motor vehicle to their respective recipient sites for immediate release.

Release Striped Legless Lizards are most active between early September and May (Kukolic, 1994; Kukolic et al ., 1994; O’Shea, 2005; Thompson, 2006) (also see Appendix 3). Outside these times they enter a state of brumation (semi-hibernation) (Banks et al. , 1999). In Victoria the lizards avoid extreme cold temperatures during the brumation period by sheltering in soil cracks, cavities and burrows (Coulson, 1990; Kutt, 1992; Banks, 1999). Because animals that have recently been translocated are likely to be disorientated, and therefore may not be able to find suitable sheltering locations quickly, animals will only be released during the warmer months (between October and February). Monitoring of translocated populations will commence the following September. Translocation will occur on days when the predicted temperature is within the range 15°C to 30°C, and when extreme temperatures or rainfall are not predicted for the following three days.

Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Technical Report Series No. 243 25 Evaluating the effectiveness of salvage and translocation of Striped Legless Lizards

12 Experimental design Statistical advice suggests that a minimum of 12 recipient sites are required for sufficient replication to address the question, ‘Can Striped Legless Lizards be successfully translocated to establish self-sustaining and viable populations?’ On this basis, 900 Striped Legless Lizards are required to successfully meet the overall project objective. This is an ambitious target, given that salvage operations at one of Victoria’s most productive Striped Legless Lizard sites (Cairnlea) yielded 528 live individuals over a nine-year period, with densities ranging from 0.78/ha to 45/ha (Appendix 6). Translocations will occur in a staged manner comprising a series of ‘release events’ that coincide with animal and recipient site availability. In order to achieve a basic level of comparability, a single release event will consist of releases at a minimum of three sites, with 75 animals per site. Thus, a minimum of 225 animals are required for a release event. To reduce the variability in environmental conditions at the time of release, translocation at all sites involved in the release event should occur on the same day. Alternatively, it would be possible to conduct the release events as a series of ‘partial releases’, by using a subset of the total number of animals required per site. Partial releases would consist of no fewer than 25 animals and would be conducted on the same day at all sites involved in the release event. As an example, a partial release of 25 animals per site would require a total of 75 animals across three sites (3 sites x 25 animals) and would need to be conducted three times (3 partial releases x 25 animals per site = 75 animals per site) within a single active season. If such an approach is adopted, it should be replicated across all 12 sites, including the seasonal timing of partial releases. Risks to the project • It is important to note that, following this staged approach, a single year of translocations does not provide statistical robustness. To achieve the goals of this project a minimum of 12 replicated translocation recipient sites are required, with a minimum of 75 Striped Legless Lizards released at each site. Thus a minimum of 900 Striped Legless Lizards are required. Due to the unpredictability in the supply of animals, there is a risk to the project that if translocation commences at a subset of sites there may be insufficient animals available to complete translocation at all 12 replicated sites. This may limit the capacity to achieve a clear statistical outcome for the project.

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13 Measures of success Measures of success for translocation programs should be specified a priori (Fischer & Lindenmayer, 2000; Sheean et al. , 2011). Armstrong and Seddon (2007) recommended that positive population growth should be the main target for reintroduction programs, and Fischer & Lindenmayer (2000) recommended that such targets be constrained within a specified time- frame. Various authors have recommended or included milestone measures of success in translocation project plans (Richards & Short, 2003; Lyle, 2008; Sheean et al. , 2011). For this project, measures of success will be quantified at yearly intervals for up to five years following release. Translocation will be considered successful if all of the following measures are achieved (see Section 15 ‘Post-release monitoring’ for monitoring methods): • There is greater than 87 per cent survival of adult animals within a given year. This figure is derived from the population viability analysis models (Appendix 5), with an estimated rate of adult mortality of 6 per cent per year plus two standard deviations (2 × 3.5 per cent). Two standard deviations was selected as a conservative measure. The rate of adult survival each year will be estimated using a Cormack–Jolly–Seber mark–recapture model (Schwarz & Arnason, 2012). • Wild-hatched Striped Legless Lizards are observed within two years of initial release of founders. • There is evidence of reproduction (gravid females, eggs or hatchlings) in first-generation Striped Legless Lizards within five years of initial release. This figure allows two years for translocated animals to reproduce, plus a further three years for offspring to reach reproductive maturity. • There is genetic evidence that offspring are derived from a range of adult individuals. It is often suggested that positive population growth should be incorporated as a measure of success in translocation projects (Armstrong & Seddon, 2007). However, this may not be possible given the notoriously low detection and recapture rates for Striped Legless Lizards (O’Shea, 2005). The applicability of ‘robust design’ models (Kendall, 2012) will be further investigated for this purpose. Overall, translocation will be considered a useful tool for the conservation of Striped Legless Lizards if success is achieved for all measures five years after release, at 50 per cent of sites. Additional indicators for assessing the progress of translocated animals could include seasonal condition of lizards and definition of a stable home range. However, it may be difficult to obtain sufficient data to measure the home range of Striped Legless Lizards. The data collected during the life of this project will be used to assess the extinction risks to translocated populations over longer periods of time, given that probabilities of extinction are often expressed in terms of 100-year intervals (Seddon, 1999). Table 3 provides a decision matrix regarding the outcomes of monitoring one year following removal of the soft-release enclosure, for successive release events. The outcomes are defined as follows: • success – There is greater than 87 per cent adult survival (as described above). • unclear – There is between 77 and 87 per cent adult survival. The lower value was derived from the PVA models (Appendix 5). When adult mortality reached 14 per cent (standard deviation = 4.7 per cent) within the model, the probability of extinction over a 100-year period approximated 50 per cent. As a conservative measure, a further two standard deviations were included. Thus, 100 – 14 – 2 × 4.7 = 76.6 (rounded to 77).

Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Technical Report Series No. 243 27 Evaluating the effectiveness of salvage and translocation of Striped Legless Lizards

Table 3. A matrix to assist with decision-making, pending the results of monitoring one year after removal of the soft-release enclosure.

1st translocation (minimum 3 replicates)

Success Unclear Fail 3rd translocation (minimum 3 replicates)

Continue Proceed to 3rd Proceed to 3rd Continue project in project in translocation translocation entirety entirety Success Success

Proceed to 3rd Consider Consider Consider options* translocation options* options* Unclear Unclear

2nd translocation Proceed to 3rd Consider Discontinue Discontinue project translocation options* project (minimumreplicates) 3 Fail Fail

* Options for consideration could include changes in monitoring frequency and/or intensity, the number of founder animals, the timing of release, or the duration of the soft-release compound.

28 Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Technical Report Series No. 243 Evaluating the effectiveness of salvage and translocation of Striped Legless Lizards

14 Post-release monitoring In the first 12 months following release, monitoring will be confined to the soft-release area. Post-release surveys will commence in the first September following translocation, to ensure a complete monitoring cycle. Following this, yearly surveys will be conducted at a further 12 locations across the 35 ha site. Because Striped Legless Lizards are thought to be largely sedentary animals, subsequent monitoring will be concentrated in areas closest to the point of release. This will be achieved by establishing three concentric monitoring zones that encompass the point of release. The zones will be as follows: • Zone 1 — within a radius of 150 m from the point of release = 7.1 ha • Zone 2 — the area between the radii of 150 m (Zone 1) and 250 m from the point of release = 12.6 ha • Zone 3 — the area between the radii of 250 m (Zone 2) and 335 m from the point of release = 15.6 ha (figure 9).

Soft-release compound

Figure 9. Post-release monitoring zones.

Within each of these zones, four randomly located monitoring points will be established at a minimum distance of 50 m from each other. At the end of each survey season, monitoring equipment will be removed and the location of monitoring points will be re-randomised for each new survey season. Survey equipment associated with the original roof tile grid within the soft-release compound will remain permanently in place. Two survey methods will be used at each monitoring location: roof tile surveys and pit-fall trap surveys.

Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Technical Report Series No. 243 29 Evaluating the effectiveness of salvage and translocation of Striped Legless Lizards

For each monitoring event, the order in which the surveys are conducted will be randomised. Location, time, weather and species’ presence data will be recorded. When Striped Legless Lizards are observed, the time, location, weather conditions, individual identification, morphometric data and reproductive status of females will be recorded. Tail tips will be collected from any non-founder animals (‘clean skins’) for genetic analysis (refer to Appendix 1). Any sloughs detected will be collected for individual identification, using head-scale patterns if possible or genetic analysis. Roof tile surveys At each of the 12 monitoring points, one grid of 50 roof tiles, as previously described for ‘presence/absence surveys’, will be established approximately two months prior to each survey season. Between mid-September and mid-November 6–8 roof tile surveys will be conducted to achieve a 95% certainty of detecting Striped Legless Lizards if they are present at the site. Roof tiles surveys will be conducted under the seasonal and weather conditions previously described for ‘presence/absence surveys’. Roof tile grids at the 12 monitoring points will be removed at the end of each survey season. Pit-fall trap surveys Pit-fall trapping will be conducted to increase the opportunity for observing hatchlings in the translocated population. This is considered the best method for observing Striped Legless Lizard hatchlings that emerge between late January and early March (Kukolic, 1994; Banks et al. , 1999; O’Shea, 2005), which is outside the recommended roof tile survey period for this project. Set among the roof tile grid at each of the 12 monitoring points will be six pit-fall traps (Fig. 10). A single pit-fall trap will consist of an 11-litre tapered bucket that is buried so that the lip is flush with the soil surface. To prevent disruption, sealed buckets will be installed in the December-January period between the cessation of roof tiles surveys and the commencement of pit-fall trap surveys. A drift-fence will be installed immediately prior to the commencement of pit-fall trap surveys. Each bucket will be bisected by a 10 m length of drift-fence, made from 300 mm high insect mesh which is held upright using stakes, with the bottom 20 mm buried below the soil surface. Three pit-fall trapping sessions, each of four nights duration, will be conducted between early February and mid March, with a minimum one week break between sessions. Lids will be secured over the buckets to prevent captures between each of these sessions. Traps will be checked twice daily, and all vertebrate fauna will be recorded, removed from the trap and immediately released. Any invertebrates that are potentially harmful to Striped Legless Lizards will also be removed. A small bundle of leaf litter, a damp sponge and a Styrofoam raft will be placed in the bottom of each pit-fall trap to provide shelter and moisture, and to reduce the risk of drowning. Pit-fall traps and drift fences at the 12 monitoring points will be removed at the end of each survey season.

30 Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Technical Report Series No. 243 Evaluating the effectiveness of salvage and translocation of Striped Legless Lizards

Figure 10. The position of pit-fall traps (circles) and drift-fences (solid lines) within a roof tile monitoring grid (squares). Broken lines indicate habitat assessment transects.

Habitat assessments This study presents an opportunity to improve our understanding of the species’ habitat requirements in relation to vegetation and land management practices. In November most of the dominant plant groups in the temperate grasslands of the Victorian Volcanic Plain are flowering, making this the preferred month for the annual collection of habitat data. The habitat at each of the 12 monitoring points will be assessed. To do this, one transect line will be established in the space between the first and second rows of roof tiles and in the space following every subsequent fourth row of roof tiles, resulting in three transect lines in total (Fig. 10). Each transect line will be 50 m in length, extending approximately 15 m either side of the grid. Along each transect line, vegetation, bare ground and rock cover measures will be recorded using the line-point intercept method as previously described in Section 8, to provide cover estimates for each category. The maximum height of the vegetation (not including flowering stems) will be recorded at 10 m intervals along each transect. Photo points will be taken at each of the corner tiles of the roof tile grid. The camera will be directed towards the diagonally opposite corner and the camera angled to include the sky as the top third of the image. The vegetation transition state of the entire site, and land management practices over the preceding 12 months will also be noted.

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15 Caveats This project has been designed in response to the potential displacement of Striped Legless Lizards as a result of development works within Melbourne’s expanded UGB. It has been developed in the absence of information about the number of animals that are likely to be displaced and therefore available for translocation. Additionally, the distribution of Striped Legless Lizards throughout the region of the WGR is unclear due to low survey effort and a limited understanding of factors that affect the species’ distribution. Although some recipient sites have been identified, the availability of the required 12 recipient sites that lack extant populations of Striped Legless Lizards is currently unknown. A population viability analysis was used to inform decisions about the minimum area of habitat and minimum number of animals required for populations to have a greater than 95 per cent probability of survival over a 100-year period. Much of the data used in the analysis was derived from previous modelling (ARAZPA, 1996) for this species, which included data compiled from the literature, expert knowledge and best estimates. Although the findings of more recent research and observations have been included in the models, key life history parameters and carrying capacities remain unclear. Thus, although population viability analysis was used as a decision-making tool in this project, it is not a definitive indicator of the likely success of translocation. Within the published translocation literature, it is sometimes recommended that positive population growth be used as a key indicator of translocation success. Given the cryptic nature and paucity of capture and recapture events of this species, it would be extremely difficult (if at all possible) to measure either population growth or population size. A risk to this project is that the data collected during post-translocation monitoring may be insufficient to categorically determine whether translocation is successful or unsuccessful for the conservation of Striped Legless Lizards displaced by habitat loss. Therefore, the a priori specified measures of success used in this project are broad but measurable. Pending the outcomes of post-release monitoring, other types of data analyses may be possible, such as patterns of dispersal, rates of reproductive success and habitat carrying capacities.

32 Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Technical Report Series No. 243 Evaluating the effectiveness of salvage and translocation of Striped Legless Lizards

16 Activity schedule Table 4 provides an indication of the timing of the various activities that are to be conducted as part of this project, including detailed information for the year 2012. Table 4. Activity schedule. Activity Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Pre-development salvage operations (Environmental consultant) Presence/absence surveys (2012) Recipient site selection habitat surveys (2012) Recipient site selection (2012) Translocation period Post-release monitoring (roof tile surveys) Pit-fall trap installation Post-release monitoring (pit-fall trapping) Post-release monitoring (habitat surveys)

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References

ARAZPA (1996) Population and habitat viability assessment (PHVA) for the Striped Legless Lizard ( Delma impar ). Australian Capital Territory Parks and Conservation, Striped Legless Lizard Working Group, Australasian Regional Association of Zoological Parks and Aquaria (ARAZPA), Conservation Breeding Specialist Group (SSC/IUCN), Canberra. Armstrong, D.P. and Seddon, P.J. (2007) Directions in reintroduction biology. Trends in Ecology and Evolution 23 (1): 20–25. Attum, O., Farag, W.E., El Din, S.M.B. and Kingsbury, B. (2010) Retention rate of hard- released translocated Egyptian tortoises Testudo kleiman . Endangered Species Research 12 : 11–15. Banks, C., Hawkes, T., Birkett, J. and Vincent, M. (1999) Captive management and breeding of Striped Legless Lizard, Delma impar, at Melbourne Zoo. Herpetofauna 29 (2): 18– 30. Butler, H., Malone, B. and Clemann, N. (2005) Activity patterns and habitat preferences of translocated and resident tiger snakes ( Notechis scutatus ) in a suburban landscape. Wildlife Research 32 : 157–163. Candy, G.L. (2008) The current distribution of the Striped Legless Lizard, Delma impar , in South Western Victoria: Predicting Habitat Associations at a Landscape Scale. Bachelor of Applied Science in Environmental Management Honours Thesis, School of Science and Engineering, University of Ballarat, Victoria. Christie, K., Craig, M.D., Stokes, V.L. and Hobbs, R.J. (2011) Movement patterns by Egernia napoleonis following reintroduction into restored jarrah forest. Wildlife Research 38 : 475–481. Cogger, H.G. (2000) Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia. Reed Books Australia, Victoria. Coulson, G. (1990) Conservation biology of the Striped Legless Lizard ( Delma impar ): An Initial Investigation. Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Technical Report Series No. 106. Department of Conservation and Environment, Heidelberg, Victoria. Coulson, G. (1995) Management Directions for the Striped Legless Lizard ( Delma impar ) in the Australian Capital Territory. Technical Report 12, Wildlife Research Unit, ACT Parks and Conservation Service. Department of Sustainability and Environment (2007) Advisory list of threatened vertebrate fauna in Victoria — 2007 . The State of Victoria Department of Sustainability and Environment, East Melbourne. Department of Sustainability and Environment (2009) Delivering Melbourne’s newest sustainable communities: Strategic Impact Assessment Report. Department of Sustainability and Environment, East Melbourne. Department of Sustainability and Environment (2011a) Salvage and translocation of Striped Legless Lizard in the Urban Growth Area of Melbourne: Strategic approach. Department of Sustainability and Environment, East Melbourne.

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Department of Sustainability and Environment (2011b) Salvage and translocation of Striped Legless Lizard in the Urban Growth Area of Melbourne: Operational plan. The State of Victoria Department of Sustainability and Environment, East Melbourne. Department of Sustainability and Environment (2011c) Western Grassland Reserves: Grassland management targets and adaptive management. The State of Victoria Department of Sustainability and Environment, East Melbourne. Department of Sustainability and Environment (2011d) Policy and procedure statement for translocation of threatened native vertebrate fauna in Victoria. Unpublished document, Biodiversity and Ecosystems Services, Department of Sustainability and Environment, East Melbourne. Dickens, M.J., Delehanty, D.J. and Romero, L.M. (2010) Stress: an inevitable component of animal translocation. Biological Conservation 143 : 1329–1341. Dodd, C.K. and Seigel, R.A. (1991) Relocation, repatriation, and translocation of amphibians and reptiles: are they conservation strategies that work? Herpetologica 47 (3): 336– 350. Dorrough, J. and Ash, J.E. (1999) Using past and present habitat to predict the current distribution and abundance of a rare cryptic lizard, Delma impar (Pygopodidae) Australian Journal of Ecology 24 : 614–624. Fischer, J. and Lindenmayer, D.B. (2000) An assessment of the published results of animal relocations. Biological Conservation 96:1–11. Germano, J.M. and Bishop, P.J. (2008) Suitability of amphibians and reptiles for translocation, Conservation Biology 23 (1): 7–15. Greer, A.E. (1989) The biology and evolution of Australian lizards. Surrey Beatty and Sons, Chipping Norton. Hadden, S. (1995) Distribution, status and habitat requirements of the Striped Legless Lizard Delma impar (Fischer). Unpublished final report to the Australian Nature Conservation Agency. Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Victoria. Hartley, R. and Pearson, D. (2008) Island home for rare skink. Landscope 24 (2): 47–49. IUCN (1998) IUCN guidelines for re-introductions. Prepared by the IUCN/SSC Re- introduction Specialist Group, International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, Switzerland and UK. IUCN (2011) IUCN Red List of threatened species. Version 2011.2. International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, Switzerland. Kendall, W. (2012. The ‘robust design’ in E. Cooch & G. White (eds.) Program MARK: ‘A Gentle Introduction’, 11th edition, viewed 14 August 2012 (www.phidot.org/software/mark/docs/book/). Kimber, S. and Timewell, C. (2001) Salvage of Striped Legless Lizard Delma impar at ‘Cairnlea’, Deer Park, Victoria. Progress report, Biosis Research, Port Melbourne, Victoria. Koehler, L.E. (2004) The current distribution, status and habitat preferences of the Striped Legless Lizard ( Delma impar ) in Far South-western Victoria. Honours Thesis, Department of Applied Sciences, RMIT University, Melbourne.

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Kukolic, K. (1994) Survey of the Striped Legless Lizard Delma impar in the Gungahlin town centre and North Watson proposed development areas. Internal report 93/1, ACT Parks and Conservation Service, Australian Capital Territory. Kukolic, K., McElhinney, N. and Osborne, W.S. (1994) Survey of the Striped Legless Lizard Delma impar during 1993 in the proposed development area E1, comprising sites for the Gungahlin town centre and the suburb of Franklin. Internal report 94/3, ACT Parks and Conservation Service, Australian Capital Territory. Kutt, A.S. (1992) Microhabitat selection and mobility of the Striped Legless Lizard, Delma impar . BSc Honours Thesis, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria. Kutt, A.S., Coulson, G. and Wainer, J. (1998) Diet of the Striped Legless Lizard Delma impar (Squamata: Pygopodidae) in western (basalt) plains grassland, Victoria. Australian Zoologist 30 (4): 412–418. Lacy, B. (2012) VORTEX population viability analysis software, IUCN/SSC Conservation Breeding Specialist Group and Chicago Zoological Society. Lettink, M. (2007) Detectability, movements and apparent lack of homing in Hoplodactylus maculatus (Reptilia: Diplodactylidae) following translocation. New Zealand Journal of Ecology 31 (1): 111–116. Lunt, I.D. and Morgan, J.W. (1999) Vegetation changes after 10 years of grazing exclusion and intermittent burning in a Themeda triandra (Poaceae) grassland reserve in south- eastern Australia. Australian Journal of Botany 47 : 537–552. Lyle, D. (2008) Determinants of reptile reintroduction success. MSc Thesis, Imperial College London. Maldonado, S.P., Melville, J., Peterson, G.N.L. and Sumner, J. (2009) Human-induced versus historical habitat shifts: Identifying the processes that shaped the genetic structure of the threatened grassland lizard, Delma impar. Conservation Genetics 13 (5): 1329– 1342. Martin, K. (1972) Captivity observations of some Australian Legless Lizards. Herpetofauna 5(3): 5–6. Massei, G., Quy, R.J., Gurney, J. and Cowan, D.P. (2010) Can translocations be used to mitigate human-wildlife conflicts? Wildlife Research 37 : 428–439. McDougall, K.L. (1989) The re-establishment of Themeda triandra (Kangaroo Grass): Implications for the restoration of grassland. Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Technical Report Series No. 89. Department of Conservation, Forests and Lands, Melbourne. Miller, K.A. (2009) Founding events and the maintenance of genetic diversity in reintroduced populations. PhD Thesis, Victoria University of Wellington. Miller, K.A., Towns, D.R., Allendorf, F.W., Ritchie, P.A. and Nelson, N.J. (2011) Genetic structure and individual performance following a recent founding event in a small lizard. Conservation Genetics 12 : 461–473. Miller, P.S. and Lacy, R.C. (2005) VORTEX: A stochastic simulation of the extinction process. Version 9.50 user’s manual. Apple Valley, MN: Conservation Breeding Specialist Group (SSC/IUCN). Morgan, J.W. and Lunt, I.D. (1999) Effects of time-since-fire on the tussock dynamics of a dominant grass ( Themeda triandra ) in a temperate Australian grassland. Biological Conservation 88 : 379–386.

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Nunan, D. (1995) Diet and feeding ecology of the Striped Legless Lizard Delma impar (Fischer, 1882) within the Australian Capital Territory. Unpublished report to the ACT Parks and Conservation Service, Canberra. Osmond, H., 1994) Habitat specialisation and the isolation of remnant populations of the Striped Legless Lizard, Delma impar (Pygopodidae) . Report to ACT Parks and Conservation Service. Australian National University, Australian Capital Territory. O’Shea, M. (2005) Methods for assessment and techniques for management of Striped Legless Lizard Delma impar populations in south-eastern Australia . PhD Thesis, Victoria University, Victoria. Platenberg, R.J. and Griffiths, R.A. (1999) Translocation of slow-worms ( Anguis fragilis ) as a mitigation strategy: a case study from south-east England, Biological Conservation 90 : 125–132. Peterson, Garry N. L. and Rohr, D.H. (2010) Delma impar (striped legless lizard) repeated use of communal nesting site. Herpetological Review . 41 (1): 78-79. Rauhala, M.A. (1997) Monitoring program for the Striped Legless Lizard Delma impar . Internal report 97/1, ACT Parks and Conservation Service, Australian Capital Territory. Reintroduction Specialist Group (2012) New Zealand Lizard Reintroductions. Reintroduction Specialist Group Oceania Section, viewed 24 April 2012 (http://rsg- oceania.squarespace.com/nz-lizard/). Richards, J.D. and Short, J. (2003) Reintroductions and establishment of the western barred bandicoot Perameles bougainville (Marsupialia: Peramelidae) at Shark Bay, Western Australia. Biological Conservation 109 : 181–195. Robertson, P. and Smith, W. (2010) National recovery plan for the Striped Legless Lizard Delma impar (draft). Department of Sustainability and Environment, East Melbourne. Rosengren, N. (1999) Geology and geomorphology of Victoria’s grassland regions, In R. Jones R (Ed.) The Great Plains Crash. Proceedings of a Conference on the Grasslands and Grassy Woodlands of Victoria. Victorian Institute of Technology, October 1992. Indigenous Flora and Fauna Association & Victorian National Parks Association. 7– 10. Schwarz, C.J. and Arnason, A.N. (2012) Jolly–Seber models in MARK, in E. Cooch & G. White (eds.) Program MARK: ‘A gentle introduction’, 11th edition, viewed 14 August 2012 (www.phidot.org/software/mark/docs/book/). Seddon, P.J. (1999) Persistence without intervention: assessing success in wildlife introductions. Trends in Ecology and Evolution 14: 503. Seddon, P.J., Soorae, P.S., and Launay, F. (2005) Taxonomic bias in reintroduction projects. Animal Conservation 8: 51–58. Sheean, V.A., Manning, A.D. and Lindenmayer, D.B. (2012) An assessment of scientific approaches towards species relocations in Australia. Austral Ecology 37: 204–215. Shine, R. (1986) Evolutionary advantages of limblessness: evidence from the pygopodid lizards. Copeia 1986 (2): 525–529. Short, J. (2009) The characteristics and success of vertebrate translocation within Australia. Report to Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Wildlife Research and Management Pty Ltd, Western Australia.

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Smith, S. (2001) Proposal for trial field release for Salvaged Striped Legless Lizards Delma impar in Victoria. Unpublished report, Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Victoria. Teixeira, C.P., de Azevedo, C.S., Mendl, M; Cipreste, C.F. and Young, R.J. (2007) Revisiting translocation and reintroduction programmes: the importance of considering stress. Animal Behaviour 73 : 1–13. Thomas, B.W. and Whitaker, A.H. (1995) Translocation of the Fiordland Skink Leiolopisma acrinasum to Hawea Island, Bracksea Sound, Fiordland, New Zealand, in M. Serena (ed.) Reintroduction Biology of Australian and New Zealand Fauna. Surrey Beatty & Sons, Chipping Norton, Australia. Thompson, M.J. (2006) The use of artificial refuges to census populations of the ‘threatened’ Striped Legless Lizard, Delma impar in Western Victoria. Honours Thesis, La Trobe University, Victoria. Towns, D.R. and Ferreira, S.M. (2001) Conservation of New Zealand lizards (Lacertilia: Scincidae) by translocation of small populations, Biological Conservation 98 (2): 211– 222. Tuberville, T.D., Clark, E.E., Buhlmann, K.A. and Gibbons, J.W. (2005) Translocation as a conservation tool: site fidelity and movement of repatriated gopher tortoises (Gopherus polyphemus ). Animal Conservation 8: 349–358. Wainer, J. W. (1992) Diet of the Striped Legless Lizard ( Delma impar ) at the Derrimut Grassland Reserve, to the West of Melbourne. Unpublished report, University of Melbourne, Victoria. Webster, A., Fallu, R. and Preece, K. (1992) Flora and Fauna Guarantee Action Statement No. 17: Striped Legless Lizard Delma impar . Department of Sustainability and Environment, Victoria.

38 Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Technical Report Series No. 243 Evaluating the effectiveness of salvage and translocation of Striped Legless Lizards

Appendix 1 Collection of genetic samples The information in this appendix is adapted from: ‘Retention of tissue samples from the Striped Legless Lizard, Delma impar , for the extraction of DNA’ (Application for a Scientific Permit under the Wildlife Act 1975 , Department of Sustainability and Environment, by G. Peterson, 2008). Genetic samples will be collected from Striped Legless Lizards that are submitted to Zoos Victoria from salvage operations, as well as unidentified individuals that are captured during post-translocation monitoring surveys. Genetic material will be collected in the form of tail tips. Like many other lizards, the Striped Legless Lizard has a physiologically modified tail to allow the quick dropping of all or part of the tail in response to predators. Special ‘planes’ in the tail, separated by vertebrae, function to cut off blood vessels so that tail autotomy does not bear an immediate impact on the fitness of the animals. However, there are implications on continued survival and future reproduction (e.g., Doughty et al . 2003) if a substantial amount of the tail (and the fat stored within) is lost. For this project, genetic material will be collected by holding the body of the lizard in the hand and gently compressing the tail between two fingers. This will cause the tail tip to be dropped (autotomised) along the natural fracture plane in the tail vertebrae. Ten millimetres is the targeted length of tail that has previously been sampled from Striped Legless Lizards, although in most cases less than 10 mm was autotomised. In this study, a maximum of 5 mm will be targeted for sampling using forceps and a record will be kept of the total length obtained. Anaesthetic will not be used as autotomy is physiologically mediated. Handling time will be kept to a maximum of 15 minutes. Following this, animals will either enter the housing facilities at Melbourne Zoo or be released at the point of capture at the translocation site. Tail tissue will be stored in individually labelled vials filled with 70% ethanol. Sloughs can also provide a source of DNA and any sloughs that are detected during post-translocation monitoring will be collected and stored in individually labelled zip-lock bags. The procedures for genetic analysis are described by Maldonado (2009).

References Maldonado, S. (2009) Human-induced vs. historical habitat shifts: Identifying the processes that shaped the genetic structure of the Striped Legless Lizard, Delma impar . BSc Honours Thesis, Department of Zoology, University of Melbourne, Victoria.

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Appendix 2 Visible implant elastomer Visible Implant Elastomers (VIE) were developed by Northwest Marine Technology, USA for marking individual fish as small as 8 mm in length (Frederick, 1997). VIE provides a system of coloured liquid polymer solutions that are visible through the skin (Northwest Marine Technology, 2008). The biocompatible tags are injected as a liquid under transparent or translucent skin tissue. Within hours or days the material cures into a pliable solid (Northwest Marine Technology, 2008). By using multiple implants of different colours in different locations on an animals body, it is possible to mark a large number of individuals with recognisable unique marks, allowing individual recognition of recaptured individuals for mark–recapture analysis, and monitoring of individual growth and health/reproductive status and movement over time. Visible implant elastomer technology has been extended for use in amphibians and reptiles (Nauwelaerts et al. , 2000; Penney et al. , 2001). Reptiles tagged using VIE have included Green Anole Lizards Anolis carolinensis (Irschick et al. , 2006), Red Corn Snakes Pantherophis guttatus (Hutchens et al. , 2008) and geckos (Kondo & Downes, 2004). In P. guttatus the marks were retained in over 94% of animals for 370 days (Hutchens et al. , 2008) and may even be permanent, as suggested for some salamanders (Kinkead et al. , 2006). Trials will be conducted using museum specimens and live animals in the Zoos Victoria collection to determine the most suitable injection sites and to evaluate the rate of implant loss.

References Department of Sustainability and Environment (2009) Delivering Melbourne’s Newest Sustainable Communities: Strategic Impact Assessment Report, Victorian Government. Frederick, J.L. (1997) Evaluation of fluorescent elastomer injection as a method for marking small fish. Bulletin of Marine Science 61 (2):399–408. Hutchens, S.J., Deperno, C.S., Matthews, C.E., Pollock, K.H. and Woodward, D.K. (2008) Visible implant elastomer: A reliable marking alternative for snakes. Herpetological Review 39 (3): 301–303. Irschick, D.J., Gentry, G., Herrel, A. and Vanhooydonck, B. (2006) Effects of sarcophagid fly infestations on green anole lizards (Anolis carolinensis): An analysis across seasons and age/sex classes. Journal of Herpetology 40 (1): 107–112. Kinkead, K.E., Lanham, J.D. and Montanucci, R.R. (2006) Comparison of anaesthesia and marking techniques on stress and behavioural responses in two Desmognathus salamanders. Journal of Herpetology 40: 323–328. Kondo, J. and Downes, S.J. (2004) Using visible implant elastomer to individually mark geckoes. Herpetofauna 34 : 19–22. Nauwelaerts, S., Coeck, J. and Aerts, P. (2000) Visible implant elastomers as a method for marking adult anurans. Herpetological Review 31 : 154–155. Penney, K.M., Gianopulos, K.D., McCoy, E.D. and Mushinsky, H.R. (2001) The visible implant elastomer marking technique in use for small reptiles. Herpetological Review 32 : 236–241.

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Appendix 3 When to catch a lizard

G. Peterson, M. Scroggie and T. Rohr

Striped Legless Lizards (SLLs) are cryptic, and therefore even where populations are present the species will not necessarily be recorded each time a site is visited. Therefore, multiple visits will be required to determine occupancy with adequate confidence. The survey effort allocated to a site needs to be sufficient to provide a quantifiably high level of confidence in the results. To determine how many visits might be required, an analysis has been undertaken of data collected during the extensive tile surveys for SLLs in western Victoria. A number of variables affect the detectability of SLLs under roof tiles, including season, time of day and temperature (Fig. 1). Of these, season is the most important influence on detectability. Fig. 1 (top left) shows the modelled relationship between month and probability of detection on a single visit to a site, searching under all tiles. Detectability is highest during November–December, with an approximately 55% probability of detecting the species during a single survey, if SLLs are present at a site. Detectability then declines slightly, and remains relatively constant until April (with approximately 40% probability of detection). Detectability is much lower over the winter months, when SLL are largely inactive, with only approximately a 15% probability of detecting the species during a single visit in winter. Based on these results, surveys ideally should be undertaken in November–December, however, if this is not possible and surveys need to be undertaken during January–April, a greater number of surveys would be required to obtain adequate certainty of presence/absence at the survey sites. Surveys during winter would be very inefficient and would provide very little basis for determining occupancy state for any feasible level of survey effort. Detectability is highest during the middle of the day, and increases with increasing temperature, once seasonal effects are accounted for. The possibility that detectability may be negatively affected by excessively high summer temperatures cannot be discounted (Fig. 1). The number of visits required to obtain a high level of detection probability can be estimated by modelling cumulative detection probabilities (Fig. 2). During the seasonal peak (November), 4–6 surveys are necessary to obtain a 95% confidence of recording the species if it is present, whilst at mid-winter at least 20 surveys would be required. Based on the seasonal pattern in Fig. 2 it is estimated that approximately 7–8 surveys would be required to obtain a 95% confidence for surveys conducted during the January–March period.

Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Technical Report Series No. 243 41 Evaluating the effectiveness of salvage and translocation of Striped Legless Lizards

Figure. 1. The (partial) influence of several variables on single-survey probabilities of detection of the Striped Legless Lizard Delma impar using grid arrays of roof tiles in western Victoria (source: Garry Peterson, Michael Scroggie and Detlef Rohr, unpublished data).

42 Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Technical Report Series No. 243 Evaluating the effectiveness of salvage and translocation of Striped Legless Lizards

Figure. 2. (Top row) Relationship between number of surveys and cumulative probability of detection for SLLs during July or November. (Bottom row) Inferred number of surveys required to reach a 95% overall probability of detection, for surveys conducted in either July or November. July and November coincide with the parts of the annual cycle that are worst/best for detecting SLLs (source: Garry Peterson, Michael Scroggie and Detlef Rohr, unpublished data).

Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Technical Report Series No. 243 43 Evaluating the effectiveness of salvage and translocation of Striped Legless Lizards Appendix 4 Survey data sheet Striped Legless Lizard Translocation Project Site and Habitat Measures

Property Property name: Property Address: Within SLL historic range? Y/N Permanently reserved for conservation? Y/N

Site Site name: Area of contiguous native grassland habitat (ha): Recent survey records of SLL within 1 km? Y/N Oviposition sites present? Y/N Site history/Recent significant events: Grazing Slashing Burning Cultivation Fertilizer Herbicide Insecticide Current Regular Historic Future land management:

44 Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Technical Report Series No. 243 Evaluating the effectiveness of salvage and translocation of Striped Legless Lizards

Vegetation Survey Transect No.:______GPS Coordinate (start):______GPS Coordinate (end):______

Point Native Exotic Annual Native Exotic Tree/Shrub Rock Bare Tussock tussock Grass Herb Herb (Native/Exotic) Ground Grass Grass 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5 5.0 5.5 6.0 6.5 7.0 7.5 8.0 8.5 9.0 9.5 10.0 10.5 11.0 11.5 12.0 12.5 13.0 13.5 14.0 14.5 15.0 15.5 16.0 16.5 17.0 17.5 18.0 18.5 19.0 19.5 20.0 20.5 21.0 21.5 22.0 22.5 23.0 23.5 24.0

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Point Native Exotic Annual Native Exotic Tree/Shrub Rock Bare Tussock tussock Grass Herb Herb (Native/Exotic) Ground Grass Grass 24.5 25.0 25.5 26.0 26.5 27.0 27.5 28.0 28.5 29.0 29.5 30.0 30.5 31.0 31.5 32.0 32.5 33.0 33.5 34.0 34.5 35.0 35.5 36.0 36.5 37.0 37.5 38.0 38.5 39.0 39.5 40.0 40.5 41.0 41.5 42.0 42.5 43.0 43.5 44.0 44.5 45.0 45.5 46.0 46.5 47.0 47.5 48.0 48.5 49.0 49.5 50.0

46 Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Technical Report Series No. 243 Evaluating the effectiveness of salvage and translocation of Striped Legless Lizards

Striped Legless Lizard Translocation Project Wind Speed: 1. still Rain: 1. none Cloud Cover: 1. 0% cloud Survey Data Sheet 2. breeze 2. drizzle 2. 25% cloud 3. windy 3. showers 3. 50% cloud 4. Strong wind 4. rain 4. 75% cloud 5. gusty 5. 100% cloud

Date Staff Site Grid Start End Air Air Tile Tile Wind Wind Rain Rain prev. Cloud Notes time time temp humidity temp humidity direction speed current 24 hr cover

Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Technical Report Series No. 243 47 Evaluating the effectiveness of salvage and translocation of Striped Legless Lizards

Capture data:

Site Grid Tile No. Time Tile Temp Species SLL ID SVL (mm) TL (mm) Point of Sex Female Weight Photo Release autotomy reproductive (g) No. time (oC) (mm) status

48 Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Technical Report Series No. 243 Evaluating the effectiveness of salvage and translocation of Striped Legless Lizards

Appendix 5 Population viability analysis Population viability analysis (PVA) uses computerised simulation programs to model the risk of extinction over a defined time-frame. The program VORTEX models population dynamics as discrete, sequential events that occur according to defined probabilities (Miller & Lacy, 2005). The program incorporates deterministic factors, as well as stochastic variables and catastrophic events. VORTEX PVA modelling was used to assist with decision-making for two aspects of the Striped Legless Lizard translocation programme: • To determine the minimum size of the target population over 100 years; and • To determine the minimum number of founder animals required for translocation, to ensure that the probability of extinction for reintroduced populations was less than 0.05 over 100 years. The VORTEX program has previously been used for modelling the extinction probabilities of Striped Legless Lizard populations (ARAZPA, 1996). Several of the life-history parameters entered into the ARAZPA models were estimated from the limited available data. Where updated information is available, more accurate information has been entered. Otherwise many of the parameters included in current modelling are based on those used in the ARAZPA models. The basic model included the following parameters: 1. No catastrophes. 2. Reproductive system — • Polygynous. • Age of first offspring for females: 3 years (ARAZPA, 1996). • Age of first offspring for males: 2 years (ARAZPA, 1996). • Maximum age of reproduction: 15 years (this was the median value used in the ARAZPA (1996) models). • Maximum number of broods per year: 1. Gravid Striped Legless Lizards are only observed in the November – December period. There is no evidence of reproduction outside this period. Thus only one clutch per year is possible. • Maximum number of progeny per brood: 2 (ARAZPA, 1996). • Sex ratio at birth: 1:1. Reports of sex ratios for wild populations are variable (Kimber & Timewell, 2001; O’Shea, 2005; Thompson, 2006). It is assumed that sex ratio at the time of hatching is equal. • Density-dependent reproduction has not been selected in the models. Future models may consider the incorporation of an Allee effect (reduced reproduction at low densities, due to the difficulty of finding a mate).

1. Reproductive rates • Percentage of adult females breeding: 50%. Breeding is defined as the successful laying of two eggs. The ARAZPA simulations modelled three estimates for this parameter: 50%, 75% and 100%. The worst case scenario (50%) was selected for the current model. • Percentage of adult males in breeding pool: 100% • Environmental variance in % adult females breeding: 29.6. There is no data available for determining the environmental variation in breeding. A standard deviation was calculated,

Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Technical Report Series No. 243 49 Evaluating the effectiveness of salvage and translocation of Striped Legless Lizards

based on the range of estimates (50% to 100%) in the % adult females breeding and the number of standard deviation units that would be expected for a normal distribution of three samples (1.69). Standard deviation = (100 – 50) / 1.69 = 29.6.

2. Mortality rates • Mortality of females and males age 0–1 years: 50%. The ARAZPA simulations modelled two scenarios of 50% and 70% mortality. The worst case scenario was selected for the current simulation, as a high rate of juvenile mortality is required to maintain a population structure with 75% adults. The standard deviation was calculated based on the number of standard deviation units that would be expected for a normal distribution of two samples (1.13). Standard deviation = (70–50)/1.13 = 17.7. • Mortality of females and males age 1–2 years: 20% with a standard deviation of 25% (ARAZPA, 1996). • Mortality of females age 2–3 years: 20% with a standard deviation of 25% (ARAZPA, 1996). • Adult mortality: 10%. The ARAZPA simulation modelled two scenarios of 10% and 6% adult mortality. The best case scenario was selected, as a high level of adult survival is required to maintain a population structure that is dominated by adults. The standard deviation was calculated based on the number of standard deviation units that would be expected for a normal distribution of two samples (1.13). Standard deviation = (10–6)/1.13 = 3.5. 3. Initial population size: 101. A comparative analysis of translocation literature found that there was an increased rate of success when more than 100 animals formed the founder population (Fischer & Lindenmayer, 2000). • A stable age distribution was selected. 4. Carrying capacity: 105. Carrying capacity is a function of animal density and area of available habitat. Animal density may vary as a result of habitat quality. Reports of the density of Striped Legless Lizards range from 0.78 – 45 SLL/ha (ARAZPA, 1996; Appendix 6). Given that many of the potential translocation sites support habitat in the vegetation transition states ‘ Austrostipa grassland’ and ‘de-rocked pasture’, a reduced density of 7 SLL/ha was selected. By extrapolating this figure across an initial proposed 15ha translocation site, a carrying capacity of 105 adult animals was established for the current model. 5. No options within the VORTEX program were selected for catastrophes, harvest, supplementation or genetic management.

3. Minimum target size of population The basic model was found to be sensitive to changes in carrying capacity. There are two ways to improve the carrying capacity of a population. This can be done through an improvement in habitat quality or by increasing the area of available habitat. By adjusting the basic model, the carrying capacity parameter was simulated at a range of values that translated to an increase in the area of available habitat (Table 1). Although the probabilities of extinction were less than 5% for populations with carrying capacities (K) of 210 and 245 animals, the K=245 model resulted in a greater population size at the end of the 100 year simulation. At a density of 7SLL/ha, a minimum area of 35ha would be required to support a population of 245 adult Striped Legless Lizards.

50 Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Technical Report Series No. 243 Evaluating the effectiveness of salvage and translocation of Striped Legless Lizards

Table 1. The carrying capacity was used to establish the minimum size of translocation sites, based on the probability of extinction.

Carrying Area of Probability of Mean time to Mean capacity available extinction over first extinction population size habitat 100 years (years) after 100 years

105 15 0.49 54.57 16.27

140 20 0.13 73.15 57.16

175 25 0.08 65.00 87.12

210 30 0.01 74.0 122.17

245 35 0.02 62.50 146.13

4. The minimum number of founder animals Although it has been found that translocated populations of animals are more likely to succeed when the size of the founder population is greater than 100 animals, there are several examples of the translocation of various species of lizard that have had a founder population of only 40 animals (Thomas & Whitaker, 1994;Towns & Ferreira, 2001; Lettink, 2007; Miller et al. , 2011). Reports on the early stages of these projects suggest at least initial success. To determine the minimum size of founder populations for this project, the basic model with a carrying capacity set to K=245 was run for a range of initial population sizes. Changes in the initial population size resulted in only minor variations to the probability of population extinction (Table 2). Models with an initial population smaller than 55 animals resulted in greater than 0.05 probability of extinction. Therefore, the model with an initial population size of 60 animals was selected for this study.

Table 2. The effect of initial population size on the probability of extinction over 100 years.

Initial Probability of Mean time to Mean population size extinction over first extinction population size 100 years (years) after 100 years

101 0.02 63 146

90 0.03 98 144

80 0.03 87 137

70 0.03 75 145

60 0.04 50 148

50 0.09 63 122

40 0.08 56 142

Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Technical Report Series No. 243 51 Evaluating the effectiveness of salvage and translocation of Striped Legless Lizards

References ARAZPA (1996) Population and Habitat Viability Assessment (PHVA) for the Striped Legless Lizard ( Delma impar ). Australian Capital Territory Parks and Conservation, Striped Legless Lizard Working Group, Australasian Regional Association of Zoological Parks and Aquaria (ARAZPA), Conservation Breeding Specialist Group (SSC/IUCN), Canberra. Kimber, S. and Timewell, C. (2001) Salvage of Striped Legless Lizard Delma impar at ‘Cairnlea’, Deer Park, Victoria . Progress report, Biosis Research, Port Melbourne, Victoria. Lettink, M. (2007) Detectability, movements and apparent lack of homing in Hoplodactylus maculatus (Reptilia: Diplodactylidae) following translocation. New Zealand Journal of Ecology 31 (1): 111–116. Miller, P.S. and Lacy, R.C. (2005) VORTEX: A stochastic simulation of the extinction process. Version 9.50 user’s manual. Apple Valley, MN: Conservation Breeding Specialist Group (SSC/IUCN). Miller, K.A., Towns, D.R., Allendorf, F.W., Ritchie, P.A. and Nelson, N.J. (2011) Genetic structure and individual performance following a recent founding event in a small lizard. Conservation Genetics 12 : 461–473. O’Shea, M. (2005) Methods for assessment and techniques for management of Striped Legless Lizard Delma impar populations in south-eastern Australia. PhD Thesis, Victoria University, Victoria. Thomas, B.W. and Whitaker, A.H. (1995) Translocation of the Fiordland Skink Leiolopisma acrinasum to Hawea Island, Bracksea Sound, Fiordland, New Zealand, in M. Serena (ed.) Reintroduction Biology of Australian and New Zealand Fauna. Surrey Beatty & Sons, Chipping Norton, Australia. Thompson, M.J. (2006) The use of artificial refuges to census populations of the ‘threatened’ Striped Legless Lizard, Delma impar in Western Victoria. Bachelor of Science in Zoology Honours Thesis, La Trobe University, Victoria. Towns, D.R. and Ferreira, S.M. (2001) Conservation of New Zealand lizards (Lacertilia: Scincidae) by translocation of small populations, Biological Conservation 98 (2): 211–222.

52 Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Technical Report Series No. 243 Evaluating the effectiveness of salvage and translocation of Striped Legless Lizards

Appendix 6 Striped Legless Lizard salvage operations at Cairnlea The following is derived from information provided by Sally Koehler, Biosis Pty Ltd. Striped Legless Lizards were salvaged between 1999 and 2008, from an area of grassland covering approximately 400 ha at Cairnlea estate, Deer Park. The salvage project is yet to be completed, with two small areas remaining for salvage. To date, 528 Striped Legless Lizards have been salvaged. The lizards were more usually found in clusters of large numbers of individuals, with areas in between where very few (if any) were found. At the locations where animals were found, the density ranged from 0.78 – 45 SLL/ha. Table 1 provides a sample of locations for which the size of salvage areas and numbers of animals recovered. Also, refer to Kimber & Timewell (2001).

Table 1 . Sample of Striped Legless Lizard densities from Cairnlea estate between 1999 and 2008

Section Approx. Live Dead Escaped Total # area (ha) (or injured) SLL SLL/ha

Gladstone Street wetlands ? 50 13 3 66 ?

J – Stage 56 2.9 47 29 5 81 27.9

J – Stage 57 4.3 57 22 4 83 19.3

I North – Stage 52 2.6 32 4 1 37 14.2

I South – Stage 51 1.6 54 16 2 72 45

Section C 49.49 21 16 2 39 0.78

REFERENCES Kimber, S. and Timewell, C., 2001. Salvage of Striped Legless Lizard Delma impar at ‘Cairnlea’, Deer Park, Victoria. Progress report, Biosis Research, Port Melbourne, Victoria.

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ISSN 1835-3827 (print) ISSN 1835-3835 (online) ISBN 978-1-74287-763-1 (print) ISBN 978-1-74287-764-8 (online)