Wakool Wildlife Murray Land & Water Management Plan Wildlife Survey 2005-2006 Matthew Herring David Webb Michael Pisasale INTRODUCTION Why do a wildlife survey? area with 37 of these in Wakool. One of the great things about The sites were spread across living in rural Australia is all the 106 farms and were surveyed wildlife that we share the land- between June 2005 and March scape with. Historically, humans 2006. They incorporated a range have impacted on the survival of of vegetation types (e.g. Black many native plants and animals. Box Woodland) as well as reveg- Fortunately, there is a grow- etation on previously cleared ing commitment in the country land and constructed wetlands. to wildlife conservation on the Methods used to survey wildlife farm. As we improve our knowl- included: edge and understanding of the local landscape and the animals - Bird surveys and plants that live in it we will - Log rolling for reptiles and be in a much better position to frogs conserve and enhance our natu- - Spotlighting for mammals, rep ral heritage for future genera- tiles and nocturnal birds tions. - Elliot traps for small mammals and reptiles This wildlife survey was an initia- - Pitfall trapping for reptiles and tive of the Wakool Land & Water frogs Management Plan (LWMP) Work- - Harp traps for bats P.Merritt ing Group and is the largest and - Using the “Anabat” to record One of 87 Freckled Duck most extensive ever undertaken bat calls in a flock near Noorong, an in the area. Wakool was one of - Call broadcasting to attract excellent find! four LWMP areas that took part birds in the project. This project had three aims: Other targeted methods were used opportunistically and sig- CONTENTS 1 To determine the distribution, nificant species seen incidentally Pg. 2 Introduction habitat and local status of (e.g. when traveling between Pg. 3 Reptiles & Frogs birds, reptiles, mammals and sites) were also recorded. Sur- Pg. 4 Birds & Mammals frogs veying over the entire Murray Pg. 5 Birds 2 To raise awareness about LWMP area involved over 120 Pg. 6 Black Box Woodland wildlife ecology days of field work, usually with Pg. 7 River Red Gum Forest 3 To promote conservation of at least two people. Pg. 8-9 Wakool Highlights remaining species Pg. 10 Mallee Woodland Front cover: Migratory shorebirds at Tullakool (D. Webb), High quality sandhill woodland near Pg. 11 Sandhill Woodland What methods did we use? Moulamein (M. Herring), Locals on a wildlife Pg. 12 Constructed Wetlands walk during Wakool field day at “North Dale” A total of 150 sites were es- (M. Herring). Pg. 13 Chenopod Shrubland tablished in the Murray LWMP Back Cover: Carpet Python (D.Webb), Sunrise Pg. 14 Revegetation over Niemur River (M.Herring). Pg. 15 What Can I do to Help? The Wakool LWMP covers an area of 210,694ha and has 381 landholdings D.Webb The Western Grey Kanga- roo is one of three large local kangaroo species. 2 REPTILES & FROGS Summary of Results There were 273 species (203 Birds, 33 Reptiles, 28 Mammals and 9 Frogs) found across the entire study area. Of these, 226 species were found in Wakool. Reptiles A total of 26 reptiles were found in the Wakool LWMP area, more Peron’s Tree Frog P.Merritt Curl Snake D.Webb than any other area, highlighted REPTILES by the discovery of the first Eastern Long-necked Turtle R Chelodina longicollis Beaked Gecko and Gibber Gecko Murray Turtle R Emydura macquarii populations south of the Mur- • Olive Legless Lizard R Delma inornata rumbidgee River. A Carpet Py- • Southern Marbled Gecko C Christinus marmoratus thon found on the Niemur River • Gibber GeckoR Diplodactylus byrnei was the only one for the entire • Tessellated Gecko R Diplodactylus tessellatus study but based on observa- • Wood Gecko R Diplodactylus vitattus tions from local landholders the • Beaked Gecko R Rynchoedura ornata Wakool LWMP area is one of the • Carnaby’s Wall Skink C Cryptoblepharus carnabyii few remaining strongholds for • Regal Skink R Ctenotus regius the Murray-Darling form. Mallee • Robust Ctenotus U Ctenotus robustus and Sandhill Woodland patches Spotted-backed Ctenotus U Ctenotus orientalis west of Moulamein had the rich- • Tree-crevice Skink R Egernia striolata est reptile diversity. The Regal Garden Skink R Lampropholis guichenoti Skink, Eastern Robust Slider, South-eastern Slider R Lerista bougainvillii Sand Goanna and Prong-snouted • Wood Mulch Slider U Lerista muelleri Blind Snake were highlights. The • Eastern Robust Slider R Lerista punctatovittata most common reptiles recorded • Dwarf Skink U Menetia greyii in Wakool were the Boulenger’s • Chenopod Morethia R Morethia adelaidiensis Skink and Carnaby’s Wall Skink, • Boulenger’s Skink C Morethia boulengeri sometimes occurring in densities • Shingleback R Tiliqua rugosa over 100 per hectare in good • Common Blue-tongue Lizard U Tiliqua scincoides habitat. Sandhill and Mallee • Eastern Bearded Dragon U Pogona barbata Woodland were the most impor- • Sand GoannaR Varanus gouldii tant vegetation types for reptiles • Lace Monitor U Varanus varius across the four Murray LWMP Southern Blind Snake R Ramphotyphlops bicolor areas but all sites that were • Prong-snouted Blind Snake R Ramphotyphlops bituberculatus messy with old grass, fallen Woodland Blind Snake R Ramphotyphlops proximus logs, branches, shrubs, sheets of • Carpet Python R Morelia spilota corrugated iron, old fence posts • Tiger Snake R Notechis scutatus or other habitat were rich in rep- • Red-bellied Black Snake R Psedechis porphyriacus tile diversity. • Eastern Brown Snake C Pseudonaja textilis • Curl Snake U Suta suta Frogs By far the most common frogs FROGS recorded during the entire study • Peron’s Tree Frog U Litoria peroni were Plains Froglet, Common • Southern Bell Frog R (t) Litoria raniformis Froglet and Spotted Marsh Frog • Plains Froglet C Crinia parinsignifera but the Wakool LWMP area also • Common Froglet C Crinia signifera had Barking Marsh Frog and • Pobblebonk U Limnodynastes dumerillii Peron’s Tree Frog at a relatively • Spotted Marsh Frog C Limnodynastes tasmaniensis large number of sites. They • Barking Marsh Frog U Limnodynastes fletchori were frequently recorded in Common Spadefoot R Neobatrachus sudelli large numbers near water, along • Wrinkled Toadlet R Uperoleia rugosa rivers, creeks and in flooded wetlands including rice. The The beautiful Southern Bell Frog R - Rare (1 - 10% of sites) adults and tadpoles of these was recorded in large numbers U - Uncommon (11-25% of sites) common frogs provide a great at some sites. The popula- C - Common (26% sites or more) food source for waterbirds like tions in the Wakool LWMP area • - Found in Wakool the Great Egret and reptiles like are one of very few remaining # - Introduced species the Tiger Snake. strongholds for the species. (t) - Listed as threatened in NSW 3 BIRDS & MAMMALS Birds Banded Stilt. MAMMALS A total of 167 bird species were Mammals • Platypus R found in Wakool. The Wakool • Yellow-footed Antechinus U area is fortunate in that it sup- A total of 25 mammal spe- • Common Brushtail Possum C ports species typically found well cies were found in Wakool. The • Common Ringtail Possum U inland like Chestnut-crowned majority of these were bats and • Sugar Glider R Babbler and Black Honeyeater marsupials. The bats included a Squirrel Glider R (t) but also species only found in range of wattled, freetail, long- • Eastern Grey Kangaroo C south-eastern Australia like eared, forest and broad-nosed • Western Grey Kangaroo R Flame Robin and Superb Fairy- bats. The greatest number and • Red Kangaroo R wren. Sites along major water- diversity of bats were recorded • Black Wallaby R ways like the Wakool, Edward in wetlands and along rivers. Common Wombat R and Niemur Rivers that con- These fascinating creatures • Gould’s Wattled Bat C tained high habitat diversity had consume up to half their body Little Pied Bat R (t) the highest bird diversity. They weight in insects every night! • Chocolate Wattled Bat U exclusively supported species During the day they roost in tree • Lesser Long-eared Bat U like the Azure Kingfisher and hollows and under bark. • Southern Forest Bat R Sugar Glider. However, large • Little Forest Bat C patches of Mallee and Sandhill The only common native mam- • Inland Broad-nosed Bat U Woodland, as well as Cheno- mals, apart from bats, were • Inland Freetail Bat U pod Shrubland also supported the Eastern Grey Kangaroo and • Southern Freetail Bat C a unique suite of birds, includ- Brush-tailed Possum. The most • White-striped Freetail Bat U ing many that are not found in exciting species found was the • Water Rat U floodplain vegetation types. Platypus, recorded in the Edward •#House Mouse U River east of Moulamein. Ob- •#Fox C Sites dominated by common servations by local landholders •#Cat R species had poor habitat diver- indicate there at least several •#Rabbit C sity and were typically subject in that area. The Yellow-footed •#Hare C to continuous grazing, removal Antechinus, a small carnivorous •#Pig R of fallen timber and a lack of marsupial, was found in densi- flooding. The 14 most common ties up to 24 per hectare at sites R - Rare (1 - 10% of sites) birds for the entire Murray LWMP that had numerous large, old U - Uncommon (11-25% of sites) study (recorded at 75 or more logs. This species is well known C - Common (26% sites or more) sites) were the Australian Mag- for its bizarre breeding habits • - Found in Wakool pie, Galah, Striated Pardalote, where all males die of exhaus- # - Introduced species Willie Wagtail, Crested Pigeon, tion after a frantic two-week (t) - Listed as threatened in NSW Superb Fairy-wren, Red-rumped mating season. Good quality red Parrot, Noisy Miner, Australian gum also supported the Sugar Raven, Eastern Rosella, Yellow Glider and Black Wallaby but no Thornbill, White-plumed Hon- Echidnas or Feathertail Glid- eyeater, Magpie-lark and White- ers were recorded for the entire winged Chough.