Survival and recovery of threatened in fire-affected World Heritage Areas (Gondwana Rainforests focus)

Project Summary Project 8.3.8

Cool, high-elevation rainforest typical of the Gondwana Rainforest World Heritage Area of southern Queensland and northern New South Wales. Image: Leanne White, Department of Environment and Science

Research in Brief Why is the • Fleay’s barred research needed? Mixophyes fleayi This project aims to understand • Red-and-yellow how and where threatened Threatened mammals, reptiles and Philoria kundagungan mammals, reptiles and frogs in the Mt Barney and Main Most of these species inhabit cool, in the Gondwana Rainforest Range National Parks of southern moist upland areas and rainforest, World Heritage Area of southern Queensland and northern New which very rarely burns, and likely Queensland and northern New South Wales (e.g., Nightcap and Mt becomes unsuitable for these South Wales have been affected Nothofagus NPs) are likely to have after severe fires. Management for by the 2019–20 fires, which been affected by the 2019–20 fires. recovery is made difficult by not previously seldom burned. With the Queensland Wildlife and knowing the extent to which each Based on survey and mapping Threatened Species Bushfire Recovery of these species has been affected, data, we will recommend where Expert Panel, we identified priority in which locations they need to target management of fire- threatened species that are likely to extra help to recover, and whether affected priority threatened species, be affected by these fires, including: including feral predator control, the fires may have altered their • Black-tailed dusky antechinus weed control and monitoring conservation status in this region. Antechinus arktos of recovery, with the goal to The timing of the project is important support their persistence in the • Spotted-tailed quoll as these species breed or raise their Gondwanan Rainforest WHA. Dasyurus maculatus young in summer, and the mammals • Hastings River mouse are all short-lived. Any problematic Pseudomys oralis weeds will become an issue as the • Long-nosed potoroo weather warms after September. Potorous tridactylus It is likely to be important to address threats such as encroaching weeds • Three-toed snake-toothed skink and risks from feral cats and foxes Coeranoscincus reticulatus before or during the next summer • Rainforest cool-skink breeding season. Harrisoniascincus zia Lower Portals, Mt Barney. Such habitat rarely burned before How will the the 2019–20 bushfires. Image: Tatters CC BY-SA 2.0 Flickr research help? We will identify moderately and severely burned habitat, and likely refuge habitat for these species, using fire severity maps developed by the Queensland Department of Environment and Science (DES). We will initially focus on Mount Barney and Main Range, which were particularly severely affected by fires, and where all of the target species may occur. records, we will use motion-sensitive Where is the trigger camera trapping to survey This project is expected to support burned areas, to detect the four research happening? the persistence of fire-affected priority threatened mammals Antechinus The research will take place in threatened species in the Gondwanan arktos, Potorous tridactylus, the following national parks: Rainforest WHA by providing: Pseudomys oralis, and Dasyurus Lamington, Mt Barney and • Locality and relative abundance maculatus. We will monitor using Main Range. data for populations of the close-focus time-lapse camera eight priority threatened species trapping and systematic active When is the persisting in fire-affected and searching in collaboration with research happening? unburnt refuges the Queensland Museum to assess The project will run for ten • Recommendations of where it the two skink species, and use months from 2020 to 2021. is most important and urgent acoustic recorders to survey frog to target management of these calls at each site. This project will threatened species including feral also integrate with longer-term Antechinus arktos. predator control, weed control, studies of Antechinus arktos and Image: Gary Cranitch, Queensland Museum water quality management, feral cat detection being carried and monitoring of recovery out by a PhD student and honours student at Queensland University • Improved management of the of Technology and an honours listed species before, during student at The University of and after extreme fires in the Queensland in 2021. Gondwanan Rainforest WHA of south-east Queensland and Finally, we will develop a longer- north-east New South Wales. term study to follow-up recovery and persistence of all threatened What research activities species detected. are being undertaken? Who is involved? We will use camera trapping, acoustic This project involves a collaboration monitoring, and targeted searches between researchers from for reptiles and frogs to find out The University of Queensland, whether these species are persisting Further Information Queensland University of Technology, in burned sites affected by different the Queensland Department of fire severity, at different elevations. For more information please contact: Environment and Science, and Diana Fisher Focusing on the most likely locations the Queensland Museum and [email protected] identified by habitat models and past their extended networks.

This project is supported through funding from the Australian Government’s National Environmental Science Program.