Pilbara Leaf-Nosed Bat Habitat Suitability Mapping Author: J

540000 545000 550000 7440000 7435000

SurveyArea Pilbara Leaf-nosed Bat - Habitat Suitability Mapping Potential shelter and foraging habitat foraging and shelter Potential Suitable foraging and disp ersal habitatdisp and ersal foraging Suitable Limited foraging and disp ersal habitatdisp and ersal foraging Limited

Rio Tinto Iron Ore Iron Tinto Rio CooSystem:MGA GDA1994 50rdinate Zone W estern Range – EPA Level 1 and Targeted Conservation Significant Fauna AssessmentFauna ConservationTargeted and Significant 1 Level EPA Western– Range Kilometres 0 1 2 3 ± Figure G.2: Pilbara Leaf-nosed Bat habitat suitability mapping Author: J. Trainer Author:J. Dyde C. Drawn: 03-09-2018 Date: 14299-18-BIDR-1RevA_180903_FigG2 Ref: Figure 540000 545000 550000 7440000 7435000

SurveyArea Ghost Bat - Habitat Suitability Mapping Potential shelter and foraging habitat foraging and shelter Potential Suitable foraging and disp ersal habitatdisp and ersal foraging Suitable Limited foraging and disp ersal habitatdisp and ersal foraging Limited

Rio Tinto Iron Ore Iron Tinto Rio CooSystem:MGA GDA1994 50rdinate Zone W estern Range – EPA Level 1 and Targeted Conservation Significant Fauna AssessmentFauna ConservationTargeted and Significant 1 Level EPA Western– Range Kilometres 0 1 2 3 ± Figure G.3: Ghost Bat habitat suitability mapping Author: J. Trainer Author:J. Dyde C. Drawn: 03-09-2018 Date: 14299-18-BIDR-1RevA_180903_FigG3 Ref: Figure 540000 545000 550000 7440000 7435000

SurveyArea Pilbara Olive Python - Habitat Suitability Mapping Potential shelter and foraging habitat foraging and shelter Potential Suitable foraging and disp ersal habitatdisp and ersal foraging Suitable Limited foraging and disp ersal habitatdisp and ersal foraging Limited

Rio Tinto Iron Ore Iron Tinto Rio CooSystem:MGA GDA1994 50rdinate Zone W estern Range – EPA Level 1 and Targeted Conservation Significant Fauna AssessmentFauna ConservationTargeted and Significant 1 Level EPA Western– Range Kilometres 0 1 2 3 ± Figure G.4: Pilbara Olive Python habitat suitability mapping Author: J. Trainer Author:J. Dyde C. Drawn: 03-09-2018 Date: 14299-18-BIDR-1RevA_180903_FigG4 Ref: Figure 540000 545000 550000 7440000 7435000

SurveyArea Night Parrot - Habitat Suitability Mapping Suitable foraging and disp ersal habitatdisp and ersal foraging Suitable Limited foraging and disp ersal habitatdisp and ersal foraging Limited

Rio Tinto Iron Ore Iron Tinto Rio CooSystem:MGA GDA1994 50rdinate Zone W estern Range – EPA Level 1 and Targeted Conservation Significant Fauna AssessmentFauna ConservationTargeted and Significant 1 Level EPA Western– Range Kilometres 0 1 2 3 ± Figure G.5: Night Parrot habitat suitability mapping Author: J. Trainer Author:J. Dyde C. Drawn: 03-09-2018 Date: 14299-18-BIDR-1RevA_180903_FigG5 Ref: Figure Rio Tinto Iron Ore Western Range –EPA Level 1 and Targeted Conservation Significant Fauna Assessment

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Rio Tinto Iron Ore Western Range –EPA Level 1 and Targeted Conservation Significant Fauna Assessment

Appendix H: Conservation Listed Fauna Locations

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535000 540000 545000 550000

Pseudomys chapmani

7440000 G

Dasyurus hallucatus Rhinonicteris aurantia Macroderma gigas Dasyurus hallucatus Macroderma gigas Rhinonicteris aurantia Macroderma gigas )" *# Rhinonicteris aurantia *# *#)")" *# Rhinonicteris aurantia )" )" Dasyurus *# hallucatus Rhinonicteris aurantia Dasyurus hallucatus *# Rhinonicteris aurantia Dasyurus hallucatus Dasyurus hallucatus Rhinonicteris aurantia Rhinonicteris aurantia *# Rhinonicteris aurantia )"*# Macroderma gigas (! *# Liasis olivaceus barroni

Rhinonicteris aurantia Rhinonicteris aurantia Rhinonicteris aurantia Pseudomys chapmani Pseudomys chapmani (! (!*# (! (! (! (! (! *# Rhinonicteris aurantia Rhinonicteris Macroderma gigas aurantia *# Rhinonicteris aurantia Rhinonicteris aurantia Rhinonicteris aurantia Macroderma gigas *# *# Macroderma gigas Rhinonicteris aurantia Macroderma gigas

7435000 Macroderma gigas *#

Rhinonicteris aurantia

Macroderma gigas

SurveyArea (! PreviousConservation Signific Fauna ant Current Conservation Significant Fauna )" Dasy(Northern urushallucatus Quoll) *# Macrod erm(GhostgigasBat) a G Pseudom ych s apm ani(Western Pebble-mound Mouse) *# R h inonicterisLeaf-nosedaurantia Bat) (Pilbara

R ioTintoIron Ore CoordMGASystem: inateGDA1994 Zone 50 W estern Range – EPA Level 1 andConservationWesternTargeted1 Level EPARange – Significant AssessmFauna ent Kilom etres 0 1 2 3 ± Figure H.1: Previous and current conservation significant vertebrate fauna locations Author: J. Trainer Author:J. DydDrawn: C. e 04-09-2018 Date: 14299-18-BIDR-1RevA_180904_FigH1 Ref: Figure Rio Tinto Iron Ore Western Range –EPA Level 1 and Targeted Conservation Significant Fauna Assessment

Table H.1: Locations of vertebrate conservation listed species recorded during the current survey.

MGA Zone 50 K Observation Species name type Status Site ID Habitat Photograph (common name) Easting (mE) Northing (mN) (number of records) Mammals

Opp 539026 7437599 Scat Gorge/Gully

Dasyurus hallucatus Opp 539128 7437593 Scat Gorge/Gully EN / EN (Northern Quoll) Opp 545790 7436746 Scat Gorge/Gully

Opp 538829 7437550 Scat Gorge/Gully Motion CAM3 541738 7437831 Gorge/Gully Camera (1) Motion CAM4 540780 7437515 Breakaway Camera (1) Acoustic Drainage BAT1 538287 7437584 recording Line (2) Acoustic BAT2 539028 7437598 recording Gorge/Gully Rhinonicteris aurantia (81) VU / VU No photo (Pilbara Leaf-nosed Bat) Acoustic BAT3 542272 7437806 recording Breakaway (12) Acoustic BAT4 541710 7437183 recording Gorge/Gully (2)

Rio Tinto Iron Ore Western Range –EPA Level 1 and Targeted Conservation Significant Fauna Assessment

MGA Zone 50 K Observation Species name type Status Site ID Habitat Photograph (common name) Easting (mE) Northing (mN) (number of records) Acoustic BAT5 539607 7437433 recording Gorge/Gully (2) Acoustic BAT6 544214 7436809 recording Gorge/Gully (59) Acoustic BAT7 545815 7436710 recording Gorge/Gully (15) Acoustic BAT8 547364 7436630 recording Gorge/Gully (70) Acoustic BAT11 550107 7435615 recording Breakaway (20) Visual Opp 550745 7434686 Gorge/Gully record (3) Visual Opp 550735 7435242 Gorge/Gully record (1) Macroderma gigas VU / VU Acoustic (Ghost Bat) BAT3 542272 7437806 recording Breakaway (2) Acoustic BAT11 550107 7435615 recording Breakaway (1)

Rio Tinto Iron Ore Western Range –EPA Level 1 and Targeted Conservation Significant Fauna Assessment

MGA Zone 50 K Observation Species name type Status Site ID Habitat Photograph (common name) Easting (mE) Northing (mN) (number of records)

Pseudomys chapmani Inactive (Western Pebble-mound P4 Opp 538635 7439823 Pebble- Low Hill Mouse) mound

Rio Tinto Iron Ore Western Range –EPA Level 1 and Targeted Conservation Significant Fauna Assessment

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Rio Tinto Iron Ore Western Range – EPA Level 1 and Targeted Conservation Significant Fauna Assessment

Appendix I: Bat Call WA Pty Ltd Report

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Para Western Range –Issue A

Rio Tinto, Paraburdoo Western Range, Pilbara WA,

Acoustic Survey of Bat and Night Parrot Activity, June 2018.

DRAFT A

Prepared for Astron Environmental Services

Bat Call WA Pty Ltd ABN 26 146 117 839 43 Murray Drive Hillarys Western Australia 6025 [email protected] +61 8 9402 1987 +61 488 930 735

Prepared by: R. D. Bullen – Bat Call WA Issue A 6 July 2018

This document has been prepared to the requirements of Astron Environmental Services. It may be cited for the purposes of scientific research or other reasonable use. It may not be reproduced or distributed to any third party by hardcopy or electronic means without the permission of the client or Bat Call WA.

BAT CALL WA 1 of 11 6/07/2018 Para Western Range –Issue A

Document Revision History

Issue Date Revision History

A 6 July 2018 Initial draft prepared for Astron review

BAT CALL WA 2 of 11 6/07/2018 Para Western Range –Issue A

Summary Bat and Night Parrot (Pezoporus occidentalis) presence is reported for 11 sites in the Western Range near Paraburdoo, in the Pilbara, WA. Astron Environmental Services (Astron) carried out an echolocation based survey for bats at nine sites in June 2018. Two additional sites were surveyed using acoustic detectors set to record Night Parrot and Ghost bat social calls. Bat Call WA has reviewed the recordings made and provided species lists and activity levels for the bats present.

Eleven species of echolocating bats were confirmed present including both EPBC Act listed species in the Pilbara, the Pilbara leaf-nosed bat (Rhinonicteris aurantia) (PLNb) and the Ghost bat (Macroderma gigas) (PGb). PLNb calls were detected in low or medium numbers at all sites. PGb were detected ultrasonically at two sites and their presence was confirmed by observation by Astron ecologists in caves at a further two.

At eight of the nine ultrasonic sites, the timing of PLNb calls were consistent with bats originating from the known Ratty Spring roost to the east and do not indicate the presence of a permanent roost cave nearby. However a single call was detected at Bat-01 six minutes after civil twilight. That call is consistent with a single bat roosting overnight opportunistically nearby and is not consistent with the presence of a satellite roost cave.

PGb presence is consistent with the known dispersal of PGb in the district. The number of observations recorded indicates that additional targeted survey work is required to fully define the usage of the area by this species. In particular, the gully/gorge complex surrounding the three nearby sites where PGb were either seen or detected should be the subject of targeted survey work to fully define the significance of the area.

No Night Parrot calls were detected

Habitats The sites for the survey were chosen by Astron. Details of the sites are presented in table 1. The bat sites included each type of habitat present in the study area including gorges, breakaways. drainage lines and cave entrances. Both of the Night Parrot sites are on low hills. The locations are shown in relation to local features in figure 1.

Timing, Moon Phase and Weather The echolocation survey was conducted between 27th June to 1st July 2018.

The sampling evenings were cold and dry with minimum overnight temperatures around 5OC. The moon in this period was full. Sunset, sunrise and civil twilight times were within one minute of 17:34, 06:51, 17:59 and 06:27 respectively.

Survey Team Sites were chosen and detectors placed by Astron ecologists. Bob Bullen of Bat Call WA completed analysis of audio and echolocation recordings.

Sampling The survey consisted of completing a total of thirty nine overnight ultrasonic bat sound recordings, beginning at twilight, at nine locations within the survey area. A total of nine acoustic survey nights were completed at two sites for Night Parrot. The recordings were “continuous” (Hyder et al. 2010) made using ultrasonic SM2BAT+ SongMeter and acoustic SM4A SongMeter (both by

BAT CALL WA 3 of 11 6/07/2018 Para Western Range –Issue A

Wildlife Acoustics Inc., USA) detectors. The audio settings used followed the manufacturer’s recommendations contained in the user manuals.

For the ultrasonic recordings, once reformatted as .wav files, COOL EDIT 2000 (now available as AUDITION from Adobe Systems Inc.) was used to display each sequence for identification. Calls were identified manually. Only good quality call sequences were used. Details of calls analysed are provided in Table 2 as recommended by Australasian Bat Society (ABS 2006). Reference data for the species identified are available in Bullen and McKenzie 2002, McKenzie and Bullen 2003 and McKenzie and Bullen 2009.

For the acoustic recordings, each was reviewed both manually and using an automatic scan technique for Night Parrot calls. Candidate calls were compared with the author’s confirmed reference calls from two Western Australian arid zone locations.

Survey Limitations The sites surveyed were accessible on foot and the detectors, using omnidirectional microphones, were set on the ground with the microphone horizontal. Species are unlikely to be under- represented as a result.

Bat species density away from cave or adit entrances is impossible to estimate from echolocation records. Bat activity is therefore substituted as an approximate guide to the relative numbers of each species using the study area.

Results of bat fauna survey An assemblage of eleven echolocating bat species was confirmed as present at the study sites including both the PLNb and PGb, table 4. Species activity levels were low to very high, which is expected for the study area habitat and the times of year.

PLNb detections PLNb were detected at all nine ultrasonic sites, table 4 and figure 1. Call numbers were low to medium with the maximum number of calls being 41 at BAT 2 on the 30th June, figure 2. The temporal pattern of calls at eight sites, figure 2, is consistent with PLNb foraging away from their roost with timing gaps from civil twilight increasing from 60 minutes at site 11 in the east to midnight calls at the three of the four western sites. The closest confirmed permanent diurnal roosts is at Ratty Spring approx. 10 km to the east. The detection of a single call at site 1 soon after sunset on the 27th June is consistent with a single bat roosting opportunistically nearby. A probable scenario is that this bat is from an existing permanent colony and took advantage of the conditions following the rainfall of the previous week for additional foraging and roosting opportunities.

PGb detections Ghost bats were detected ultrasonically at two sites, Bat-03 and Bat-11, table 4, figure 2. Additional observations were made by the field survey team, Table 5. Two caves containing PGb were located, a scat pile was observed in one. Both caves were assessed by the team as diurnal roosts. These records are consistent with the PGb being present on the Western Range ridges. This result is consistent with the known presence of low numbers of PGb in the Paraburdoo area of the central Pilbara.

Common bat species detections

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Five common species, Austronomus australis, Chalinolobus gouldii, Taphozous georgianus, T. hilli and Vespadelus finlaysoni dominated bat presence in the area. Both Taphozous species were detected at most sites

Taxonomy presented herein is after Reardon et al. (2014) and Jackson and Groves (2015).

Results of Night Parrot survey. No Night Parrot calls were detected.

Recommendations.

PLNb The results of the survey are consistent with the author’s existing data on the dispersal of this species from its permanent roost at Ratty Spring. No additional targeted survey effort is indicated by these results.

PGb The results of the survey are consistent with the use of the ridge lines within the study areas by PGb, possibly on a year round basis. Additional targeted survey effort is recommended to identify potential maternity roost caves and other important diurnal roosting sites. In particular, the gully/gorge complex surrounding the three nearby sites where PGb were either seen or detected should be the subject of targeted survey work to fully define the significance of that area.

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References

ABS (2006). Recommendations of the Australasian Bat Society Inc for reporting standards for insectivorous bat surveys using bat detectors. The Australasian Bat Society Newsletter 27: 6-9.

Bullen, R. (2013). Pilbara leaf-nosed bat, Rhinonicteris aurantia: Summary of current data on distribution, energetics and threats. Presentation made to Western Australian Department of Environment and Conservation workshop on Pilbara leaf-nosed bats, 25 June 2013

Bullen R.D. and McKenzie N.L. (2002). Differentiating Western Australian Nyctophilus (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) echolocation calls. Australian Mammalogy. 23: 89-93

Bullen R.D. and McKenzie N.L. (2005). Seasonal range variation of Tadarida australis (Chiroptera: Molossidae) in Western Australia: the impact of enthalpy. Australian Journal of Zoology 53: 145-156.

Hyder, B.M., Dell, J. and Cowan, M.A. (eds) (2010). Technical guide – Terrestrial vertebrate fauna surveys for environmental impact assessment. Technical report of the Environmental Protection Authority and the Department of Environment and Conservation.

Jackson, S. and Groves, C (2015). Taxonomy of Australian Mammals. CSIRO Publishing: Collingwood Vic.

McKenzie N.L. and Bullen R.D. (2003). Identifying Little Sandy Desert bat species from their echolocation calls. Australian Mammalogy 25: 73-80.

McKenzie, N.L. and Bullen R.D. (2009). The echolocation calls, habitat relationships, foraging niches and communities of Pilbara microbats. Rec. West. Aust. Mus. Supplement 78:123-155.

Reardon, T.B., McKenzie, N.L., Cooper, S.J., Appleton, B. Carthew, S. and Adams, M. (2014). A molecular and morphological investigation of species boundaries and phylogenetic relationships in Australian free-tailed bats Mormopterus (Chiroptera: Molossidae). Australian Journal of Zoology, available on-line 23 April 2014.

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Table 1 Microbat site specific details. Coordinates are Zone 50K

Date Recording Time & SM2 unit Habitat Easting Northing

June 2018

Three overnight recordings using SM4 SN BAT 1 27-29 June Drainage line 538286 7437584 0043 recording at 384 kbps 30 June to 1 Two overnight recordings using SM4 SN BAT 2 Cave entrance 539028 7437597 July 0043 recording at 44.1 kbps 27 June to 1 Five overnight recordings using SM2 SN BAT 3 Breakaway 542271 7437805 July 12801 recording at 384 kbps 27 June to 1 Five overnight recordings using SM2 SN BAT 4 Cave entrance 541709 7437183 July 7566 recording at 384 kbps 27 June to 1 Five overnight recordings using SM4 SN BAT 5 Gorge 539606 7437432 July 4031 recording at 384 kbps 27 June to 1 Five overnight recordings using SM2 SN BAT 6 Cave entrance 544214 7436808 July 7634 recording at 384 kbps 27 June to 1 Five overnight recordings using SM2 SN BAT 7 Gully rim 545814 7436709 July 5288 recording at 384 kbps 27 June to 1 Five overnight recordings using SM2 SN BAT 8 Gorge 547364 7436630 July 8027 recording at 384 kbps 28 June to 1 Four overnight recordings using SM4 SN BAT 11 Breakaway 550121 7435627 July 5458 recording at 384 kbps

Table 2 Night Parrot site specific details.

Recording Time & SM2 Date Habitat Easting Northing unit

June 2018

27 June to 1 Five overnight recordings using BAT 9 / NP1 Low hill 544429 7437934 July SM4A05295 BAT 10 / 28 June to 1 Four overnight recordings using Low hill 547263 7437688 NP2 July SM4A04818

Note 1: Coordinates are Zone 50K

BAT CALL WA 7 of 11 6/07/2018 Para Western Range –Issue A Table 3: Summary of Echolocation call characteristics for microbat species present.

Typical Ave. Typical Fpeak Typical Call Genus species Authority Common name Q Duration kHz Shape Note 1 msec Note 1 Austronomus australis (Gray 1838) CF– shallow White-striped free-tailed bat 12 7 12 - 23 Note 2 FM Chaerephon jobensis (Miller 1902) Northern free-tailed bat 22 5 8 - 15 Shallow FM

Chalinolobus gouldii (Grey 1841) Gould’s wattled bat 32 10 7 - 11 FM 20 – 52 2 – 20 Macroderma gigas (Dobson 1880) Ghost bat variable Complex FM variable variable Ozimops lumsdenae Reardon et Northern free-tailed bat 26 10 8 - 13 Shallow FM al.2014 Rhinonicteris aurantia (Gray 1845) Pilbara leaf-nosed bat 120 30 5 - 8 CF Saccolaimus flaviventris (Peters Yellow-bellied sheath-tailed 18 9 12 - 21 CF - FM 1867) bat Scotorepens greyii (Gray 1843) Little broad-nosed bat 38 10 7 - 13 FM Taphozous georgianus Thomas CF– shallow Common sheath-tailed bat 24.5 14 9 - 18 1915 FM CF– shallow Taphozous hilli Thomas 1915 Hills sheath-tailed bat 26 14 9 - 18 FM Vespadelus finlaysoni (Kitchener, Inland cave bat 55 14 4 - 8 FM Jones and Caputi 1987) Note 1: Fpeak and Q are defined in McKenzie and Bullen 2003, 2009. Note 2: Taxonomy follows Jackson and Groves (2015). A. australis was recently Tadarida australis. O. lumsdenae was recently Mormopterus beccarii.

BAT CALL WA 8 of 11 6/07/2018 Para Western Range –Issue A Table 4. Survey microbat lists presented by site.

hilli

Site gigas greyii gouldii jobensis australis Ozimops aurantia finlaysoni lumsdenae Taphozous flaviventris georgianus Vespadelus Scotorepens Scotorepens Chaerephon Saccolaimus Macroderma Macroderma Austronomus Chalinolobus Rhinonicteris Taphozous

June 2018 Low BAT 1 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes (2 calls) Med BAT 2 Yes Yes Yes Yes (81 calls) Low Low BAT 3 Yes Yes Yes (2 calls) (12 calls) Low BAT 4 Yes Yes Yes Yes (2 calls) Low BAT 5 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes (2 calls) Med BAT 6 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes (59 calls) Low BAT 7 Yes Yes Yes Yes (15 calls) Med BAT 8 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes (70 calls) Low Low BAT Yes Yes Yes 11 (1 call) (20 calls)

Note: Both Taphozous species were detected.

Table 5 Ghost bat opportunistic observations.

Observation Easting Northing

Cave assessed as a potential PGb Cave 1 550735 7435242 diurnal roost Cave assessed as a nocturnal Cave 4 550750 7434642 roost containing PGb scats

Note 1: Coordinates are Zone 50K

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Figure 1. Western Range survey sites in relation to features in the study area. The orange pins denote sites where PLNb were detected. Pink pins and sites with “Mg” denote sites where PGb ultrasonic calls and opportunistic observations were recorded. Green pins denote sites where acoustic detectors were placed to record Night Parrot and Ghost bat social calls.

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Figure 2. Temporal patterns of PLNb calls detected

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