Threatened Terrestrial Fauna Species Assessment Report for Mulgrave Pit Expansion Project South Walker Creek Mine June 2013 ii Document Prepared for: BHP Billiton Mitsui Coal Pty Ltd Document Prepared By: Footprints Environmental Consultants P/L PO Box 246 Bribie Island QLD 4507 E: [email protected] T: +61 7 3410 8812 Submitted: June 2013 Disclaimer: Whilst all due care has been taken in the preparation of this report, Footprints Environmental Consultants Pty Ltd accepts no responsibility whatsoever for the accuracy of any third-party supplied information contained herein. Any person/s using this report, or any data referred to herein, for any purpose not expressly agreed to in writing by Footprints Environmental Consultants Pty Ltd accepts any and all associated risks of such use. BMC SWC Mulgrave Expansion Threatened Fauna Report.docx 24/06/2013 CONTENTS iii TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................1 1.1. Study Background ........................................................................................................4 2. TERMINOLOGY AND NOMENCLATURE...................................................................................5 2.1. General........................................................................................................................5 2.2. Flora and Vegetation.....................................................................................................5 2.3. Fauna..........................................................................................................................5 2.4. Conservation Status......................................................................................................5 3. METHODOLOGY ..................................................................................................................7 3.1. Desktop Assessments....................................................................................................7 3.1.1. Literature and Data ...............................................................................................7 3.2. Search Area Location and Selection................................................................................7 3.3. Fauna Survey Methodology............................................................................................8 3.3.1. Survey Program Methodologies...............................................................................8 3.3.1.1. Diurnal Bird Surveys.......................................................................................................... 8 3.3.1.2. Diurnal Herpetofauna Ground Searches.............................................................................. 9 3.3.1.3. Nocturnal Searches ........................................................................................................... 9 3.3.1.4. Insectivorous Bat Surveys ................................................................................................. 9 3.3.1.5. Targeted Area Searches .................................................................................................... 9 3.3.1.6. Driving Spotlight Transects...............................................................................................10 3.3.1.7. Inferential Evidence .........................................................................................................10 3.4. Threatened Species, Survey Methodology and Effort......................................................10 3.5. Threatened Species Profiles.........................................................................................11 3.5.1. Brigalow Scaly-Foot .............................................................................................11 3.5.2. Yakka Skink ........................................................................................................12 3.5.3. Ornamental Snake...............................................................................................13 3.5.4. Red Goshawk......................................................................................................14 3.5.5. Squatter Pigeon ..................................................................................................16 3.5.6. Cotton Pygmy Goose ...........................................................................................17 3.5.7. Little Pied Bat......................................................................................................18 3.5.8. South Eastern Long-Eared Bat ..............................................................................18 3.5.9. Koala..................................................................................................................19 4. RESULTS...........................................................................................................................21 4.1. Survey Timing ............................................................................................................21 4.2. Field Survey Conditions ...............................................................................................21 4.3. Survey Limitations ......................................................................................................23 4.4. Search Areas..............................................................................................................23 4.5. Broad Habitat Descriptions ..........................................................................................25 4.6. Survey Methods and Application Locations ....................................................................32 4.7. Recorded Fauna Assemblage .......................................................................................34 4.7.1. Species Richness and Assemblage Characteristics...................................................34 4.8. Conservation Significant Species and Their Habitats.......................................................35 4.9. Higher Value Broad Habitat Areas ................................................................................36 5. DISCUSSION, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ......................................................40 5.1. Survey Overview ........................................................................................................40 5.2. Threatened Species ....................................................................................................40 5.3. Conclusions................................................................................................................41 5.4. Recommendations ......................................................................................................41 6. BIBLIOGRAPHY .................................................................................................................44 BMC SWC Mulgrave Expansion Threatened Fauna Report.docx 24/06/2013 CONTENTS iv List of Figures Figure 1-1 Project Location and Regional Context ....................................................................1 Figure 1-2 Chosen diversion option 2a and subsequent stages 2B or 2C.....................................2 Figure 1-3 Threatened Fauna Species Study Area and Local Context..........................................3 Figure 3-1 Photographs of Brigalow Scaly-foot.......................................................................11 Figure 3-2 Photograph of Yakka Skink...................................................................................12 Figure 3-3 Photographs of Ornamental Snakes ......................................................................14 Figure 3-4 Photographs of Red Goshawk...............................................................................15 Figure 3-5 Photograph of Squatter Pigeon .............................................................................16 Figure 3-6 Squatter Pigeons Resting on Cattle Pad .................................................................16 Figure 3-7 Cotton Pygmy Geese ...........................................................................................17 Figure 3-8 Photograph of Little Pied Bat ................................................................................18 Figure 3-9 South Eastern Long-eared Bat ..............................................................................19 Figure 3-10 Photograph of Koala ............................................................................................20 Figure 4-1 Temperature and Rainfall Records for April 2013....................................................22 Figure 4-2 Location of Targeted Search Areas and Methods ....................................................24 Figure 4-3 Riparian Zones of Walker and Carborough Creeks ..................................................26 Figure 4-4 Poplar Box Open Woodland on Alluvium ................................................................27 Figure 4-5 Poplar Gum of Deeply Weathered Sand Plains........................................................27 Figure 4-6 Narrow-leaved Ironbark Open Woodland on Alluvium .............................................28 Figure 4-7 Brigalow Closed Woodland with Gilgai Formations ..................................................29 Figure 4-8 Mixed Eucalypt and Acacia Regrowth ....................................................................30 Figure 4-9 Poplar Box on Deeply Weathered Sand Plains ........................................................31 Figure