Phase 1 and 2 Seasonal Fauna Surveys (Level 2) Yoongarillup Mineral Sands Project Doral Mineral Sands Pty Ltd AUGUST 2014 Report Number: SF 008335 VERSION 5 On behalf of: Doral Mineral Sands Pty Ltd Lot 7 Harris Road PICTON WA 6229 Prepared by: Greg Harewood Zoologist A.B.N. 95 536 627 336 PO Box 755 BUNBURY WA 6231 M: 0402 141 197 T/F: (08) 9725 0982 E: [email protected] YOONGARILLUP MINERAL SANDS PROJECT – SEASONAL FAUNA SURVEYS – AUGUST 2014 – V5 TABLE OF CONTENTS SUMMARY .........................................................................................................III 1. INTRODUCTION..........................................................................................1 1.1 BACKGROUND.......................................................................................1 1.2 SURVEY SCOPE ....................................................................................1 1.3 BIOGEOGRAPHIC SETTING .................................................................2 1.4 PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT...................................................................3 1.4.1 Climate ......................................................................................................3 1.4.2 Topography and Soils ...............................................................................4 1.4.3 Surface Hydrology.....................................................................................4 2. METHODS....................................................................................................5 2.1 FAUNA HABITAT ASSESSMENT ..........................................................5 2.2 FAUNA INVENTORY - DESKTOP STUDY ............................................5 2.2.1 Database Searches...................................................................................5 2.2.2 Previous Fauna Surveys in the Area ........................................................6 2.2.3 Existing Publications .................................................................................7 2.3 FAUNA INVENTORY – DETAILED FAUNA SURVEY...........................9 2.3.1 Survey Timing and Weather .....................................................................9 2.3.2 Survey Team...........................................................................................10 2.3.3 Site Selection ..........................................................................................10 2.3.4 Ground Fauna Survey.............................................................................14 2.3.5 Chuditch Trapping Program....................................................................15 2.3.6 Acoustic Bat Recordings.........................................................................15 2.3.7 Bird Surveys............................................................................................16 2.3.8 Western Ringtail Possum Targeted Surveys..........................................16 YOONGARILLUP MINERAL SANDS PROJECT – SEASONAL FAUNA SURVEYS – AUGUST 2014 – V5 2.3.9 Black Cockatoo Habitat Surveys ............................................................16 2.3.10 Infrared Cameras...................................................................................17 2.3.11 Call Playback.........................................................................................17 2.3.12 Invertebrate Fauna ................................................................................17 2.3.13 Opportunistic Surveys ...........................................................................18 3. LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY.................................................................19 4. RESULTS...................................................................................................21 4.1 FAUNA HABITAT ASSESSMENT ........................................................21 4.2 FAUNA INVENTORY - DESKTOP STUDY ..........................................23 4.3 FAUNA INVENTORY – DETAILED FAUNA SURVEY.........................24 4.3.1 Ground Fauna Survey.............................................................................24 4.3.2 Chuditch Trapping Program....................................................................25 4.3.3 Acoustic Bat Recordings.........................................................................26 4.3.4 Bird Surveys............................................................................................26 4.3.5 Western Ringtail Possum Targeted Surveys..........................................26 4.3.6 Black Cockatoo Habitat Surveys ............................................................27 4.3.7 Infrared Cameras ....................................................................................29 4.3.8 Call Playback...........................................................................................30 4.3.9 Invertebrate Fauna..................................................................................30 4.3.10 Opportunistic Surveys ...........................................................................30 5. FAUNA INVENTORY – SUMMARY ..........................................................31 5.1 FISH.......................................................................................................32 5.1.1 Fish Assemblage.....................................................................................32 5.1.2 Fish of Conservation Significance ..........................................................32 5.1.3 Regional Endemism, Distribution Limits and Rare Assemblages..........32 YOONGARILLUP MINERAL SANDS PROJECT – SEASONAL FAUNA SURVEYS – AUGUST 2014 – V5 5.2 AMPHIBIANS.........................................................................................32 5.2.1 Amphibian Assemblage ..........................................................................32 5.2.2 Amphibians of Conservation Significance ..............................................33 5.2.3 Regional Endemism, Distribution Limits and Rare Assemblages..........33 5.3 REPTILES .............................................................................................33 5.3.1 Reptile Assemblage ................................................................................33 5.3.2 Reptiles of Conservation Significance....................................................33 5.3.3 Regional Endemism, Distribution Limits and Rare Assemblages..........34 5.4 BIRDS....................................................................................................36 5.4.1 Bird Assemblage.....................................................................................36 5.4.2 Birds of Conservation Significance.........................................................37 5.4.3 Regional Endemism, Distribution Limits and Rare Assemblages..........38 5.5 NATIVE NON-VOLANT MAMMALS .....................................................38 5.5.1 Native Non-Volant Mammal Assemblage...............................................38 5.5.2 Native Non-Volant Mammal of Conservation Significance ....................38 5.5.3 Regional Endemism, Distribution Limits and Rare Assemblages..........39 5.6 BATS......................................................................................................39 5.6.1 Bat Assemblage ......................................................................................39 5.6.2 Bats of Conservation Significance..........................................................39 5.6.3 Regional Endemism, Distribution Limits and Unique Assemblages ......40 5.7 INTRODUCED MAMMALS ...................................................................40 5.8 INVERTEBRATE FAUNA......................................................................40 5.9 OTHER SPECIES OF SIGNIFICANCE ................................................41 6. FAUNA VALUES........................................................................................43 6.1 VALUE OF THE STUDY AREA AS AN ECOLOGICAL LINKAGE/WILDLIFE CORRIDOR ........................................................43 YOONGARILLUP MINERAL SANDS PROJECT – SEASONAL FAUNA SURVEYS – AUGUST 2014 – V5 6.2 CONSERVATION SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY AREA................43 7. POTENTIAL IMPACTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ..............................45 7.1 POTENTIAL IMPACTS .........................................................................45 7.2 RECOMMENDATIONS .........................................................................49 8. CONCLUSION ...........................................................................................51 9. BIBLIOGRAPHY.........................................................................................52 TABLES TABLE 1: Daily Temperatures and Rainfall at the Busselton Airport Weather Station during Phase 1 and Phase 2 Survey Periods (BOM 2012) TABLE 2: Summary of Trap Nights – Phase 1 and Phase 2 TABLE 3: Fauna Survey Limitations and Constraints TABLE 4: Trapping Results (number of captures at each site during each phase) TABLE 5: Summary of Potential Cockatoo Breeding Habitat Trees (DBH >50cm) within Main Impact Area TABLE 6: Black Cockatoo Foraging Habitat Species Identified at Yoongarillup during the Flora Survey (Mattiske 2012) TABLE 7: Summary of Potential Vertebrate Fauna Species (As listed in Appendix C) TABLE 8: Likelihood of Occurrence and Possible Impacts – Fauna Species of Conservation Significance YOONGARILLUP MINERAL SANDS PROJECT – SEASONAL FAUNA SURVEYS – AUGUST 2014 – V5 FIGURES FIGURE 1: Study Area and Surrounds FIGURE 2: Yoongarillup Project Area - Air Photo FIGURE 3: Mean Monthly Rainfall