Approved NSW Recovery Plan Silky Mouse (Pseudomys apodemoides) Recovery Plan July 2002 © NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, July 2002. This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced without prior written permission from NPWS. NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service 43 Bridge Street (PO Box 1967) Hurstville NSW 2220 Tel: 02 95856444 www.npws.nsw.gov.au For further information contact Threatened Species Unit, Western Directorate. NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service P.O. Box 2111 Dubbo NSW 2830 Tel 02 6883 5358 This Plan should be cited as follows: NPWS (2002). Silky Mouse (Pseudomys apodemoides) Recovery Plan. NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, Hurstville NSW. ISBN: 0 7313 63922 NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service Recovery Planning Program Silky Mouse (Pseudomys apodemoides) Recovery Plan Prepared in accordance with the New South Wales Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 July 2002 Acknowledgements Alistair Glen, Matthew Chambers and Matt Cameron, NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, Western Directorate prepared this plan. Chris Dickman and Henk Godhelp, University of New South Wales, provided valuable discussion which assisted the preparation of the plan. ii Foreword The conservation of threatened species, populations and ecological communities is crucial for the maintenance of this State’s unique biodiversity. In NSW, the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 (TSC Act) provides the framework to conserve and recover threatened species, populations and ecological communities through the preparation and implementation of recovery plans. The preparation and implementation of recovery plans is identified by both the National Strategy for the Conservation of Australia’s Biological Diversity and the approved NSW Biodiversity Strategy as a key strategy for the conservation of threatened flora, fauna and invertebrates. The object of a recovery plan is to document the research and management actions required to promote the recovery of a threatened species, population or ecological community and to ensure its ongoing viability in nature. This plan describes our current understanding of the Silk Mouse, documents the research and management actions undertaken to date and identifies the actions required and parties responsible to ensure ongoing viability of the species in the wild. NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service has prepared the Silky Mouse Recovery Plan with the assistance of a number of people. I thank these people for their efforts to date and look forward to their continued contribution to the recovery of the species. BOB DEBUS MP Minister for the Environment iii Executive Summary Introduction Legislative Context The Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 (TSC Act) is NSW’s most comprehensive attempt at establishing a legislative framework to protect and encourage the recovery of threatened species, populations and communities. Under the TSC Act, the Director-General of National Parks and Wildlife has certain responsibilities including the preparation of recovery plans for threatened species, populations and ecological communities. This Recovery Plan has been prepared in accordance with the provisions of the TSC Act. Preparation of Plan Components within the plan do not necessarily represent the views nor the official positions of all the individuals or agencies consulted. The information in this Recovery Plan was accurate to the best of the NPWS’ knowledge on the date it was approved. Current Conservation Status P. apodemoides is listed as an Endangered species on Schedule 1 of the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 (TSC Act). Nationally, the species has a moderate distribution and sparse abundance, and its survival status is probably secure (ANPWS, 1992; Dickman et al., 1993). The species is not listed on the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) or in the IUCN (1996) Red List of Threatened Species. Recovery Objectives The objective of this recovery plan is to determine whether P. apodemoides is extant in NSW. Recovery Criterion The recovery criterion is that: · targeted surveys are under taken in the Brewarrina-Walgett region; · the results of other surveys are monitored for any records of P. apodemoides; and · an information sheet for the species is produced and actively distributed. iv Recovery Actions The primary aim of the recovery actions will be to identify an extant population of P. apodemoides in New South Wales through targeted survey or the documentation of any opportunistic discovery. BRIAN GILLIGAN Director-General v Table of Contents Acknowledgements...................................................................i Foreword..................................................................................ii Executive Summary ...............................................................iii 1 Current Conservation Status ...................................... 1 2 Description .................................................................... 1 2.1 Taxonomy .......................................................................1 2.2 General ............................................................................2 3 Distribution ................................................................... 2 4 Ecology .......................................................................... 3 4.1 Life cycle.........................................................................3 4.2 Diet..................................................................................4 4.3 Habitat.............................................................................4 5 Relevant Legislation..................................................... 6 5.1 Threatened Species Conservation Act, 1995..................6 5.2 Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, 1999..........................................................................6 5.3 National Parks and Wildlife Act, 1974...........................7 5.4 Environmental Planning and Assessment Act, 1979......7 5.5 Native Vegetation Conservation Act, 1998 ....................7 6 Management Issues ...................................................... 7 6.1 Threats and reasons for decline ......................................7 6.2 Social and economic consequences................................8 7 Previous Actions Undertaken...................................... 8 8 Species Ability to Recover ........................................... 8 9 Recovery Objectives and Performance Criterion..... 9 9.1 Objectives of the Recovery Plan ....................................9 9.2 Recovery performance criterion.....................................9 10 Recovery Actions.......................................................... 9 10.1 Targeted survey ..............................................................9 10.2 Monitor other surveys...................................................10 10.3 Produce an information sheet.......................................10 11 Alternative Management Strategies......................... 11 11.1 No management action taken .......................................11 11.2 Undertake immediate management actions..................11 11.3 Resolve taxonomic confusion ......................................11 12 Implementation........................................................... 12 References .............................................................................. 14 1 Current Conservation Status P. apodemoides is listed as an endangered species on Schedule 1 of the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 (TSC Act), and is probably extinct in the State (Dickman et al., 1993). The nearest known populations of the Silky Mouse are 800km south of this location, in Victoria (Watts and Aslin, 1981). The site where this specimen was collected in New South Wales has since been cleared for agriculture (Dickman et al., 2000a, 2000b), and surveys of the area in 1995 failed to locate any native rodents (Ellis, in press). Nationally, the species has a moderate distribution and sparse abundance, and its survival status is probably secure (ANPWS, 1992; Dickman et al., 1993). The species is not listed on the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) or in the IUCN (1996) Red List of Threatened Species. It is found in central-western Victoria and south-eastern South Australia (Cockburn, 1995). 2 Description 2.1 Taxonomy Scientific Nomenclature: Pseudomys apodemoides (Finlayson 1932) Family: Muridae Common Name: Silky Mouse Recent Synonyms: Gyomys apodemoides Pseudomys / Gyomys glaucus Pseudomys albocinereus Other Common Names: Silky-grey Mouse Silky-grey Southern Mouse Finlayson’s Mouse Blue-grey Mouse The taxonomic status of the New South Wales population of P. apodemoides is under some question. The single New South Wales specimen was collected in 1956 and identified as P. glaucus (Troughton, 1967), following Oldfield’s (1910) description of two specimens collected from southern Queensland in 1892. P. apodemoides was first described by Finlayson (1932). Ride (1970) placed both P. apodemoides and P. glaucus in P. albocinereus. However, Baverstock et al. (1977) reinstated P. apodemoides as a separate species. Watts and Aslin (1981) synonimised P. apodemoides with P. glaucus. Today, the Australian Museum recognises the species as the Silky Mouse, P. apodemoides. The brief descriptions of the three specimens provided in Oldfield (1910) and Troughton (1967)