Union Reefs North Underground Project Environmental Impact Assessment Ghost Bat Technical Report November 2019 Prepared for Kirkland Lake Gold Final Report 22 November 2019 i Union Reefs EIS Ghost Bat Technical Report: November 2019 Final (R4): 22 November 2019 Project Union Reefs Exploration EIS Ghost Bat Technical Report November 2019 Report Author/s Paul Barden, Ecological Management Services Dr. Kyle Armstrong, Specialised Zoological Client Kirkland Lake Gold Client Contact Sally Horsnell Disclaimer Ecological Management Services Pty Ltd/Specialised Zoological have prepared this report for the use of Kirkland Lake Gold. The report has been prepared in accordance with the scope of work based on discussions with Kirkland Lake Gold and the project Union Reefs project TOR (NT EPA 2019). Ecological Management Services Pty Ltd/Specialised Zoological do not warrant in any way whatsoever that the material contained in this report is fit for use for any other purpose or by any other party. This report should not be reproduced in whole or part for any use whatsoever without the express written permission of Ecological Management Services Pty Ltd. The methodology adopted, and sources of information used by Ecological Management Services Pty Ltd/Specialised Zoological are outlined in this report. Ecological Management Services Pty Ltd/Specialised Zoological have made no independent verification of this information beyond the agreed scope of works and Ecological Management Services Pty Ltd/Specialised Zoological accepts no responsibility for any inaccuracies, errors or omissions in any data or information that is in the public domain or that otherwise was obtained by or prepared for Ecological Management Services Pty Ltd/Specialised Zoological. This report is based on data reviewed and information compiled between September 2018 and November 2019. Ecological Management Services Pty Ltd/Specialised Zoological disclaim any responsibility for any changes that have occurred after this time. This report should be read in full. No responsibility is accepted for use of any part of this report in any other context or for any other purpose or by third parties. This report does not give legal advice. Copyright © Ecological Management Services Pty Ltd 2019 ACN 084 304 110 PO Box 580 Coolum Beach QLD 4573 Australia © Specialised Zoological ABN 92 265 437 422 Copyright in some material in this report may vest in other persons. Cover Ghost bat (Macroderma gigas) Document History Version Date Author/s Reviewer P. Barden EMS Draft 29 October 2019 Dr. Bruce Thompson Dr. Kyle Armstrong SZ P. Barden EMS Final R2 3 November 2019 Nicole Conroy GHD Dr. Kyle Armstrong SZ P. Barden EMS Final R3 14 November 2019 Dr. Kyle Armstrong SZ P. Barden EMS Final R4 22 November 2019 Dr. Kyle Armstrong SZ Union Reefs EIS Ghost Bat Technical Report: November 2019 Final (R4): 22 November 2019 Contents 1.0 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................ 1 1.1 PROJECT SCOPE ....................................................................................................................................... 1 2.0 BACKGROUND INFORMATION – GHOST BAT ECOLOGY AND STATUS ................................................. 3 2.1 GHOST BAT STATUS ................................................................................................................................. 3 2.2 FOSSIL HISTORY AND TAXONOMY .......................................................................................................... 3 2.3 GHOST BAT ECOLOGY ............................................................................................................................. 4 2.4 ROOSTING ECOLOGY AND USE OF ARTIFICIAL STRUCTURES ................................................................... 5 2.5 VULNERABILITY OF GHOST BATS TO NOISE AND VIBRATION .................................................................. 6 3.0 GHOST BAT ENVIRONMENTAL VALUES – SUPPORTING DATA ............................................................ 7 3.1 LOCATION OF GHOST BATS USING THE PROPOSAL AREA ....................................................................... 7 3.1.1 Geographic Extent of the Regional Population ............................................................................... 7 3.1.2 Geographic Location and Size of Known or Predicted Ghost Bat Colonies ..................................... 9 3.1.3 Characteristics of Known and Likely Natural and Artificial Roosts in the Proposal Area .............. 15 3.2 SEASONAL USE OF THE UNION REEFS AREA BY GHOST BATS ................................................................ 23 3.2.1 Occupation and Seasonal Use of Adits by Ghost Bats at Union Reefs .......................................... 23 3.2.2 Regional Use of Adits and Caves by Roosting Ghost Bats ............................................................. 24 3.3 SIGNIFICANCE OF ADITS FOR GHOST BATS ............................................................................................ 27 3.3.1 Significance of Proposal Area Adits for Ghost Bats ....................................................................... 27 3.3.2 Regional Significance of Union Reefs Adits for Ghost Bats ........................................................... 27 3.3.3 Existing and Required Genetic Information .................................................................................. 28 4.0 POTENTIAL IMPACTS AND RISKS ..................................................................................................... 29 4.1 NOISE AND VIBRATION ......................................................................................................................... 29 4.1.1 Susceptibility of Ghost Bats to Low Level Vibration and Noise ..................................................... 29 4.1.2 Damage to Roost Sites – Internal Blockages and Collapse ........................................................... 30 4.1.3 Relocation to Sub‐optimal Roosts ................................................................................................. 31 4.2 IMPACTS OF A TEMPORARY EXCLUSION FROM THE OK ADIT ............................................................... 32 4.2.1 Exclusion Impacts at Various Scales .............................................................................................. 34 4.3 CAPACITY OF OTHER SITES TO ACCOMMODATE EXCLUDED BATS ........................................................ 35 4.3.1 Union North Adit ........................................................................................................................... 35 4.3.2 Lady Alice Adit ............................................................................................................................... 35 4.3.3 Kohinoor Adit Pine Creek .............................................................................................................. 36 4.3.4 Spring Hill ...................................................................................................................................... 36 i Union Reefs EIS Ghost Bat Technical Report: November 2019 Final (R4): 22 November 2019 4.4 CONSEQUENCES OF A TOTAL LOSS OF GHOST BAT ROOSTING HABITAT AT PINE CREEK ...................... 37 4.4.1 Significance of Residual Impacts Following Avoidance Measures ................................................ 37 4.4.2 Likelihood of Unknown, Unpredictable or Irreversible Events or Impacts .................................... 38 4.4.3 Short Term and Long‐Term Impact Pathways, and Their Consequences ...................................... 38 4.5 LIKELY IMPACTS AT LOCAL, NATIONAL AND REGIONAL SCALE .............................................................. 42 5.0 MITIGATION AND MINIMISATION ................................................................................................... 42 5.1 MITIGATION MEASURES ....................................................................................................................... 42 5.1.1 Summary of Proposed Actions ...................................................................................................... 43 5.1.2 Action Plan Sequence .................................................................................................................... 44 5.2 EFFECTIVENESS AND STATUTORY OR POLICY BASIS FOR MITIGATION MEASURES ............................... 44 5.3 DISCUSSION OF ACTIONS IN THE CONTEXT OF A MITIGATION HIERARCHY .......................................... 60 5.4 CONSIDERATION OF PROJECT ALTERNATIVES....................................................................................... 60 5.4.1 Closure is Temporary .................................................................................................................... 62 5.4.2 Population Augmentation ............................................................................................................. 62 5.4.3 Sub‐optimal Actions ...................................................................................................................... 63 6.0 MONITORING AND REPORTING ....................................................................................................... 64 6.1 FUTURE MONITORING TIMEFRAMES .................................................................................................... 64 6.1.1 Continuous Monitoring ................................................................................................................