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Brigalow Belt bioregion – a biodiversity jewel Brigalow habitat © Craig Eddie What is brigalow? The term ‘brigalow’ is used simultaneously to refer to; the tree Acacia harpophylla; an ecological community dominated by this tree and often found in conjunction with other species such as belah, wilga and false sandalwood; and a broader region where this species and ecological community are present. The Brigalow Belt bioregion The Brigalow Belt bioregion is a large and complex area covering 36,400 000ha. The region is thus recognised by the Australian Government as a biodiversity hotspot. This hotspot contains some of the most threatened wildlife in the world, including populations of the endangered bridled nail-tail wallaby and the only remaining wild population of the endangered northern hairy-nosed wombat. The area contains important habitat for rare and threatened species including the, glossy black-cockatoo, bulloak jewel butterfly, brigalow scaly-foot, red goshawk, little pied bat, golden-tailed geckos and threatened community of semi evergreen vine thickets. Sadly, there are already plants and animals that once lived in the Brigalow Belt that we have lost forever such as the Darling Downs hoppingmouse and paradise parrot. Eighty percent of the bioregion lies within Queensland, the remainder lies within New South Wales. The bioregion stretches up north to Townsville in Queensland extending south of Dubbo in central-western New South Wales. The bioregion is divided into Brigalow Belt North and Brigalow Belt South. including eucalypt and cypress pine forests and woodlands, grasslands and other Acacia dominated ecosystems. Along the eastern boundary of the Brigalow Belt are scattered patches of semi-evergreen vine thickets with bright green canopy species that are highly visible among the more silvery brigalow communities. These patches are a dry adapted form of rainforest, relics of a much wetter past. What are the issues? Nature conservation in the region has received increasing attention because of the rapid and extensive loss of habitat that has occurred. Since World War II the Brigalow Belt bioregion has become a major agricultural and pastoral area. Broad-scale clearing for agriculture and unsustainable grazing has fragmented the original vegetation in the past, particularly on lowland areas. Biodiversity hotspots are areas that support significant biodiversity values threatened with destruction. Map 1. Queensland Brigalow Belt Bioregion What are the characteristics of the Brigalow Belt in Queensland The bioregion is charcterised by the brigalow tree Acacia harpophylla, a wattle tree with silvery foliage that grows as forests or woodlands on clay soils. The canopy is usually 10-15m in height, and brigalow is the dominant tree species. However large areas of the bioregion are dominated by other communities What is a bioregion? Bioregions are relatively large land areas containing natural ecological communities with characteristic flora, fauna, and environmental conditions, and are bounded by natural rather than artificial borders. © Environmental Protection Agency 2008 Brigalow habitat © Alison Goodland What are the issues? continued... Weeds such as parthenium have invaded many areas and replaced native ground layer plants. Inappropriate fire regimes and predation by feral animals, in particular pigs, cats and foxes, pose additional threats to local biodiversity. The bioregion occupies an area nearly 20 percent of Queensland. Despite the threat to so many species only approximately 3.6 percent of the region is in protected areas. Of the 163 regional ecosystems identified in the Brigalow Belt in Queensland by plant ecologists, 33 are classified as endangered and 32 as being of concern. How you can help Protect remnant bush in your community or on your land to help provide habitat for all our native species. • Support local efforts to conserve threatened species in your area by joining a local organisation such as a Landcare or catchment group, natural history or a ‘friends of’ group or by volunteering for Green Corps or the Australian Trust for Conservation Volunteers. • Participate in special events, information nights, tree planting days and weed eradication programs. • Help manage threats such as overgrazing, weeds, fire and feral animals to maintain healthy native vegetation. © WWF-Australia June 2008 • To find out more about saving threatened species check out www.wwf.org.au/tsn or contact the Threatened Species Network at [email protected]. Golden-tailed gecko © Craig Eddie Brigalow scaly-foot Spinifex habitat © Craig Eddie Description The Brigalow scaly-foot is a legless lizard, lead grey to greyish brown in colour. The base of the head is cream to pale brown, darkening towards the snout and contrasting sharply with the black bar on the base of the head. This lizard is quite heavy set with a round snout and moderately large limb-flaps. The scales are smooth and glossy and usually occur in 18, or occasionally 20, rows. Distribution The core distribution of the Brigalow scaly-foot is within the Brigalow Belt of Queensland. It extends north to the southern Desert Uplands bioregion, south west of Charters Towers, and west to Idalia National Park in the Mulga Lands bioregion. One specimen has been recently recorded from Wyaga in New South Wales, just south of the Queensland border. Habitat The Brigalow scaly-foot is found in open forests and woodlands of ironbark, poplar box, cypress pine, belah, bulloak, spotted gum, brigalow, gidgee, lancewood and hickory wattle. They have also been found in vine thickets. Topography varies from sandstone ridges to flats and gently undulating plains with clay, loam or sand. Ecology and Life Cycle The Brigalow scaly-foot is nocturnal, which means it is active during the night. It shelters beneath sandstone slabs, logs, loose bark, dense leaf litter and in grass tussocks, including spinifex. It is also known to climb small trees, using the trunk and main branches and climbing to heights in excess of two metres. On Boyne Island, sap from hickory wattle forms a major portion of the diet of both adults and juveniles. While primarily ground-dwelling, individuals from this population have been recorded climbing the rough bark of wattles to lick exuding sap. Studies on captured female species from Boyne Island record the species laying two eggs in early November with the eggs hatching in late January. Scientific Name: Paradelma orientalis Conservation Status Vulnerable - IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (International) Vulnerable - Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (National) Vulnerable - Nature Conservation Act, 1992 (Queensland) When alarmed it rears its head and fore body and flickers its tongue, possibly to mimic a venomous snake. Brigalow scaly-foot © S.Wilson Key Threats Inappropriate roadside management: Roadsides and road reserves often provide suitable reptile habitat. Populations of reptiles that live within linear remnants, such as roadside strips, are particularly vulnerable to disturbances that remove essential microhabitat features, for example, rocks, logs, dense leaf litter and fallen bark. Threats can arise from inappropriate roadside burns, slashing and road widening. Feral animals: The Brigalow scaly-foot is vulnerable to predation by foxes, cats and pigs. Inappropriate fire regimes: Fire frequency, intensity, season, type and extent of fires over time, influence biodiversity and ecosystem processes. Inappropriate fire regimes can potentially alter ecosystem structure and impact on the species habitat requirements by, for example, removing food sources and shelter. Did You Know? Despite their snake-like appearance, the legless lizards are unlikely cousins of the geckos. • Support pest management activities which seek to address feral animal threats e.g. foxes, cats and pigs. • Maintain large, healthy, connected patches of native vegetation and avoid ploughing remnant strips/patches of native grassland or woodland. • Ensure grazing practices are sustainable, maintaining at least 70% ground cover. • If burning, use cool burns in a mosaic pattern that promote patchiness and leave areas of ground cover unburnt. If possible, leave stick-raked timber piles unburnt. • Consider entering into a conservation agreement (e.g. Land for Wildlife, Nature Refuges or incentive agreements through grant programs) for conservation and land management assistance. • Report sightings to WWF-Australia, the Queensland Museum or the EPA/QPWS. Taking a photo of live or dead specimens is useful to help identification. To find out more about saving threatened species check out www.wwf.org.au/tsn or contact the Threatened Species Network at [email protected]. © WWF-Australia June 2008 How to help Cleared habitat © Alison Goodland Collared delma Poplar box habitat © Craig Eddie Description The collared delma is the smallest of the legless lizards, growing to a total length of 15 centimetres with a tail twice the length of its body. This lizard resembles a small snake or large worm and is coloured reddish-brownish on top with a bluish grey flush to the tail. The head and neck is strongly banded with broad black and narrow yellow/red bands. The chin and throat has bold grey to black bands or marbling. It has a relatively short blunt snout and conspicuous external ear-openings. Scales occur in 16 rows at midbody. Distribution The core range of the collared delma is within south east Queensland, however, in the Brigalow Belt it has been recorded from scattered localities including Millmerran, Warwick, the Bunya Mountains, Expedition Range, Blackdown Tableland and stock routes west of Roma. Habitat This species is often found in rocky terrain within eucalypt woodlands dominated by ironbarks, spotted gum, white cypress pine and smooth-barked apple. The ground layer often contains kangaroo grass. It has also been recorded in woodlands of river red gum, poplar box and brigalow with no significant rock component, and adjacent to semi-evergreen vine thickets. Ecology and Life Cycle The collared delma is a secretive, burrowing flapfooted lizard that shelter under rocks, logs, leaf litter and in soil cracks. They are most active during the day, however, also become active during the evening or twilight during warmer weather. They are presumed to be solitary and long lived (greater than 5 years). It feeds on small arthropods including native cockroaches and other insects and spiders. All delmas lay two eggs per clutch, with the collared delma believed to lay around December, hatching in February or March. Scientific Name: Delma torquata Conservation Status Vulnerable - IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (International) Vulnerable - Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (National) Vulnerable - Nature Conservation Act 1992 Collared delma © Steve Wilson Key Threats Habitat disturbance: This delma is particularly sensitive to habitat disturbance e.g. rocks being overturned. This factor is significant when considering that this species appears to be sedentary, staying within a very small area and possibly using the same rock for shelter. Grazing effects: Overgrazing by stock results in habitat degradation through soil compaction, erosion and alteration of the vegetation community. Small remnants and isolated unconnected strips of vegetation are often used as areas of shade for cattle. The isolation of remnants combined with heavy grazing pressure may result in significant changes to remnant vegetation condition such as loss of plant material and ground cover. Invasive weeds: Collared delmas are known to decline in rocky areas covered by invasive weeds such as creeping lantana Lantana montevidensis. Inappropriate roadside management: Roadsides and road reserves often provide suitable reptile habitat. Populations of reptiles that live within linear remnants, such as roadside strips, are particularly vulnerable to disturbances that remove essential microhabitat features, for example, rocks, logs, dense leaf litter and fallen bark. Threats can arise from inappropriate roadside burns, slashing and road widening. Did You Know? The collared delma can be hard to identify as it looks very similar to some other legless lizards, for example the immature excitable delma Delma tincta. A distinguishing feature of delmas is the unforked fleshy tongue, obvious external ear-openings and two small scaly hindlimb flaps that are remnants of ancestral hind legs. Like some other lizard species and the gecko, the collared delma can re-grow its tail if severed or cast-off. • Maintain large, healthy, connected patches of native vegetation and avoid ploughing remnant strips/patches of native grassland or woodland. • Ensure grazing practices are sustainable, maintaining greater then 70% ground cover. • If burning, use cool burns in a mosaic pattern that promote patchiness and leave areas of ground cover unburnt. If possible, leave stick-raked timber piles unburnt. • Contact your local NRM group to get information on implementing a weed control program in your area. • Consider entering into a conservation agreement (e.g. Land for Wildlife, Nature Refuges or incentive agreements through grant programs) for conservation and land management assistance. • Report sightings to WWF-Australia, the Queensland Museum or the EPA/QPWS. Taking a photo of live or dead specimens is useful to help identification. To find out more about saving threatened species check out www.wwf.org.au/tsn or contact the Threatened Species Network at [email protected]. Grassy poplar box habitat © Craig Eddie © WWF-Australia June 2008 How to help Common death adder Brigalow habitat © Craig Eddie Description The common death adder has a short, stout body with a large triangular head and a thin tail ending in a flat, soft spine. The tail tip is cream or black and the body colouration varies between grey to rich reddish brown. This species’ body is marked with irregular dark-edged cross-bands. The underside is whitish and flecked with black or brown. The common death adder’s eyes are small and inconspicuous. This snake grows to a length of 70 to 100 centimetres, although the average size tends to be 40 centimetres. Distribution The common death adder occurs from the Gulf region of the Northern Territory across to central and eastern Queensland and New South Wales, then through to southern parts of South Australia and Western Australia. Once very common in the southern Brigalow Belt, the common death adder has undergone an extreme reduction in numbers, due to loss of habitat and habitat degradation. Habitat This snake can be found in a wide variety of habitats including rainforest edges, shrubby eucalypt and ooline forests, shrubby Acacia woodlands (particularly brigalow), grasslands, chenopod dominated shrublands and coastal heathlands. Scientific Name: Acanthophis antarcticus Conservation Status Rare - Nature Conservation Act 1992 (Queensland) Ecology and Life Cycle Common death adders are reliant on cover in their habitat, particularly deep leaf litter, logs, rock piles and bushy shrubs such as currant bush Carissa ovata. The common death adder ambushes its prey while halfburied in sand, soil or leaf litter, often lying in wait at the base of trees or shrubs. The tail is segmented and can be wriggled convulsively like a worm or caterpillar to lure its prey. The fangs are long and capable of administering large quantities of powerful venom. A secretive snake, the common death adder can lay concealed for hours or days at a time using cryptic colouration to avoid detection. Common death adder © Steve Wilson vegetation condition such as loss of plant material and ground cover. The common death adder feeds, during the day and night, mainly on lizards and small mammals, and to a lesser extent, birds and frogs. Young individuals usually feed on reptiles and frogs, whereas adults feed on a greater percentage of mammals and birds. It is a slow growing species with a lower food intake compared with other snakes. Removal of wood debris and rocks: This species is threatened by the removal of its microhabitat, which includes shrubs, partly buried rocks, fallen logs and leaf litter. Sexual maturity is attained at 24 months old for the males and 42 months old for the females. The female reproduces every second year, with mating usually occurring in spring. Litters vary in size comprising from two to 32 fully formed live young usually born in autumn, with each about 12 centimetres long at birth. Feral animals: Poisoning through ingestion of cane toads has been recorded to have caused the death of common death adders. Continual spread westward of cane toads into the Brigalow Belt is a major concern, as poisoning has had a marked effect on coastal and island populations of the common death adder. Key Threats Habitat loss: the common death adder is susceptible to habitat loss (clearing), habitat fragmentation (isolation of remnant patches) and habitat modification (changes to shrub and ground cover). Inappropriate fire regimes: Fire frequency, intensity, season, type and extent of fires over time, influence biodiversity and ecosystem processes. Inappropriate fire regimes can potentially alter ecosystem structure and impact on the species habitat requirements i.e. by removing food sources and shelter. Grazing effects: Overgrazing by stock can result in habitat degradation through soil compaction, erosion and alteration of the vegetation community. Small remnants and isolated unconnected strips of vegetation are often used as areas of shade for cattle. The isolation of remnants combined with heavy grazing pressure may result in significant changes to remnant Did you know? In contrast to its stout body and sedentary habits, the common death adder can strike its prey so fast that the human eye can scarcely perceive the movement. How to help • Maintain large, healthy, connected patches of native vegetation and avoid ploughing remnant strips/patches of native grassland or woodland. • Avoid “tidying up” shrubs and removing fallen logs, leaf litter and rocks in common death adder habitat as this disturbs and diminishes refuge sites. • Undertake cane toad control measures where practicable. • Ensure grazing practices are sustainable, maintaining greater than 70% ground cover. • If burning, use cool burns in a mosaic pattern that promote patchiness and leave areas of ground cover unburnt. If possible, leave stick-raked timber piles unburnt. • Consider entering into a conservation agreement (e.g. Land for Wildlife, Nature Refuges or incentive agreements through grant programs) for conservation and land management assistance. • Report sightings to WWF-Australia, the Queensland Museum or the EPA/QPWS. To find out more about saving threatened species check out www.wwf.org.au/tsn or contact the Threatened Species Network at [email protected]. Common death adder habitat © Craig Eddie Darling Downs earless dragon Darling Downs earless dragon habitat © Alison Goodland Description The Darling Downs earless dragon is a small, plump, spiny earless lizard that grows to an average size of 12 centimetres. This lizard is well camouflaged, ranging from chocolate or reddish-brown to almost black in colour, marbled with lighter cream. Prominent, thin pale stripes run down the middle of the back and along each flank. Young are dark slaty black in colour. The chin and throat, normally pale, may be seen occasionally with an orange flush, believed to be breeding colours. This species has a pink mouth-lining, short tail and scaly skin covering the ears, giving the appearance of being earless. Distribution The Darling Downs earless dragon is currently thought to be restricted to the Condamine floodplain region of the Darling Downs in southern Queensland. It has been recorded from Jimbour, Bongeen, Bowenville, Brookstead and Mt Tyson areas across this region. Habitat This dragon species is only known to survive in an intensely cropped area in the Darling Downs. Prior to cropping, this area was natural treeless grassland. The soil is cracking black clay, providing the lizard with ample shelter. Like most dragons, it prefers to forage in more open ground areas, and uses cultivated areas that can provide both cover and care areas. Ecology and Life Cycle The Darling Downs earless dragon, like most dragons, is active during daylight hours and has been found perched upon mounds of soil or stubble, sunning and waiting for prey to pass. They tend to run quickly into grass tussocks, stubble and down cracks in the soil when disturbed. Their reproductive biology is largely unknown, however pregnant females have been seen in midspring/summer and hatchlings observed in the late summer. This lizard is known to eat ants and other small invertebrates. Scientific Name: Tympanocryptis pinguicolla Conservation Status Endangered Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (National) Endangered - Nature Conservation Act 1992 (Queensland) The taxonomy of this population is in dispute. This particular lizard may be a completely new species or an outlying population of another species of earless dragon. Further work is planned on the genetics of this lizard. Darling Downs earless dragon © Carly Starr Cracking black clay soils © Alison Goodland Key Threats Feral Animals: The Darling Downs earless dragon is vulnerable to predation by foxes and feral cats. loss of ground cover also leaves the dragon exposed and unsheltered when the cracks close up after rainfall. Changes in land use practices: Future changes in farming systems, such as an increase in pesticide use, a new pesticide or reversion to broadacre cropping practices, may have a detrimental impact on this species population. Inappropriate roadside management: Roadsides and road reserves often provide suitable reptile habitat. These areas are often islands of native vegetation in a fragmented landscape providing important refuge sites. Threats can arise from inappropriate roadside burns, slashing and road widening. Soil structure decline: Lippia Phyla canescens is a major threat to the maintenance of soil structure in cracking clay soils across this dragon’s range. Lippia dries out the soil profile and out-competes other native ground cover, exposing the soil to erosion and soil structure decline. This soils distinctive ‘cracks’ collapse, reducing shelter and refuge sites for this species. The Did You Know? The Darling Downs earless dragon has been heard to vocalise with a high pitched hiss as a juvenile, and adults with a high pitched squeak from an open mouth. • Maintain large, healthy, connected patches of native grassland vegetation and avoid ploughing remnant strips/patches of native grassland. • Maintain grassed waterways, roadsides and headlands in paddocks. • Be cautious when changing a farming practice and undertake farming practices that minimize soil structure decline. • Be vigilant with feral cat and fox control measures. • Reduce the spread of, and control, Lippia where possible. Maintenance of a healthy ground layer is vitally important. • Ensure grazing practices are sustainable, maintaining greater than 70% ground cover. • If burning, use cool burns in a mosaic pattern that promote patchiness and leave areas of ground cover unburnt. • Consider entering into a conservation agreement (e.g. Land for Wildlife, Nature Refuges or incentive agreements through grant programs) for conservation and land management assistance. • Report sightings to WWF-Australia, the Queensland Museum or the EPA/QPWS. Taking a photo of live or dead specimens is useful to help identification. • More research is required on the genetics of the Tympanocryptis genus, including the Darling Downs earless dragon. To find out more about saving threatened species check out www.wwf.org.au/tsn or contact the Threatened Species Network at [email protected]. © WWF-Australia June 2008 How to help Dunmall’s snake Bulloak woodland © Craig Eddie Description The Dunmall’s snake is a robust, shiny snake with small, dark eyes and little or no pattern. Its body is uniformly dark grey-brown above, fading to white on the lower flanks. The scales of the body are smooth and lightedged. Most of the upper lip scales have paler blotches in the centre or on the back edge. It reaches a total length of about 60 centimetres. Distribution It is almost entirely restricted to the southern half of the Brigalow Belt bioregion. Its range extends from Yeppoon and the Expedition Range in the north, to Oakey, Glenmorgan and Inglewood in the south. It has mostly been recorded between 200 and 500 metres in altitude. Scientific Name: Furina dunmalli Conservation Status Vulnerable - IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (International) Vulnerable - Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (National) Vulnerable - Nature Conservation Act 1992 (Queensland) Habitat Although little is known about this species, the Dunmall’s snake appears to prefer open forest and woodland, particularly those dominated by brigalow, cypress pine and bulloak. The substrate varies from deep-cracking black clay to loamy soils. Ecology and Life Cycle This extremely secretive snake shelters in soil cracks and under fallen timber which is embedded in deep-cracking clay soils. This snake is active during the night, feeding on small lizards. It lays eggs rather than live young. Although the Dunmall’s snake is venomous and the effects are documented as being moderately severe, it is reluctant to bite when disturbed. Dunmall’s snake © Steve Wilson Key Threats Feral animals: The Dunmall’s snake is vulnerable to predation by foxes and feral cats. Loss of habitat due to clearing and thinning: The focus of vegetation clearing in the Brigalow Belt is shifting from the essentially cleared Brigalow ecosystems on fertile soils to the eucalypt woodlands on poorer soils. Consequently the survival of dry woodland/open forest species with limited geographic ranges and/or specialised habitat requirements, such as the Dunmall’s snake, remain uncertain unless conservation action is undertaken. Inappropriate roadside management: Roadsides and road reserves often provide suitable reptile habitat. Populations of reptiles that live within linear remnants, such as roadside strips, are particularly vulnerable to disturbances that remove essential microhabitat features, for example, rocks, logs, dense leaf litter and fallen bark. Threats can arise from inappropriate roadside burns, slashing and road widening. • Maintain large, healthy, connected patches of native vegetation and avoid ploughing remnant strips/patches of native grassland or woodland. • Retain fallen timber and ground cover as these provide essential habitat. • Ensure grazing practices are sustainable, maintaining good ground cover. • If burning, use cool burns in a mosaic pattern that promote patchiness and leave areas of ground cover unburnt. • Consider entering into a conservation agreement (e.g. Land for Wildlife, Nature Refuges or incentive agreements through grant programs) for conservation and land management assistance. • Report sightings to WWF-Australia, the Queensland Museum or the EPA/QPWS. Taking a photo of live or dead specimens is useful to help identification. • Leave snakes alone. They are protected under Queensland legislation and it is illegal to harm them, not to mention potentially dangerous. To find out more about saving threatened species check out www.wwf.org.au/tsn or contact the Threatened Species Network at [email protected] © WWF-Australia June 2008 How to help Brigalow woodland © Craig Eddie Five-clawed worm-skink Five-clawed worm-skink habitat © Alison Goodland Description The five-clawed worm-skink is a medium-sized reduced-limb skink with three fingers and two toes. It is shiny and wormlike in appearance with dark brown to greyish colouring above and pale yellow-green below. Individual scales have a dark spot in the centre, giving an appearance of a series of lines along the body. This pattern is more conspicuous in northern populations. Distribution The five-clawed worm-skink is distributed throughout a relatively small area in sub-humid regions along the western slopes of the Great Dividing Range. This range extends from north-eastern New South Wales to the eastern Darling Downs in southern Queensland. Its total range appears to have contracted eastwards and is now largely confined to relict roadside verges. Habitat Queensland populations have been recorded in remnant native grasslands of the Condamine floodplain, characterized by deep-cracking clay soils and minimal to no tree cover. In New South Wales, this species prefers open woodland areas with low closely spaced tussock grasses and scattered eucalypts. This type of woodland is generally supported by deep cracking, inundation-prone, dark clay loams adjacent to or on the lower slopes of slight rises, usually of reddish soil. The five-clawed wormskink has also been found in open grassy paddocks with scattered eucalypts and moist black soil. Ecology and Life Cycle In captivity it has been known to eat crawling insects and insect larvae. The few known adults collected in spring were reproductively active, with females carrying one or two eggs. Scientific Name: Anomalopus mackayi Conservation Status Vulnerable - IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (International) Vulnerable - Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (National) Endangered - Nature Conservation Act 1992 (Queensland) Five-clawed worm-skink © Steve Wilson Key Threats Loss of habitat due to clearing and thinning: This lizard is under considerable risk of extinction. Maintenance of remnant patches of native grassland in the Darling Downs is critical for its survival. Soil structure decline: Lippia Phyla canescens is a major threat to the maintenance of soil structure in cracking clay soils across this skink’s range. Lippia dries out the soil profile and out-competes other native ground cover, exposing the soil to erosion and soil structure decline. The soils distinctive ‘cracks’ collapse, reducing shelter and refuge sites. The loss of ground cover also leaves this skink exposed and unsheltered when the cracks close up after rainfall. Inappropriate roadside management: Roadsides and road reserves often provide suitable reptile habitat. These areas are often islands of native vegetation in a fragmented landscape providing important refuge sites. Threats can arise from inappropriate roadside burns, slashing and road widening. Grazing effects: Overgrazing by stock results in habitat degradation through soil compaction, erosion and alteration of the vegetation community. Small remnants and isolated unconnected strips of vegetation are often used as areas of shade for cattle. The isolation of remnants combined with heavy grazing pressure may result in significant changes to remnant vegetation condition such as loss of plant material and ground cover. The five-clawed worm-skink lives down cracks in the clay soils and in permanent tunnellike burrows under well-embedded logs and rocks. • Avoid disturbing remnant strips or patches of native grassland or woodland. • Manage cropping headlands to retain grass cover. • Control and reduce the spread of Lippia and other invasive weeds, where possible. Maintenance of a healthy ground layer is vitally important. • Retain fallen timber and ground cover as these provide essential habitat. • Ensure grazing practices are sustainable, maintaining good ground cover and soil structure. • Consider entering into a conservation agreement (e.g. Land for Wildlife, Nature Refuges or incentive agreements through grant programs) for conservation and land management assistance. • Report sightings to WWF-Australia, the Queensland Museum or the EPA/QPWS. Taking a photo of live or dead specimens is useful to help identification. To find out more about saving threatened species check out www.wwf.org.au/tsn or contact the Threatened Species Network at [email protected]. © WWF-Australia June 2008 How to help Five-clawed worm-skink habitat © Alison Goodland Golden-tailed Gecko Cypress pine © Craig Eddie Description The golden-tailed gecko has been described as one of the world’s most beautiful geckos. It is white to pale grey, intensely patterned with a network of small black markings over the head, body and limbs, and a bright yellow-orange blaze down the tail. The black markings occur more densely towards the tail. The large eyes are bright orange to red in colour, highlighting the vertically elliptic pupil. The mouth-lining is dark blue. The fingers and toes have broad pads, tipped below with a pair of large plates. This gecko reaches an average total length of about 12 centimetres with a rather long, slender tail. Distribution The golden-tailed gecko occurs exclusively in Queensland, with its range virtually confined to the southern half of the Brigalow Belt bioregion. It occurs from the Darling Downs, north to Rockhampton, and north-west to Alpha. Important populations are known to occur at Barakula State Forest and Allies Creek State Forest where the largest tracts of native forest in the southern Brigalow Belt occur. The distribution of the golden-tailed gecko has contracted due to land clearing for agriculture and grazing. ribbon-like bark (spotted gum, red gums), bulloak and brigalow/belah. Soils where this species is found can range from sand and sandy loams through to dense clays. Ecology and Life Cycle This nocturnal species actively forages by night, hunting insects. By day it shelters in hollow limbs and stumps, under loose bark either on trees or on the ground and occasionally, it can even been found out in the open, clinging to stems, with its netted pattern effectively camouflaging it in the mottled light. There is typically a large amount of fallen woody debris and leaf litter in these vegetation types which this gecko appears to favour. Females lay two eggs per clutch but show no parental care for eggs or young. Scientific Name: Strophurus taenicauda Conservation Status Rare - Nature Conservation Act 1992 (Queensland) Habitat The golden-tailed gecko is found in a wide variety of dry open forests and woodlands on a range of soils e.g. cypress pine, ironbark, eucalypts with flaky or The goldentailed gecko is a very adaptable lizard, being equally at home moving about in the trees and shrubs (arboreal) or on the ground (terrestrial). Golden-tailed gecko © Craig Eddie Key Threats Loss of habitat due to clearing: The golden-tailed gecko has a relatively limited range and land clearing is continuing throughout this region. This causes a concern for its long term survival. Inappropriate roadside management: Roadsides and road reserves often provide suitable reptile habitat. Populations of reptiles that live within linear remnants, such as roadside strips, are particularly vulnerable to disturbances that remove vegetation and essential microhabitat features, for example, rocks, logs, dense leaf litter and fallen bark. Inappropriate fire regimes: Fire frequency, intensity, season, type and extent of fires over time, influence biodiversity and ecosystem processes. Inappropriate fire regimes can potentially alter ecosystem structure and impact on the species habitat requirements i.e. by removing food sources and shelter. Did you know? This species belongs to a small group of Australian geckos sharing the unique ability to squirt sticky irritant fluid from pores along the top of the tail when under threat. This fluid has a nasty taste and causes an intense irritation and a burning sensation if it comes in contact with eyes. How to help Maintain large, healthy, connected patches of native vegetation and avoid ploughing remnant strips/patches of native grassland or woodland. • Retain mature cypress and brigalow trees, dead standing trees, fallen timber and ground cover as these provide essential habitat for the gecko. • Ensure grazing practices are sustainable, maintaining greater than 70% ground cover. • If burning, use cool burns in a mosaic pattern that promote patchiness and leave areas of ground cover unburnt. If possible, leave stick-raked timber piles unburnt. • Consider entering into a conservation agreement (e.g. Land for Wildlife, Nature Refuges or incentive agreements through grant programs) for conservation and land management assistance. • Report sightings to WWF-Australia, the Queensland Museum or the EPA/QPWS. Taking a photo of live or dead specimens is useful to help identification. To find out more about saving threatened species check out www.wwf.org.au/tsn or contact the Threatened Species Network at [email protected]. © WWF-Australia June 2008 • Ironbark Woodland © Craig Eddie Grey snake Grey snake habitat © Craig Eddie Description As its name suggests the grey snake is a uniform grey to olive colour above fading to a pale grey along the sides, with a white or cream under belly featuring a few dark flecks. A dark patch or band can usually be seen at the base of the head in adults. The iris is mostly black with a fine silvery brown rim around the pupil. The grey snake generally reaches a total length of about 70 centimetres. Distribution The grey snake occurs from the Fitzroy River near Rockhampton, to the southern interior of New South Wales. The core area for this species in the Brigalow Belt is south of the Great Dividing Range between Dalby and Glenmorgan. Habitat The grey snake favours clay floodplains vegetated by grassland, and woodlands and open woodlands of brigalow/belah and eucalypts, such as poplar box. It occurs on both cracking clays and areas with small gullies or ditches (gilgais or melon holes). Ecology and Life Cycle The grey snake has been found under logs, bark and soil cracks. It is also known to shelter under fallen and embedded timber which has usually been stranded after floating into place on floodwaters. When forced from shelter by floods, the grey snake will take refuge amongst the emergent bushes. They bear 4 to 16 live young each year from January to March. While producing venom, they are not considered particularly dangerous; however care should be taken with large individuals. Scientific Name: Hemiaspis damelii Conservation Status Endangered - Nature Conservation Act 1992 (Queensland) The grey snake is a ground-dwelling species that is largely active during the night, when it emerges to hunt frogs and the occasional lizard. Grey snake © Steve Wilson Key Threats Hydrological changes: Changes in hydrological regimes such as damming of watercourses, may impact species reliant on wetlands, waterways or water bodies, such as the grey snake, which occurs in low lying areas found on floodplains and near inland watercourses. Mechanical activities that result in simplification of habitats, such as leveling of gilgais and melon holes, will also be unfavourable to grey snakes. Feral animals: Frog-eating snakes, such as the grey snake, are at risk of poisoning through the ingestion of cane toads. They are also eaten by cats and foxes. Destruction of wetland habitat by feral pigs is a major threat to this species, along with the associated destruction of frog habitat and direct competition for their food source (frogs). How to help Retain remnant vegetation, particularly near creeks and rivers. • Undertake coordinated feral pig control measures. • Avoid removing fallen timber and ground cover as these provide essential habitat. • Undertake cane toad control measures where practicable. • Leave snakes alone. They are protected under Queensland legislation and it is illegal to harm them, not to mention potentially dangerous. • Control grazing in riparian zones to protect ground cover and reduce soil erosion. • If burning, use cool burns in a mosaic pattern that promote patchiness and leave areas of ground cover unburnt. • Consider entering into a conservation agreement (e.g. Land for Wildlife, Nature Refuges or incentive agreements through grant programs) for conservation and land management assistance. • Report sightings to WWF-Australia, the Queensland Museum or the EPA/QPWS. To find out more about saving threatened species check out www.wwf.org.au/tsn or contact the Threatened Species Network at [email protected]. © WWF-Australia June 2008 • Grey snake habitat © Craig Eddie Mount Cooper striped lerista Leaf litter habitat © Alison Goodland Description The Mount Cooper striped lerista is a slender skink, which appears limbless but in fact has very small hind limbs with one digit each. It is shiny silvery grey to silvery brown with four narrow dark lines that run from behind the head to the tail and a broader dark brown side stripe from the eye to the tail tip. This species has a movable lower eyelid. Key Threats Loss of habitat due to clearing and thinning: Deciduous vine thicket vegetation has undergone extensive fragmentation over the last 50 years, due to their occurrence on fertile soils. This has resulted in extensive fragmentation. The remaining small, isolated remnants are often highly impacted by grazing, fire and weeds. Distribution The Mount Cooper striped lerista is poorly known and occurs only in Queensland. Previously believed to occur only in a small area near Mount Cooper Station near Charters Towers, it probably occupies a significantly wider area. Nearly identical skinks have been found at Blackbraes National Park, and Kidston Station in the Einasleigh Uplands and these are almost certainly the Mount Cooper striped lerista. Inappropriate fire regimes: Fire frequency, intensity, season, type and extent of fires over time, influence biodiversity and ecosystem processes. Inappropriate fire regimes can potentially alter ecosystem structure and impact on the species habitat requirements i.e. by removing food sources and shelter. Habitat The skink shelters among leaf litter and burrows into loose soil under logs in deciduous vine thickets growing on yellowish-red deep sandy soils. Ecology and Life Cycle Very little is known about the life history and ecology of the Mount Cooper striped lerista. Most Leristas are burrowing species which feed on termites and other small invertebrates. However, it is not known if this is the case with the Mount Cooper striped lerista. When disturbed, they usually ‘dive’ immediately into the loose sandy substrate. Scientific Name: Lerista vittata Conservation Status Endangered - IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (International) Vulnerable - Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (National) Vulnerable - Nature Conservation Act 1992 (Queensland) Juveniles and sub-adults usually have a red or orange flush on the tail. Mount Cooper striped lerista © Steve Wilson Logs © Alison Goodland • Avoid clearing vine scrub within the species’ known range to protect habitat and populations. • If burning near vine thicket vegetation, leave a buffer and use cool burns in a mosaic pattern that promote patchiness and leave areas of ground cover unburnt. • Avoid disturbance of vine thicket habitat by restricting grazing by fencing if necessary. • Contact your local NRM group to get information on implementing a weed control program in your area. • Consider entering into a conservation agreement (e.g. Land for Wildlife, Nature Refuges or incentive agreements through grant programs) for conservation and land management assistance. • Report sightings to WWF-Australia, the Queensland Museum or the EPA/QPWS. Taking a photo of live or dead specimens is useful to help identification. To find out more about saving threatened species check out www.wwf.org.au/tsn or contact the Threatened Species Network at [email protected]. Mount Cooper striped lerista habitat © Craig Eddie © WWF-Australia June 2008 How to help Ornamental snake Ornamental snake habitat © Craig Eddie Description The ornamental snake has a stout body, which grows to a total length of around 42 centimetres. Its body is greyish brown on top and the underside is cream, often with darker streaks or flecks on the outer edges of the belly. The entire head, and at least the fore body, is very finely peppered with dark brown or black. The lips of the ornamental snake are distinctly barred. Distribution The ornamental snake occurs exclusively in central Queensland and was thought to be restricted to the Dawson and Fitzroy River drainage systems. Its geographic range has recently been extended northeast to the Collinsville district. Habitat clearance has been extensive in this region. Scientific Name: Denisonia maculata Habitat The ornamental snake can be found on floodplains, undulating clay plains and along the margins of swamps, lakes and watercourses. It also occurs on adjoining areas of slightly elevated ground with clay and sandy loams. It has been recorded in woodlands and open woodlands of coolabah, poplar box, belah and brigalow, as well as fringing vegetation along watercourses and grasslands. Ornamental snakes have also been found in cleared woodlands that contain adequate ground cover and shelter sites, such as logs. Ecology and Life Cycle The ornamental snake is a nocturnal species which shelters under fallen timber, rocks and bark and in deep soil cracks. Suitable habitat may support a high population density, with numbers dropping sharply with a shift in soil type or topography. Conservation Status Vulnerable - Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (National) It is capable of flattening its body when disturbed or when squeezing through a narrow space. This mechanism is also used as a defence posture where the body is depressed and held in a series of stiff curves, from which it will thrash about and bite savagely if approached. Vulnerable - Nature Conservation Act 1992 (Queensland) The ornamental snake feeds almost exclusively on frogs. They bear live young with an average of six to eight per litter. Ornamental snake © Steve.Wilson Key Threats Grazing effects: Overgrazing by stock results in habitat degradation through soil compaction, erosion and alteration of the vegetation community. Small remnants and isolated unconnected strips of vegetation are often used as areas of shade for cattle. The isolation of remnants combined with heavy grazing pressure may result in significant changes to remnant vegetation condition such as loss of plant material and ground cover. Feral animals: Frog-eating snakes, such as the ornamental snake, are at risk of poisoning through the ingestion of cane toads. Destruction of wetland habitat by feral pigs is a major threat to this species, along with the associated destruction of frog habitat and direct competition for their food source (frogs). Mining: There are many coal mines within the species distribution, and as the industry is experiencing a boom, the pressures from mining activities are likely to increase. The impact of this to the ornamental snake includes additional habitat disturbance, more road construction and an increase in traffic including heavy vehicles. This species should be treated with caution as its’ bite can produce severe effects. How to help • Avoid removing or disturbing native vegetation, particularly near creeks, water courses or rivers. • Undertake coordinated feral pig control measures. • Undertake cane toad control measures where practicable. • Control grazing in riparian zones to protect the ground cover and reduce soil erosion. • If burning, use cool burns in a mosaic pattern that promote patchiness and leave areas of ground cover unburnt. • Consider entering into a conservation agreement (e.g. Land for Wildlife, Nature Refuges or incentive agreements through grant programs) for conservation and land management assistance. • Report sightings to WWF-Australia, the Queensland Museum or the EPA/QPWS. • Leave snakes alone. They are protected under State legislation and it is illegal to harm them, not to mention potentially dangerous. To find out more about saving threatened species check out www.wwf.org.au/tsn or contact the Threatened Species Network at [email protected]. Ornamental snake habitat © Craig Eddie Retro Slider Retro slider habitat © Alison Goodland Description The retro slider, also known as Allan’s lerista, is a moderately robust burrowing skink with no forelimbs and only one digit on the hindlimbs. Its general appearance is grey or grey-brown above with a dark spot on each dorsal and lateral scale and dark-edged ventral scales, particularly under the tail. The retro slider’s lower eyelid is moveable. Distribution The retro slider occurs exclusively in the Brigalow Belt bioregion. It is only known from the undulating black soil plains at Clermont, Logan Downs Station and Retro Station. Habitat The retro slider is suspected to favour the root systems of grass tussocks growing in grasslands on black soil downs surrounded by scattered gums and groves of tea trees or bottle trees. Ecology and Life Cycle Very little is known about the life history and ecology of this species. The species has been found under rocks and logs in open woodland. The retro slider has not been seen since 1960. However surveys have been undertaken during suboptimal seasonal conditions, so there is still hope of finding this species again. Key Threats Loss of habitat due to clearing and thinning: Virtually all of the retro slider’s preferred habitat has been cultivated and no longer supports natural vegetation. Small, disturbed or highly modified grasslands occur on road verges and other public lands. Scientific Name: Lerista allanae Conservation Status Critically Endangered - IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (International) Endangered Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (National) Did You Know? There have been no recent sightings of this endangered species and searches for the retro slider over recent years have failed to locate specimens. Thirteen museum specimens comprise the total knowledge base of the retro slider. All 13 individuals were collected in three locations (Retro, Logan Downs and Clermont) in close proximity to one another, between 1929 and 1960. Retro slider © Steve Wilson Retro slider habitat © Alison Goodland How to help Keep an eye out for the species and report any potential sightings to WWF-Australia, the Queensland Museum or the EPA/QPWS. Taking a photo of live or dead specimens is useful to help identification. • Continue organised searches for the species in suitable habitat. • Avoid disturbing remnant strips or patches of native grassland or woodland. • Maintain large, healthy, connected patches of native vegetation. • Retain fallen timber and ground cover as these provide essential habitat. • Ensure grazing practices are sustainable, maintaining good ground cover and soil structure. • If burning, use cool burns in a mosaic pattern that promotes patchiness and leaves areas of ground cover unburnt. • Consider entering into a conservation agreement (e.g. Land for Wildlife, Nature Refuges or incentive agreements through grant programs) for conservation and land management assistance. To find out more about saving threatened species check out www.wwf.org.au/tsn or contact the Threatened Species Network at [email protected]. © WWF-Australia June 2008 • Retro slider habitat © Alison Goodland Sadlier’s skink Sadlier’s skink habitat © Eric Vanderduys Description Sadlier’s skink is a very small ground-dwelling skink that reaches up to 63 millimetres in size. It is brown with some gold flecking and an oily bluish sheen over some of its scales. The sides of this skink are dark brown. Habitat The basic habitat requirements of this species are poorly understood. Most specimens have been recorded from the low lying areas of Magnetic Island, including woodlands, well shaded gullies and disturbed garden areas. Distribution Sadlier’s skink occurs only in Queensland and is only known from Magnetic Island, north Queensland. This species may occur on parts of the mainland, but more targetted surveys need to be conducted to clarify this. Ecology and Life Cycle Very little is known about the ecology of Sadlier’s skink. It tends to warm itself underneath sun-warmed leaf litter, to reduce their exposure to potential predators. When Sadlier’s skink is disturbed it quickly vanishes under leaf litter and even into crumbly soils. Scientific Name: Menetia sadlieri Conservation Status Rare - Nature Conservation Act1992 (Queensland) Sadlier’s skink warms itself underneath sunwarmed leaf litter, to reduce their exposure to potential predators. A captive study showed that one female laid two eggs, each weighing only 0.05 grams, but these failed to hatch in captivity. Key Threats Loss of habitat and weed invasion: Island species such as Sadlier’s skink, may have suffered more than species in any other habitat. Having evolved in isolation, often in response to specialised conditions, and lacking reservoirs for re-colonisation, these species display the characteristics of small populations including sensitivity to changes in their environment. Uncontrolled development in lowland areas of the island may destroy vital habitat. Sadlier’s skink © Eric Vanderduys Sadlier’s skink habitat © Eric Vanderduys How to help Become involved in community-based on-ground projects such as field surveys to clarify the extent of the skink’s range and its habitat preferences. • Maintain large, healthy, connected patches of native vegetation. • Report sightings to WWF-Australia, the Queensland Museum or the EPA/QPWS. Taking a photo of live or dead specimens is useful to help identification. To find out more about saving threatened species check out www.wwf.org.au/tsn or contact the Threatened Species Network at [email protected]. © WWF-Australia June 2008 • Sadlier’s skink © Eric Vanderduys Short-necked worm-skink Short-necked worm-skink habitat © Craig Eddie Description The short-necked worm-skink is a small, limbless, burrowing skink with a head and body length of around 11 to 16 centimetres. Its body is a light tan to buff colour, with darker bluish-brown colour on the head and tail. The belly is whitish or flesh coloured and the chin and throat are spotted with dark brown. A dark speckle on each scale creates a pattern of dotted lines along the length of the skink. It has a rounded snout and hidden ear-openings. Scientific Name: Anomalopus brevicollis Conservation Status Rare - Nature Conservation Act 1992 (Queensland) Distribution The short-necked worm-skink occurs exclusively in central-eastern Queensland. Its range is restricted to the northern half of the Mackenzie/Fitzroy/Dawson catchments, from Eungella in the north to Clermont in the west and south to Theodore. Habitat The short-necked worm-skink is a habitat generalist. It can be found in a variety of vegetation types including dry sclerophyll forest, monsoon rainforest and permanently moist rainforest. It has also been recorded in vine scrubs and on rock outcrops. Ecology and Life Cycle The short-necked worm-skink is a burrowing species, taking refuge among leaf litter, under rocks and fallen timber on well-draining soils. When disturbed it burrows deeper into soft substrates or into rock crevices. It feeds upon soil invertebrates. One or two eggs are produced per clutch. Skinks are the most widespread and diverse lizard group in Australia. There are nearly 400 species of Australian skinks. Short-necked worm-skink © Steve Wilson Short-necked worm-skink habitat © Craig Eddie Key Threats Loss of habitat due to clearing and thinning: The focus of vegetation clearing in the Brigalow Belt is shifting from the essentially cleared Brigalow ecosystems on fertile soils to the eucalypt woodlands on poorer soils. Consequently the survival of dry woodland and open forest species with limited geographic ranges and/or specialised habitat requirements, such as the short-necked worm-skink, remain uncertain unless conservation action is undertaken. Inappropriate fire regimes: Fire frequency, intensity, season, type and extent of fires over time, influence biodiversity and ecosystem processes. Inappropriate fire regimes can potentially alter ecosystem structure and impact on the species habitat requirements i.e. by removing food sources and shelter. • Maintain large, healthy, connected patches of native vegetation and avoid ploughing remnant strips/patches of native grassland or woodland. • Avoid removing native vegetation particularly near creeks, water courses or rivers. • Avoid removing essential habitat such as fallen timber, rocks and ground cover. • If burning, use cool burns in a mosaic pattern that promote patchiness and leave areas of ground cover unburnt. • Ensure grazing practices are sustainable, maintaining greater than 70% ground cover. • Report sightings to WWF-Australia, the Queensland Museum or the EPA/QPWS. Taking a photo of live or dead specimens is useful to help identification. • Consider entering into a conservation agreement (e.g. Land for Wildlife, Nature Refuges or incentive agreements through grant programs) for conservation and land management assistance. To find out more about saving threatened species check out www.wwf.org.au/tsn or contact the Threatened Species Network at [email protected]. © WWF-Australia June 2008 How to help Short-necked worm-skink habitat © Craig Eddie Striped-tailed delma Striped-tailed delma habitat © Eric Vanderduys Description The striped-tailed delma is reddish brown or grey brown above and cream on the underside. The colouring upon its head tends to be yellowish and then greyer along the tail region. It has a very distinctive pattern of alternating cream and yellow vertical bars on the lips and side of the head and a narrow dark stripe along each side of its tail. Striped-tailed delmas have long snouts and tails that are around four times the length of the body. It reaches approximately 40 centimetres in length. The mid-body scales are in 16 rows. Distribution The striped-tailed delma occurs exclusively in Queensland, with a significant proportion confined to the Brigalow Belt bioregion. It occurs along the central Queensland coast south to Keswick Island off Mackay. It has also been recorded in the far northern Brigalow Belt from Magnetic Island and a few localities on the mainland near Townsville, to the foothills below Paluma. There is a single record from higher altitude, near Paluma itself. Habitat On the mainland striped-tailed delmas prefers low open coastal forest with grassy understorey. They have also been found in wet sclerophyll forest on islands and open woodland in coastal regions. Ecology and Life Cycle The striped-tailed delma is diurnal, which means that it is active during the day. It is extremely shy and is usually only seen briefly. The striped-tailed delma has been known to use leaf litter, logs and sheets of iron as shelter. It feeds upon a variety of arthropods and usually lays two eggs per clutch. Scientific Name: Delma labialis Conservation Status Vulnerable - IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (International) Vulnerable - Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (National) Vulnerable - Nature Conservation Act 1992 (Queensland) The striped-tailed delma occurs exclusively in Queensland, with a significant proportion confined to the Brigalow Belt bioregion. Striped-tailed delma © Eric Vanderduys Striped-tailed delma habitat © Eric Vanderduys Key Threats Inappropriate fire regimes: Fire frequency, intensity, season, type and extent of fires over time, influence biodiversity and ecosystem processes. Inappropriate fire regimes can potentially alter ecosystem structure and impact on the species habitat requirements i.e. by removing food sources and shelter. Removal of wood debris and rocks: This species is threatened by the removal of its microhabitat, which includes partly buried rocks, fallen logs and leaf litter. • Avoid removing fallen logs, leaf litter and rocks in striped-tailed delma habitat as this minimises vital refuge sites. • Become involved in community-based on-ground projects (e.g. fencing remnants to reduce grazing impacts, reptile monitoring and field surveys). • Maintain large, healthy, connected patches of native vegetation. • If burning, use cool burns in a mosaic pattern that promote patchiness and leave areas of ground cover unburnt. • Report sightings to WWF-Australia, the Queensland Museum or the EPA/QPWS. Taking a photo of live or dead specimens is useful to help identification. • Consider entering into a conservation agreement (e.g. Land for Wildlife, Nature Refuges or incentive agreements through grant programs) for conservation and land management assistance. To find out more about saving threatened species check out www.wwf.org.au/tsn or contact the Threatened Species Network [email protected]. Striped-tailed delma © Eric Vanderduys © WWF-Australia June 2008 How to help Woma Woma habitat © Craig Eddie Description The woma is a large, stocky, python with an average length of 1.5 metres but can grow to 2.7 metres. It is a glossy yellowish or reddish brown to a pale greenish brown with prominent banding and dark patches above the eyes. Large adults sometimes lose these bands and dark eye patches as they get older. The belly of the woma is cream to yellow with numerous pink or brown blotches. This is one of only two pythons in the world lacking heat sensitive pits along the lips. Distribution The woma is widespread throughout arid and semi-arid Australia. In Queensland it occurs in the dry subtropics from the Northern Territory border east to the Miles/ Glenmorgan area. Core populations are found within the Mulga Lands and Brigalow Belt South bioregion. Habitat The woma is a habitat generalist, occurring in a broad range of habitats. These include: (a) rocky ridges vegetated by narrow-leaved ironbark, mountain yapunyah, ooline, bendee or lancewood, (b) mulga/ poplar box/silver-leaved ironbark woodlands on sandy and loamy red earths, (c) white cypress pine, bulloak, carbeen, poplar box woodlands on sandy soils associated with levees along major watercourses eg. the Maranoa and Balonne Rivers, (d) brigalow/ belah woodlands on clay soils (rarely) (e) poplar box woodland on alluvial flats or low hills with clay, loam or stony substrates, and (f) spinifex grasslands or open woodlands on deep sandy soils. Ecology and Life Cycle The woma is generally considered nocturnal. However, it can sometimes be encountered basking in the sun. Unlike other types of pythons which are skilled climbers, the woma is a ground dweller. It takes shelter within hollow logs, animal burrows or thick herbage during the day. In the evening and at night the woma forages for ground birds, small mammals (including hares and rabbits) and other reptiles. An egg layer, the woma lays up to 22 eggs. It incubates and protects its eggs by coiling its body around the clutch almost continually until they hatch. Scientific Name: Aspidites ramsayi Conservation Status Endangered - IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (International) Appendix II - Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (International) Rare - Nature Conservation Act 1992 (Queensland) This species is non-venomous but has been observed eating venomous snakes. Juvenile woma © Steve Wilson Woma habitat © Craig Eddie Key Threats Loss of habitat due to clearing and thinning: The focus of vegetation clearing in the Brigalow Belt is shifting from the essentially cleared Brigalow ecosystems on fertile soils to the eucalypt woodlands on poorer soils. Consequently the survival of dry woodland/ open forest species with limited geographic ranges and/or specialised habitat requirements, such as the woma, remain uncertain unless conservation action is undertaken. Ripping of rabbit warrens: The practice of ripping rabbit warrens has been known to kill womas, as well as destroying an important shelter site for this species. Inappropriate roadside management: Roadsides and road reserves often provide suitable reptile habitat. These areas are often islands of native vegetation in a fragmented landscape providing important refuge sites. Management practices of these remnants should reflect the multi-use nature of these areas. Feral animals: Juveniles are at risk of predation from pigs, foxes and feral cats. Road deaths: Some populations of womas are particularly prone to mortality from vehicle traffic. Misidentification: Womas are frequently killed at property homesteads and other areas, often as a case of mistaken identity with venomous snakes. Illegal collecting: The woma is very popular in the reptile collecting trade, with illegal collecting potentially impacting on populations of this species. Did You Know? Unlike most other pythons, such as the familiar carpet python, the woma’s head and neck are about the same width as the body. This is one of only two pythons in the world lacking heat sensitive holes along the lips. Most pythons have heat sensing pits to hone in on warm blooded animals and birds. However, because the woma goes after reptiles which don’t radiate heat in the cool of the night, it doesn’t need the heat sensing apparatus. This species is non-venomous, however it is an unusual python because it actually likes to eat other reptiles; venomous snakes in particular. • Implement coordinated feral animal control measures. • Monitor for the presence of reptiles using rabbit warrens before undertaking warren ripping practices in known woma areas. Use other control measure if possible. • Maintain large, healthy, connected patches of native vegetation across the landscape. • Retain fallen timber, including stacked timber piles, and ground cover as these provide essential habitat. • Ensure grazing practices are sustainable, maintaining good ground cover. • If burning, use cool burns in a mosaic pattern that promote patchiness and leave areas of ground cover unburnt. • Consider entering into a conservation agreement (e.g. Land for Wildlife, Nature Refuges or incentive agreements through grant programs) for conservation and land management assistance. • Report sightings to WWF-Australia, the Queensland Museum or the EPA/QPWS. To find out more about saving threatened species check out www.wwf.org.au/tsn or contact the Threatened Species Network at [email protected]. © WWF-Australia June 2008 How to help • Leave snakes alone. They are protected under Queensland legislation and it is illegal to harm them or interfere with them, not to mention potentially dangerous. Yakka skink Yakka skink habitat © Craig Eddie Description The yakka skink is a robust lizard with a thick tail and short legs around the same size as a blue tongue lizard. Its body colour ranges from pale to dark brown, usually with a broad dark brown stripe extending along the back from the neck to the tail. This dark stripe is bordered on either side by a narrow, pale fawn stripe. Some of the scales at the rear of its head are fragmented, so it lacks the symmetrical arrangement of other skinks. There are several large, plate-like scales along the leading edge of the ear, partly concealing the opening. The average size from head to tail tip is 40 centimetres, making it one of the largest skinks in the region. Scientific Name: Egernia rugosa Conservation Status Vulnerable - Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (National) Vulnerable - Nature Conservation Act 1992 (Queensland) Distribution The core of the yakka skink’s distribution is within the Mulga Lands and Brigalow Belt South bioregions. Other populations are scattered throughout the Brigalow Belt North (east to the Rockhampton area) and Einasleigh Uplands bioregions, extending northwards to southern Cape York Peninsula. Recent surveys have detected populations along the Queensland/New South Wales border. Habitat Yakka skinks occur in a wide variety of vegetation types including poplar box, ironbark, brigalow, white cypress pine, mulga, bendee and lancewood woodlands and open forests. Substrates include rock, sand, clay and loamy red earth. They can persist in clearings where shelter sites such as tunnel erosion, rabbit warrens and log piles exist. Ecology and Life Cycle The yakka skink is active during cooler parts of the day, dusk and sometimes at night. Individuals dig a deep burrow system under and between partly buried rocks or logs, or into old root tracts at the base of remnant stumps. They may also utilise old rabbit warrens, deep gullies, tunnel erosion/sinkholes or under rural buildings. Yakka skink © Steve Wilson Yakka skink habitat © Craig Eddie The yakka skink is omnivorous, consuming a wide variety of invertebrates (beetles, grasshoppers, spiders) that venture into or near the burrow entrance. They also consume soft plant materials and fruits. It produces live young with around six per litter. Key Threats Loss of habitat due to clearing and thinning: The focus of vegetation clearing in the Brigalow Belt is shifting from the essentially cleared Brigalow ecosystems on fertile soils to the eucalypt woodlands on poorer soils. Consequently the survival of dry woodland/open forest species with limited geographic ranges and/or specialised habitat requirements, such as the yakka skink, remain uncertain unless conservation action is undertaken. Inappropriate roadside management: Roadsides and road reserves often provide suitable reptile habitat. Populations of reptiles that live within linear remnants, such as roadside strips, are particularly vulnerable to disturbances that remove essential microhabitat features, for example, rocks, logs, dense leaf litter and fallen bark. Road widening and maintenance works may also impact on yakka skink populations by destroying burrows. Removal of wood debris and rocks: This species is threatened by the removal of its microhabitat, which includes partly buried rocks, fallen logs and leaf litter. Ripping of rabbit warrens: The practice of ripping rabbit warrens has been known to kill womas, as well as destroying an important shelter site for this species. Feral animals: The yakka skink is vulnerable to predation by foxes and feral cats. An extremely secretive species, its presence is often indicated by scats near the burrow entrances. • Retain fallen timber and ground cover as these provide essential habitat. • Implement coordinated feral animal control measures. • Survey roadsides before undertaking road widening or maintenance operations. Flag and protect suitable habitat and burrows if found. • Avoid disturbance of colonies by ensuring grazing practices are sustainable, maintaining good ground cover or restricting grazing by fencing if necessary. • If burning, use cool burns in a mosaic pattern that promote patchiness and leave areas of ground cover unburnt. • Consider entering into a conservation agreement (e.g. Land for Wildlife, Nature Refuges or incentive agreements through grant programs) for conservation and land management assistance. • Report sightings to WWF-Australia, the Queensland Museum or the EPA/QPWS. Taking a photo of live or dead specimens is useful to help identification. To find out more about saving threatened species check out www.wwf.org.au/tsn or contact the Threatened Species Network at [email protected]. © WWF-Australia June 2008 How to help • Maintain large, healthy, connected patches of suitable habitat – for example poplar box, ironbark, brigalow and mulga woodlands. Queensland Brigalow Belt Reptile Recovery Program Short-necked worm-skink © Steve Wilson What is a reptile Animals of the class Reptilia possess a scaly skin which is shed periodically, to facilitate growth. Reptiles differ from other terrestrial vertebrates in that they are cold blooded or ‘ecothermic’ this means they are unable to regulate their own body temperature so they rely on the environment for body warmth. Being cold blooded, reptiles are not found in very cold regions, and in regions with cold winters they will usually hibernate. native vegetation and the consequent fragmentation of their populations. What is the Queensland Brigalow Belt Reptile Recovery Program? Reptiles are an important part of the natural environment. Recovery plans set out the research and management actions necessary to stop the decline of, and support the recovery of, listed threatened species or threatened ecological communities. The Queensland Brigalow Belt Reptile Recovery Plan aims to secure and improve the long term survival of the 16 species and to raise awareness of reptile conservation issues generally within the community. The future of our reptiles The majority of Australia’s reptiles are declining in numbers, in fact one in four of Australia’s 850 reptile species are in significant decline. Of these Queensland has the highest number with 41 percent of species currently threatened. Unfortunately the ecology and distribution of reptiles is much less well known than that of either mammals or birds. The recovery program covers the Queensland part of the Brigalow Belt bioregion. This region is recognised by the Australian Government as a biodiversity hotspot. Those species at the greatest risk of extinction are those whose declines are driven largely by clearing of Table 1: Current status of species considered in this recovery plan Scientific name Common name EPBC 1999 NCA 1992 IUCN Strophurus taenicauda golden-tailed gecko Delma labialis striped-tailed delma V V V Delma torquata collared delma V V V Paradelma orientalis brigalow scaly-foot V V V Anomalopus brevicollis short-necked worm-skink Anomalopus mackayi five-clawed worm-skink V E Egernia rugosa yakka skink V V Lerista allanae retro slider E E CrE Lerista vittata Mount Cooper striped lerista V V E Menetia sadlieri Sadlier’s skink Tympanocryptis pinguicolla Darling Downs earless dragon Aspidites ramsayi woma R Acanthophis antarcticus common death adder R Denisonia maculata ornamental snake V V V Furina dunmalli Dunmall’s snake V V V Hemiaspis damelii grey snake CrE = Critically endangered E = Endangered V = Vulnerable R = Rare R R V R E E E E EPBC = Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, 1999 NCA = Nature Conservation Act, 1992 IUCN = World Conservation Union Golden-tailed gecko © Craig Eddie How will this be achieved? The Recovery Plan outlines management actions that will need to be achieved over the next five years in order to help the survival of the species. A Recovery Team has been established to oversee, monitor and evaluate the delivery of the management actions under this plan. Actions include activities such as identifying gaps in species research, developing and supporting research priorities, identifying and protecting key habitat and populations of the species, working with local government to protect reptile habitat on stock routes, roadsides and reserves. By working together with many different stakeholders across the region the Recovery Team are aiming to achieve some fantastic conservation outcomes for reptiles over the next five years and beyond. What species will it help to protect? The recovery program focuses on 16 species of threatened reptiles from the Queensland Brigalow Belt bioregion. These include geckos, snakes, legless lizards, skinks and dragons. All of the species are recognised as threatened under state legislation, and ten of these are recognised under national legislation as threatened. Why conserve reptiles Generally the community perception of reptiles is not always positive. However, reptiles are often a useful ‘indicator’ group, meaning a decline in reptile species or numbers may mirror reductions in other animal populations. Reptiles also contribute a key service in the agricultural landscape, preying on production pests such as rats, mice and insects. Australia has a rich and unique reptile fauna with over 90 percent of them found nowhere else in the world. Did you know? To find out how you can get involved in the recovery program or for a copy of the draft recovery plan contact the Threatened Species Network at [email protected]. To find out more about saving threatened species check out www.wwf.org.au/tsn. Sand-swimmer skink © Alison Goodland © WWF-Australia June 2008 Australia’s most dominant group of animals is the reptiles with over 850 recognised species. They have an excellent ability to cope with Australia’s extreme conditions. All native reptiles are protected in Queensland and should not be disturbed or removed. Sand-swimmer skink © Alison Goodland References Golden tailed gecko © Craig Eddie Publications Cogger, H., Cameron, E., Sadlier, R., Eggler, P. 1993. “The Action Plan for Australian Reptiles”. Australian Museum, Canberra Covacevich, J. A., Couper, P. J., McDonald, K. R. 1998. “Reptile diversity at risk in the Brigalow Belt”. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum: 42(2): 475-486. Drury, W. 2001. “Reptiles under threat in Queensland’s Southern Brigalow Belt”. WWFAustralia, Brisbane Dury, W. 2003. “Beneath the Brigalow – Being Reptile Friendly: A School Education Kit”. WWFAustralia, Brisbane H. G. Cogger. 2000. “Reptiles & Amphibians of Australia”, 6th Edition. Reed New Holland, Sydney Hobson, R. 2003. “Hidden Eardrum, Changing Colour.” Summer edition, WILDLIFE Australia Magazine Hoser, R.T. 1989. “Australian Reptiles and Frogs”. Pierson & Co, Sydney Lloyd, R. 2005. A high altitude observation of the North Queensland Pygopod Delma labialis. Hepetofauna. 35 (1): 40- 41 Richardson, R. (In prep). “Draft National recovery plan for Queensland Brigalow Belt Reptiles. Report to the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts. WWF-Australia, Brisbane. Sattler, P. & Williams, R. 1999. “The Conservation Status of Queensland’s Bioregional Ecosystems”. Environmental protection Agency, Brisbane Swanson, S. 2007. “Field Guide to Australian Reptiles”. Steve Parish Publishing, Brisbane. Vanderduys, E. 2005. “Additional Information on Menetia sadlieri, a poorly known skink from Magnetic Island, North Queensland”. Herpetofauna. 35 (1): 54-60 Wilson, S. & Swan, G. 2008. “A Complete Guide to Reptiles of Australia”, 2nd Edition. Reed New Holland, Sydney Wilson, S. “Reptiles of the Southern Brigalow Belt”. WWF-Australia, Brisbane Wilson, S. 2005. “A Field Guide to Reptiles of Queensland”. Reed New Holland, Sydney Wilson, S. K. and Knowles, D. G. 1988. “Australia’s Reptiles – A Photographic Reference to the Terrestrial Reptiles of Australia”. Collins, Pymble Spinifex © Alison Goodland Websites Australian Herpetological Society www.ahs.org.au Australia Zoo www.australiazoo.com.au/ Australian Reptile Forum www.australianreptile forum.com Australian Reptile Keeper Publications www.reptilepublications.com.au Australian Reptile Park www.reptilepark.com.au A-Z of Animals www.epa.qld.gov.au/nature_conservation/wildlife/ az_of_animals/ Conservation Management Profile – Collared delma Delma torquata www.epa.qld.gov.au/publications?id=2094 Encyclopedia of Australian Reptiles www.amonline.net.au/herpetology/research/pdf/ varanidae.pdf EPBC Act list of threatened fauna www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/sprat/public/ publicthreatenedlist.pl?wanted=fauna Reptiles and Amphibians www.qm.qld.gov.au/organisation/sections/ ReptilesAmphibians/index.asp Reptiles Australia www.reptilesaustralia.com.au/ To find out more about saving threatened species check out www.wwf.org.au/tsn or contact the Threatened Species Network at [email protected] Eucalyptus Woodland © Alison Goodland © WWF-Australia June 2008 The Reptiles of Australia www.kingsnake.com/oz/