4.4.4 Fauna breeding places Under Schedule 7 of the Nature Conservation (Animal) Regulation 2020 , a fauna breeding place refers to an area (i.e. bower, burrow, cave, hollow, nest or other thing) that is commonly used by the animal to incubate or rear the animal’s offspring. Animal breeding places within the project footprint and survey area included: – Hollow-bearing trees providing potential denning habitat for arboreal mammals or birds – Old stags with large hollows Fauna breeding places were generally uncommon within the project area or survey area; however, some were present. Within the project area, eucalyptus trees were present that provide nesting shelter habitat for reptiles and nesting for avifauna. Very few hollow-bearing trees or stags were recorded within the project area (Plate 4-3). Five hollows were recorded across the survey area (Figure 4.6). The living hollow bearing trees had relatively small hollows, ranging from 10 – 20 cm entry ways. These can provide potential denning habitat for small arboreal mammals, and nesting availability for birds. While greater gliders have been known to den in stags (Eyre et al., 2022), the required hollow-density for this species to persist is approximately six hollow-bearing trees per hectare in Queensland (Eyre et al., 2022). Due to the low abundance, these hollow-bearing stags are not considered to be utilised by the greater glider. Yellow-bellied gliders do not favour hollow-bearing stags (DAWE, 2022) and these are not considered suitable denning habitat for this species.
Plate 4-3
Potential fauna breeding places observed within the survey area
GHD | Heritage Minerals Pty Ltd | 12626510 | Heritage Minerals Mount Morgan 37 This document is in form. The contents, including any opinions, conclusions or recommendations contained in, or which may be implied from, this document must not be relied upon. GHD reserves the right, at any time, without notice, to modify or retract any part or all of the document. To the maximum extent permitted by law, GHD disclaims any responsibility or liability arising from or in connection with this document.
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