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Fauna: |
Confirming the presence of animals will be achieved by searching the areas and looking for signs and traces of species, and by conducting trapping using Elliot traps and pitfalls over 3 nights. Approximately 50 Elliot traps will be distributed over the study sites and baited each night for three nights, and closed during the day. Elliot traps will be checked mornings and pitfall traps will be checked twice daily (early morning and late afternoon). The location of each Elliot trap will be clearly marked with flagging tape to ensure all traps are checked each morning. Birds will be opportunistically recorded at survey sites and also more generally from sightings, tracks and other traces (eg nests). Any trapped animals will be temporarily marked with colour codes using permanent marker pens to enable recaptures and movements to be tracked over the rapping period. Animals will be handled for identification and marking purposes only and released at point of capture. Frog detection and monitoring will be conducted opportunistically and will be dependent on rainfall events and accessibility of suitable habitat. Sound recordings of frog calls (if calling) will be made, breeding will be monitored (if pre-frog stages are present) and adults will be searched for as appropriate. The risks of transmitting any infectious agents between frogs and between frogging sites will be minimised using the standard operating procedure as outlined in Appendix 3 of the Guidelines for Vertebrate Surveys in South Australia . Harald Ehmann of AWNRM Board will provide the necessary information and guidance to undertake the work. Captured animals will be handled for the shortest period possible and if necessary kept within a cloth or Hessian bag (for mammals and reptiles) or plastic clip-lock bags (for frogs) under cool and fully shaded conditions until release at the point of capture.Clean fresh water will be provided by wetting of or addition to the bags (as appropriate). Venomous snakes and goannas will be handled, bagged and contained safely in accordance with established procedures (see Appendix 16 Guidelines for Vertebrate Surveys in South Australia ). Voucher specimens will be taken as required in accord with the Guidelines for Vertebrate Surveys in South Australia , namely:
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