Attachment 6a - Ecological Assessment Part 1 · MCU18/0015

                            Ecological Assessment – Attunga Heights



Eighty (80) type ‘A’ Elliott traps were deployed over a period of four (4) nights in 2018.
Traps were deployed along four (4) trapping lines, spread out across the subject site to
ensure each vegetation type was adequately surveyed (i.e. 2 trap lines per vegetation
community). Trapping effort totalled three hundred and twenty (320) trap nights for the
2018 survey. Trap locations are shown in FIGURE 9.

During both surveys the traps were baited with peanut butter, rolled oats, honey and
pistachio essence. Traps were cleared early each morning, and trapped animals were
identified and released at the point of capture.


4.2.2.8 Cage Trapping
In 2003, six (6) wire cage traps (30 x 30 x 90cm) were set for a period of four (4) nights. A
total of twenty-four (24) cage trap nights was achieved. 2003 cage trap locations are shown
in FIGURE 8.

In 2018, one (1) wire cage trap was set along each trapping line i.e. four (4) cage traps in
total, for a period of four (4) nights. A total of sixteen (16) cage trap nights was achieved.
The 2018 wire cage trap locations are shown in FIGURE 9.

During both surveys the traps were set with a combination of vegetarian (i.e. combination
of apple, banana and rolled oats, honey and peanut butter mix) and carnivorous (i.e.
sardine, tuna oil and flour mixture) baits. Traps were cleared early each morning, and
trapped animals were identified, sexed and released at the point of capture.


4.2.2.9 Pitfall/Funnel Trapping
Pitfall trapping was employed to target small mammals, amphibians and reptiles, and in
particular, Wallum Froglets, Wallum Sedgefrogs, Cooloola Sedgefrogs and Ophioscincus
truncatus.

In 2003, pitfall trap-lines were set at three sites incorporating open dry and wet forest
vegetation. Trap lines consisted of five (5) holes at two (2) sites and four (4) holes at the
third site. They were approximately 50 cm deep, and were lined with plastic sheeting, set
five (5) metres apart and connected by an appropriate drift fence. Pitfall lines were left
open for four (4) nights and checked each morning for captures which were identified and
released. In total sixty (60) pitfall trap nights were achieved over the survey period. Pitfall
traplines are shown in FIGURE 9.

In 2018, a combination of pitfall and funnel traps were set along a series of line transects
throughout the subject site. Two (2) pitfall/funnel line transects were set per vegetation
community for a total of four (4) pitfall/funnel trap line transects. Each line included a
combination of four (4) pitfalls and four (4) funnels connected by an appropriate drift
fence. Trap lines were set for a period of four (4) nights for a total of one hundred and
twenty-eight (128) trap nights. 2018 pitfall/funnel trap lines are shown in FIGURE 9.




Job No: Q12038/RW3                        JWA Pty Ltd                                       26