Pre-harvest fauna and flora survey at harvesting coupes on Pikes Hill Track in East Gippsland Coupes surveyed: District Coupe Number Orbost 830-507-0020 Orbost 830-507-0023 Report prepared by Wildlife Unlimited for VicForests Wildlife Unlimited Pty Ltd
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Pre-harvest fauna and flora survey at harvesting coupes on
Pikes Hill Track in East Gippsland
Coupes surveyed:
District Coupe Number Orbost 830-507-0020 Orbost 830-507-0023
Report prepared by Wildlife Unlimited for VicForests
Wildlife Unlimited Pty Ltd
Pre-harvest fauna and flora survey at harvesting coupes on Pikes Hill Track
Report prepared by Wildlife Unlimited for VicForests Page 2
1 INTRODUCTION
Wildlife Unlimited was commissioned by VicForests to conduct surveys for spiny crayfish (Euastacus
A Macropod sp. 1 H 21:59 658238 5844096 20 30 658247 5844112 -
A Mountain Brushtail Possum 1 S 22:13 658046 5844260 60 340 658026 5844315 -
A Common Ringtail Possum 2 S 22:13 658046 5844260 20 240 658027 5844249 -
A Common Ringtail Possum 1 S 22:18 658010 5844298 10 30 658014 5844305 -
A Australian Owlet-Nightjar+
1 H 22:42 658238 5844075 60 360 658237 5844133 -
B Mountain Brushtail Possum 1 H 20:59 657527 5845542 40 50 657558 5845565 -
B Yellow-bellied Glider 1 H 21:06 657548 5845437 80 70 657623 5845460 B1
B Yellow-bellied Glider 1 H 21:06 657548 5845437 100 250 657451 5845401 B2
B Greater Glider 1 S 21:15 657524 5845335 80 200 657494 5845259 -
B Yellow-bellied Glider 1 H 21:23 657516 5845245 100 210 657463 5845159 B3
B Yellow-bellied Glider 1 H 21:27 657523 5845176 50 80 657571 5845181 B4
B Yellow-bellied Glider 1 H 21:27 657523 5845176 40 100 657561 5845166 B5
B Sugar Glider 1 S 21:31 657568 5845011 25 320 657551 5845029 -
B Greater Glider 1 S 21:41 657668 5844865 0 0 657668 5844865 -
B Yellow-bellied Glider 1 H 21:44 657690 5844815 100 160 657722 5844719 B6
B Yellow-bellied Glider 1 H 22:06 657716 5844598 50 195 657702 5844549 B7
B Sugar Glider 1 H 22:12 657759 5844493 100 50 657837 5844553 -
Pre-harvest fauna and flora survey at harvesting coupes on Pikes Hill Track
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Spotlight Species Number of individuals
Observer Seen/ Heard
Time Observer Easting
Observer Northing
Distance (m)
Direction (
o)
Fauna Easting*
Fauna Northing*
YBG detection number
B Yellow-bellied Glider 1 H 22:18 657871 5844460 50 10 657880 5844507 B8
* This is the estimated location of the fauna species detected based on the position of the observer/s and the estimated distance and direction of the species
+ Recorded after survey completion when walking back to vehicle
Pre-harvest fauna and flora survey at harvesting coupes on Pikes Hill Track
Report prepared by Wildlife Unlimited for VicForests Page 7
Map 1 Crayfish, galaxiid and flora surveys conducted during the current survey and location of target species Note: There was some discrepancy between data recorded by GPS units carried by field staff and existing spatial data (such as
creeks layers or aerial imagery). Additionally, the accuracy of GPS units was reduced when working along stream lines or in gullies,
resulting in fairly erratic track logs. The data depicted in this map is therefore intended as a guide to where surveys were
undertaken and does not represent the actual data recorded by GPS. (In the case of Stream 2, aerial imagery and GPS track logs
both indicate that this is not mapped correctly in the current spatial layer.) For Black-fellow’s Hemp records, numbered labels
correspond to ‘BFH detection number’ recorded in Table 4.
Pre-harvest fauna and flora survey at harvesting coupes on Pikes Hill Track
Report prepared by Wildlife Unlimited for VicForests Page 8
Map 2 Yellow-bellied Glider and dusk listening survey conducted during the current survey and estimated location of target species Numbered labels correspond to ‘YBG detection number’ recorded in Table 5.
Pre-harvest fauna and flora survey at harvesting coupes on Pikes Hill Track
Report prepared by Wildlife Unlimited for VicForests Page 9
Appendix 1 Crayfish species identification
The following images were sent to
for identification. Their comments regarding the taxonomy
of the species detected are as follows:
“…based on the lack of telsonic surface spines and there being 4 (2+2) mesal carpal spines, the
cray does not fit the current key for spiny crayfish. Logic goes as follows: 1. If we assume that the
male cuticle partition would be present, along with the lack of telsonic surface spines, we have a
choice of the following crayfish described from the East Gippsland region: Euastacus diversus and
Euastacus bidawalus. Only the distribution of E. bidawalus extends over the Arte River system,
though it has only been recorded with 3 mesal carpal spines, not four (only 1 individual with four
and all spines evenly spaced, not with 2 closer together as in your image), plus the crayfish in your
image seems to have a lot more blue and red on it than would possibly be found on E. bidawalus.
2. If we assume the male cuticle partition is absent, along with the lack of telsonic surface spines
we have a choice of the following species: Euastacus crassus and Euastacus diversus, though they
are not found in the Arte River system and have 3 mesal carpal spines. Therefore, based on the
above it appears that the crayfish is probably not one of the described species.”
“…thanks for the photos, yes they are of a new undescribed species. They do not match
the description for E. bidawalus which is the currently recognised Euastacus in that
region.”
Pre-harvest fauna and flora survey at harvesting coupes on Pikes Hill Track
Report prepared by Wildlife Unlimited for VicForests Page 10
Pre-harvest fauna and flora survey at harvesting coupes on Pikes Hill Track
Report prepared by Wildlife Unlimited for VicForests Page 11