Survey guidelines for Australia’s threatened non-flying mammals

Table A4: Spotlight, hair sampling, arboreal trapping, stagwatching and call playback.

Reference	Spotlight survey	Hair sampling device surveys	Arboreal trap surveys (cage and Elliott B)	Stagwatching survey	Call playback survey
NSW DECCW (2004)	2 searches, each for 1 hour along a traverse of 1 km if vehicle spotlighting is required, 100 w spotlight twice over 1 km at a speed below 5 km/h	Three tubes used at 10 sampling sites	Arboreal trap method and survey effort not prescribed	Stagwatching method and survey effort not prescribed	initial listening period of 10–15 mins spotlight search for 10 mins call each target species intermittently for 5 mins, followed by 10 min listening period 10 mins of spotlighting and listening after all calls have been made one consensus per night, unless sites are greater than 1 km apart
NPWS (1997)	Spotlight on foot along a 2 km long transect for each 2 ha (100 m x 200 m) site; conducted by two people with two spotlights spotlight survey is only conducted once.	Arboreal hair sampling, method and survey effort not prescribed.	Arboreal trap method and survey effort not prescribed.	Stagwatching method and survey effort not prescribed.	broadcast pre-recorded species calls for two min listen for two min per site once per site conduct immediately following a spotlight survey, with additional spotlighting required at the end of the call playback survey to see if any species have been attracted to the area.
NSW DLWC (1999)	Foot spotlight survey: two people with two 100 w spotlights along 1 km transect; walking at a speed of 1 km per hour should take approximately one hour replicate over two separate nights. Vehicle spotlight survey (200 ha area): drive 1 km of track maximum speed of 5 km per hour replicate over two separate nights.	three hair tubes (size not specified) set in each of ten habitat trees per 100 ha; tubes set for at least four consecutive nights bait not specified. Summary: 120 sampling-nights per 100 ha site.	Arboreal trap method and survey effort not prescribed.	Stagwatching method and survey effort not prescribed.	listen for 10 minutes spotlight the area for 10 minutes play pre-recorded calls of target species for five minutes followed by 10 minutes of spotlighting conduct playback survey at two sites per stratification unit (plus additional per 100 ha above 200 ha) replicate playback survey twice on two separate nights.
SFNSW (1999)	Foot spotlight survey: two people with 50 w spotlights along 2 km transect (either two by 1 km transects or one 2 km transect) per 200 ha compartment walking at a speed of 1 km per (survey should not be less than 1 hr in duration) replicate over two separate nights. Vehicle spotlight survey - transects can be surveyed from a vehicle on one of the two nights as follows: use the same transects as for foot surveys vehicle speed must not exceed 5 km per hour use 100 w spotlights. Transects can be established along roads/tracks or away from roads.	Arboreal hair sampling, method and survey effort not prescribed.	Arboreal trap method and survey effort not prescribed.	Stagwatching method and survey effort not prescribed.	Yellow-bellied glider among target species: ten minutes of listening, broadcast pre-recorded calls for five minutes (per species) and listen for two minutes conduct at two sites for every 200 ha compartment (additional call playback survey to be conducted for every additional 100 ha of survey area), separated by at least 1 kilometre where a 2 km long transect is used for spotlighting, conduct survey at the beginning and at the end of the transect replicate twice on separate nights sites should also be selected in potentially suitable habitat.
Wyong Shire Council (1999)	one person-hour spotlight survey per site use at least a 50 w spotlight.	optional four small hair tubes attached to tree trunks 1.5 m above the ground baited with meat to target the brush-tailed phascogale set for 10 nights. Summary: 40 sampling-nights per site.	mount six Elliott B traps (per ha) on platforms in trees 2–4 m above the ground set traps at 10 degrees to facilitate drainage from rain position traps on the south-western side of trunks to shade against morning sun cover traps with plastic bag in case of rain use a handful of dry leaf litter for bedding bait with a mixture of rolled oats, honey and peanut butter trap for four to five nights. Summary: 30 trap-nights per site.	Place an observer at the base of a hollow-bearing tree watch for period of 40 minutes following dusk.	Call playback method and survey effort not prescribed.
Murray et al. (2002)	spotlight survey conducted on foot at a rate of rate of 1 km per hour across representative sampling sites replication per vegetation community required for sites <10 ha.	optional four small hair tubes attached to tree trunks 1.5 m above the ground bait with meat to target the brush-tailed phascogale set for ten nights. Summary: 40 sampling-nights per site.	six to ten Elliott B traps per site mounted on platforms in trees 2–4 m above the ground one site per 0.5-1 ha in all habitats, set traps open for 3–4 consecutive nights set traps on a ten degree angle to facilitate drainage from rain place a handful of dry leaf litter for bedding bait with a mixture of peanut butter, honey and rolled oats. Summary: Variable effort.	place an observer at the base of a hollow-bearing tree watch for period of 40 minutes following dusk.	Call playback method and survey effort not prescribed
Ecotone Ecological Consultants (2001)	spotlight along a 500 m transect per site conduct spotlight survey following call playback survey two observers on foot using 50 w, 12 volt, 12 amp powered spotlights walking at a slow pace for at least 30 minutes. Equates to 30 minutes per 500 m (that is, 16.6 m per minute).	five 40 mm hair tubes attached to trees at each site bait with peanut butter, honey and rolled oats mixture, and set open for 10 nights. Summary: 50 trap-nights per ha site.	set five Elliott A traps and five Elliott B traps alternatively in two parallel lines per site, place traps 50 m apart on platforms mounted approx. 3 m of the ground shade traps and cover with a plastic bag with dry leaves supplied bait traps with rolled oats, honey and peanut butter mixture and sprayed with dilute honey mixture set open for four nights. Summary: 40 trap-nights per ha site.	Stagwatching method and survey effort not prescribed.	initial 10–15 minutes of listening then pre-recorded calls played for five minutes followed by five minutes of listening use a 50 w spotlight to scan the area at the end of the survey.
Owens (2000)	not formally prescribed and not limited to arboreal mammals head torches and car vehicle lights between sites foot surveys around sites, particularly rocky sites where pitfall traps could not be installed.	optional four hair tubes (200 mm length and 50 mm diameter PVC tube) per pastoral site (1000 m x 1000 m/10 ha) and two per agricultural site (100 m by 100 m/1 ha) one hair tube nailed to a tree (arboreal) and on the ground at either end of the pitfall trap-lines baited with a mixture of peanut butter and oats the number of trap days is not indicated. Summary: Variable effort.	Arboreal trap method and survey effort not prescribed.	Stagwatching method and survey effort not prescribed.	Call playback method and survey effort not prescribed
NT DIPE (2002)	Not specific to arboreal mammals. Conduct two separate 10 minute spotlight surveys in each quadrat site on separate nights.	Arboreal hair sampling, method and survey effort not prescribed.	Arboreal trap method and survey effort not prescribed.	Stagwatching method and survey effort not prescribed.	Call playback method and survey effort not prescribed.
NT DCNR (2002)	Not specific to arboreal mammals. Conduct two separate 10 minute spotlight surveys in each quadrat site on separate nights.	Arboreal hair sampling, method and survey effort not prescribed.	Arboreal trap method and survey effort not prescribed.	Stagwatching method and survey effort not prescribed.	Call playback method and survey effort not prescribed.
NT DIPE (2005)	not specific to arboreal mammals two searches at night of 50 m x 50m quadrat	Arboreal hair sampling, method and survey effort not prescribed.	Arboreal trap method and survey effort not prescribed.	Stagwatching method and survey effort not prescribed.	Call-playback method and survey effort not prescribed.
Morris (1992)	not specific to arboreal mammals 100 w powered spotlights spotlight surveys are conducted from a vehicle at 10–20 km per hr transects placed in all forest habitats transects equal to 15–25 km of track each night conduct two spotlight surveys within each four day sampling period use a survey distance of 50 m from track.	Arboreal hair sampling, method and survey effort not prescribed.	Arboreal trap method and survey effort not prescribed.	Stagwatching method and survey effort not prescribed.	Call-playback method and survey effort not prescribed.
Gold Coast City Council (2002)	30–50 w hand-held spotlights or head torches and conduct survey on foot two hours spotlighting (moving at a leisurely pace) per night of the survey period conduct across representative sampling sites.	Arboreal hair sampling, method and survey effort not prescribed.	Set five glider traps on platforms fixed to trees, as described in Mawberry, (1989) A New Trap Design for the Capture of Sugar Gliders.	Stagwatching method and survey effort not prescribed.	Call playback method and survey effort not prescribed
Qld EPA Southern Region (1999)	use high powered spotlights and head torches (not specified) conduct spotlight surveys over a period of three hrs.	Arboreal hair sampling, method and survey effort not prescribed.	combined ground-dwelling and arboreal survey effort - place 100 Elliott A traps and 20 cage traps on the ground and in trees space traps at 5 m intervals and arrange in five transects use a variety of baits (rolled oats and peanut butter and/or bacon, oil or canned fish) set traps for four nights check traps early morning and late afternoon. Summary: variable effort.	Stagwatching method and survey effort not prescribed.	Call playback surveys are recommended but not described.
Qld CRA/RFA Steering Committee	two observers traversing a 300 m transect with 30 w/50 w spotlights 0.5 hours (one person-hour). Spotlight surveys from vehicles along tracks between the survey sites were used to collect incidental records.	Arboreal hair sampling, method and survey effort not prescribed.	Arboreal trap method and survey effort not prescribed.	Stagwatching method and survey effort not prescribed.	Call playback method and survey effort not prescribed.
Eyre et al. (1997)	two observers traverse a 200 m long and 50 m wide transect use 30 w/50 w spotlights conduct survey for a maximum 1.5 person-hours.	Arboreal hair sampling, method and survey effort not prescribed.	Arboreal trap method and survey effort not prescribed.	Stagwatching method and survey effort not prescribed.	Call playback method and survey effort not prescribed.

GLOSSARY OF ACRONYMS
ACEC Animal Care and Ethics Committee (NSW)
CALM Department of Conservation and Land Management (WA). Now DEC
DECC Department of Environment Climate Change. Now DECCW
DECCW Department of Environment Climate Change and Water (NSW)
DEWHA Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts
DPIWE Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment (Tasmania)
EPA Environmental Protection Authority
EPBC Act Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
NPWS National Parks and Wildlife Service (NSW). Now DECCW
NRETAS Department of Natural Resources, Environment, the Arts and Sport (NT)
NSW DLSW NSW Department of Land and Water Conservation. Now the NSW Department of Water and Energy
NT DCNR Northern Territory Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Now NRETAS
NT DIPE Northern Territory Department of Infrastructure and Planning. Now NRETAS
NSW DPI Department of Primary Industries. Combines the Former NSW Agriculture and NSW State Forests.
SA DEH South Australia Department of Environment and Heritage
TSC Act Threatened Species Conservation Act
VIC DSE Department of Sustainability and the Environment (VIC)
WA DEC Western Australia Department of Environment and Conservation (formerly CALM)
WWF World Wildlife Fund for Nature, Australia