Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2023L00432:reg:5:p5
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2023L00432
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 5 (pt 5/8)
Character Range: 71974–74878

is likely to affect bilbies.
As the cane toad (Rhinella marina) progressively invades the Kimberley from the east, it is likely to invade some areas used by bilbies. If this occurs, there is the potential that bilbies will consume toadlets and/or toads. Although not identified as a specific threat, actions are included to detect and monitor adverse effects from the presence of the cane toad.

5.5                 Unmanaged fire and inappropriate fire regimes
The relationship between the Greater Bilby and fire over much of its range is complex, and the absence of active fire management or the prevailing fire regime of an area can determine its suitability as habitat for bilbies. Fire can promote the growth of bilby food plants, can influence vegetation density by making it more, or less, suitable for bilbies, and may influence predator behaviour and predation. However, for wild populations of the Bilby in Queensland, fire is not considered a threat (Page pers. comm. 2019). Bilby habitats, such as those in Astrebla Downs National Park are unlikely to carry fire due to low fuel loads occurring during fire seasons (NPRSR 2013). Fires started by natural events (for example lightning strikes) are unlikely to burn large areas and are likely to naturally extinguish. This is likely to create a natural burn mosaic.
Bilbies responded well to fires in the central and northern Tanami (NT), where fire is frequent, due to regeneration of major food plants (Southgate & Carthew 2006; Southgate & Carthew 2007). Similarly, bilbies have persisted in areas around Indigenous communities where a traditional fine-scale mosaic of smaller and less intense fires prevails (Paltridge pers. comm. 2016). Although some food plants used by the bilby are promoted by fire, fire can also destroy shrubs that can harbour root-dwelling larvae, an important food source.
Short-term changes to vegetation structure, such as that immediately after an intense fire, and long-term changes in vegetation structure from increases or decreases in fire interval may influence habitat suitability. For example, regrowth in extensively burnt areas can become increasingly impenetrable and unsuitable for medium-sized species like the Greater Bilby (Southgate pers. comm. 2016). Vegetation structure may also influence predation pressure on bilbies. In the Kimberley, intense fires created conditions that are favoured by cats, probably because their hunting success is improved (McGregor et al. 2014). Removal of ground cover from intense fires in savannah resulted in increased predator activity where small mammals were left more exposed to predation and there was an increase in mortality from predation (Leahy et al. 2016).
Fire weather risk is difficult to predict over much of the Greater Bilby's range (CSIRO & BOM 2020) however for areas influenced by monsoonal weather fire behaviour will be more extreme.
Planting