Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2022L00195:reg:4:p6
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2022L00195
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 4 (pt 6/8)
Character Range: 59348–62209

should ideally not be greater than the average glide distance of 30 m. In an attempt to mitigate road casualties, glider poles have been established in some areas to improve gliders' ability to cross safely. Roads also have a less direct (but potentially more damaging) impact by dissecting habitat and reducing connectivity. Female gliders appear to be less likely to cross over roads than males (Asari et al., 2010).

4.2.7             Barbed wire fencing
Evidence suggests that barbed wire fences (usually used to contain livestock) are a major contributor of fatality and injury of the Mahogany Glider as a result of entanglement (Jackson, 2000c; Parsons, 2005). Mortality occurs when the patagium of the gliders become entangled on the top barbed wire strand, causing them to become entwined. The glider then usually dies of dehydration after several days (Parsons & Latch, 2006). The impact of fences appears to be greatest in highly fragmented areas, where animals must regularly cross barbed wire fences to cross gaps in their habitat (van der Ree, 1999; Booth, 2006). Fences located on the edge of large gaps in habitat (more than 20 m) pose the greatest risk of entanglement because the gliders are more likely to land lower down when travelling across these gaps (Parsons & Latch, 2006).

4.2.8             Extreme environmental events
Extreme weather events such as tropical cyclones, severe wildfires, extreme heat events (>38C), floods and storm surges pose a significant threat to the distribution of the Mahogany Glider. Due to the species' small and localised distribution, a single extreme weather event has the potential to impact upon the entire extent of Mahogany Glider habitat.
The most important extreme weather events are tropical cyclones that occur regularly in northern Australia, with an average of 1 every 2 years along the north east coast of Queensland (Winter, 2011). For example, cyclones Winifred (category 2-3, 1 February 1986, Innisfail), Larry (category 4, 20 March 2006, Innisfail) and Yasi (category 5, 3 February 2011, Mission Beach) each caused major widespread damage across the distribution of the Mahogany Glider (Turton, 2008; Winter, 2011). Of these cyclones, Yasi was the most destructive within the distribution of the Mahogany Glider, as it produced wind gusts up to 285 km/hr and rainfall of over 400 mm in the Innisfail and Tully areas. This cyclone caused prolonged flooding and saltwater intrusion into Mahogany Glider-associated melaleuca wetlands. Within the distribution of the Mahogany Glider, this cyclone caused damage to 80 to 100% of the canopy throughout the northern part of the species distribution (north of the Cardwell Gap), where the high wind speeds resulted in canopy stripping, tree limb loss and tree topple (Winter, 2011). Due to the current level of fragmentation of remaining habitat,