Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2023L00432:reg:3:p6
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2023L00432
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 3 (pt 6/14)
Character Range: 33757–36708

% of the Australian mainland, with fossil deposits suggesting a range that also included Rockhampton in Central Eastern Queensland (Hocknull 2005; Hocknull et al. 2017). Since the late 1800s, bilbies have disappeared from approximately 80 % of their former range (Southgate 1990a), contracting into the drier and less fertile areas of its former range (Gibson & Hume 2004).
The majority of remnant, naturally occurring populations of bilbies occur on Indigenous lands managed for a variety of purposes (Bradley et al. 2015). Due to threatening processes, the range of the Greater Bilby has contracted northwards and it is unclear if this contraction is continuing. Wild bilby occurrences are restricted predominantly to current distribution in Figure 1, or identified as sites in this plan (Johnson 2008; Greater Bilby National Recovery Team pers. comm. 2015).
Figure 1 Distribution of the Greater Bilby (Macrotis lagotis).
The estimated current distribution of the Greater Bilby is based on information from mapping undertaken by Indigenous rangers at the Ninu Festival in 2016, database records, and expert opinion elicited at the 2015 Bilby Summit. Future mapping of bilby distribution, particularly in the NT and WA, will incorporate Indigenous knowledge arising from on-ground management and monitoring works and records from other sources. Historic distribution has been adapted from Southgate (1990a).
Box 3 What is a bilby site?
Bilbies are mobile and move within the landscape according to resource availability, and as such the term 'site' is intended to encompass the area within which a population or related group of bilbies may range over generations. 'Bilby sites' and 'sites' includes all locations where it is possible that bilbies may persist, either naturally or as a result of being reintroduced, and includes fenced wild populations (discussed further in section 3.7). Sites may include locations or areas of Indigenous ranger activity named in this plan, locations of recent records, and locations where there is evidence of suitable habitat or bilby presence. At fenced sites, 'site' can refer to the area within or outside the fence, as both bilbies and management actions may occur within or external to the fenced area. A site can encompass an area in which a number of specific sites may be identified in the future. The terms 'bilby site' or 'site' does not refer to locations where individuals are captively managed (discussed further in section 3.7).

3.7                 Types of bilby management
The Draft Greater Bilby Metapopulation Management Plan describes how the bilby metapopulation will be managed at three levels with each playing a different role in achieving the metapopulation goals:
    * captive management: receives and intensively manages genetically valuable individuals and amplifies them for distribution to fenced-wild and wild sites; engages in education and advocacy.
    * fenced-wild management: