Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2023L01713:body:0:p30
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2023L01713
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 153136–156159

2016; CITES 2019).
The abundance of active water mouse shelters has been monitored annually since 2019 in the Maroochy Wetlands Sanctuary on the Sunshine Coast, and also at McCoys Creek on the Gold Coast. Population trend estimates are anticipated for these locations in the near future.
The water mouse and its shelters appear to have contracted from saltmarsh habitat in the Coomera River system (Van Dyck et al. 2006) and are now only known to occur in areas with large hollow-bearing mangroves (Adkins 2021, 2022 pers. comm.), and the number of active shelters appears to have declined at Hussey Creek in the Pumicestone Passage and near Camp Kerr in the Great Sandy Strait (Kaluza 2016b; 2018).
Active water mouse shelter sites have been censused in multiple locations across southeast Queensland and north to the Fraser Coast (Van Dyck 1996; Burnham 2000; Van Dyck & Gynther 2003; Gynther 2011; Kaluza 2013; 2016a; 2016c; 2016d; 2016e; 2016f; 2016h; 2018; Kaluza et al. 2016), and historical water mouse live trap rates are available for Minjerribah/North Stradbroke Island (Van Dyck 1996), Bribie Island (Gynther 2011) and along the Mackay coast (Ball et al. 2004). Standardised re-survey of these areas combined with a robust estimate for the number of mature individuals using each shelter is required to provide empirical information about water mouse population trends.
Water mouse population trends are unknown for the central Queensland coast, Cairns, across the Northern Territory and in southern New Guinea (Woinarski & Burbidge 2016).
Population monitoring using standardised repeatable methods is urgently required at water mouse locations to confidently assess the national population size, local trends, and relative threat impacts.

3.11            Important locations
Locations with the greatest likelihood of sustaining a resilient water mouse population long-term despite climate change impacts:
    * Will occur across broad geographic areas and retain connectivity with the greater national population as sea levels rise and coastal habitats migrate inland,
    * Have limited exposure to, or have the capacity to adapt and recover from, periodic natural perturbations (e.g. storm surges, prolonged wet season inundation, mangrove dieback), and
    * Have few threats (e.g. undeveloped and predator-free islands) or are managed by well-funded and co-ordinated land management and Custodianship groups who are able to implement effective on-ground actions to alleviate local threats.
Outcomes from targeted detection survey, population monitoring, genetic analysis, future habitat mapping, and adaptive management plan programs outlined in this recovery plan will enable these important locations to be identified.

3.12            Targeted survey methods
The water mouse is a cryptic species that can be challenging to survey and detect. It is unlikely to be detected by most standard survey techniques (Ball 2004; but see Woinarski et al. 2000), requiring a targeted approach. Suitable water mouse