BHP : GHD 2021b - Jimblebar Targeted Ghost Bat Survey

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BHP Western Australia Iron Ore

Jimblebar targeted ghost bat survey

June 2021

Executive summary

BHP Western Australian Iron Ore (BHP WAIO) commissioned GHD Pty Ltd (GHD) to undertake a targeted Ghost Bat (Macrodermis gigas) survey covering the Jimblebar area. This Study Area is located directly adjacent to the Jimblebar BHP WAIO mining operation.

Recent vertebrate fauna assessments within the area have identified several caves, four showing evidence of Ghost Bat presence. All of the caves with evidence have been located outside of current/ proposed BHP development envelopes; however, future developments may disturb these caves, particularly the ones to the north of Jimblebar. In addition, the proximity of activities involved in the Jimblebar Optimisation Project to Ghost Bat caves has triggered the application of the Programme Matter Outcomes (PMOs) under 'the Assurance Plan' (BHP 2018) for BHP's Pilbara Strategic Assessment. The Assurance Plan was developed to manage impacts to several 'Program Matters', or listed threatened fauna species under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Act 1999, which include the Ghost Bat. Monitoring of Ghost Bat caves in the area is required to the Program Matter Outcome of 'no loss of Ghost Bat Population's due to Program Activities' is being achieved.

Field surveys targeting Ghost Bats were conducted from the 25 to 31 May 2020 and consisted of the following methods:

• habitat and roost assessments;
• in-situtime lapse video camera surveys; and
• bat call surveys using full spectrum detectors.

Previous historical records and caves within 40 km radius of the survey area where reviewed prior to the survey. Two (Biologic 2019) sites were investigated were outside the targeted search area (CAV-20 and CAV-10).CAV-06, 07 and 08 were also previously known (Biologic 2019) and were assessed in this current assessment. A known cave (SC-01) was also investigated within the survey area that was assessed previously by GHD (GHD 2019a).

GHD investigated 57 locations resulting in 20 sites recorded with known or potential diurnal roosting habitat for Ghost Bat. Of the 20 sites five were confirmed as diurnal roosting sites and three classified as nocturnal feeding/refuge sites for the Ghost Bat. Confirmed diurnal roost sites included:

• SC-01- categorised as Diurnal roost ongoing use. One Ghost Bat was flushed from the roost during the May 2020 survey and evidence of occupation during different times of the year was recorded during the surveys undertaken by GHD during 2020 and 2019 (e.g. large scat pile containing recent and older scats). Bat call surveys were also undertaken for five consecutive nights during May 2020 and although the Ghost Bat was recorded, the timing and frequency of calls suggests the species was not occupying the roost habitat during the day during the survey period. Furthermore, the structure of these roosts is unlikely to support breeding habitat requirements.
• CAV-19- categorised as Diurnal roost probably occasional use. The Ghost Bat from SC-01 was flushed into this site. A detailed habitat assessment was not carried out in order to avoid further disturbance therefore further survey and monitoring is recommended for CAV- 19 to determine the type of diurnal roost.
• CAV-09,CAV-11,CAV-12,CAV-16 - categorised as Diurnal roost with occasional use. Evidence of usage in the form of scats and feeding evidence and favourable roost structure for each site support diurnal roost habitat for the Ghost Bat. However the evidence recorded did not support ongoing use (e.g. large scat piles with recent and historical scat).

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Bat call surveys were also undertaken for four consecutive nights during May 2020 at CAV- 09 and although the Ghost Bat was recorded, the timing and frequency of calls suggests the species was not occupying the roost habitat during the day during the survey period. Furthermore, the structure of these roosts is unlikely to support breeding habitat requirements.

Ghost Bat foraging habitat within the survey area consists of:

• Major Drainagelines
• Plains (Sand and Stony)
• Mulga Woodland
• Breakaway/ Cliff, Hillcrest/Hillslope
• Gorge/Gully.

These foraging habitats are well-represented in the surrounding area. Suitable roosting habitats within the survey area consist of Breakaway/ Cliff, Hillcrest/Hillsope and Gorge/Gully habitats as they contain caves and overhangs.

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Table of contents

1.	Introduction	5
	1.1	Project background	5
	1.2	Purpose of this report	5
	1.3	Scope of works	6
	1.4	Study Area location	6
2.	Methodology	10
	2.1	Requirements, legislation and background information	10
	2.2	Desktop assessment	10
	2.3	Field survey	10
3.	Desktop assessment	16
	3.1	Ecology of the Ghost Bat	16
	3.2	Review of previous surveys	17
4.	Survey results	21
	4.1	Habitat assessment	21
	4.2	Roost assessment	21
	4.3	Review of camera data	35
	4.4	Bat call analysis	35
5.	Discussion	38
	5.1	Summary of key survey findings	38
6.	References	39

Table index

Table 1 Rainfall 6 months prior to the survey month	7
Table 2 Daily temperature and rainfall statistics during survey period (sourced BoM 2020)	8
Table 3 Land systems within the survey area	9
Table 4 Personnel experience	11
Table 5 Survey methods and effort	12
Table 6	Survey limitations	12
Table 7	Confidence ratings applied to calls	15
Table 8	Summary of previous fauna studies	18
Table 9	Summary of previous fauna studies (continued)	20
Table 10	Summary of cave habitat assessment (Caves SC-01 and CAV-02 to CAV-11)	23
Table 11	Summary of cave habitat assessment (Caves CAV-12 to CAV-21)	27
Table 12. Representative photos for each site	31
Table 13	Summary of first species/Ghost Bat calls for each night per detector per site	35

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Table 14	Bat call analysis results for SC-01 (SM4 unit 1)	36
Table 15	Bat call analysis results for CAV-09 (SM4 unit 6)	37

Appendices

Appendix A - Figures

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1. Introduction

1.1 Project background

BHP Western Australian Iron Ore (BHP WAIO) commissioned GHD Pty Ltd (GHD) to undertake a targeted Ghost Bat (Macrodermis gigas) survey covering the Jimblebar area (hereafter referred to as the Study Area). This Study Area is located directly adjacent to the Jimblebar BHP WAIO mining operation and encompasses active/ non-active Geoscience tenure / off tenure and potential mining operational areas.

Recent vertebrate fauna assessments within the area have identified several caves, four showing evidence of Ghost Bat presence. All of the caves with evidence of Ghost Bat presence were located outside the current/ proposed BHP development envelopes; however, future developments may disturb these caves, particularly the ones to the north of Jimblebar. In addition, the proximity of activities involved in the Jimblebar Optimisation Project to Ghost Bat caves has triggered the application of the Programme Matter Outcomes (PMOs) under 'the Assurance Plan' (BHP 2018) for BHP's Pilbara Strategic Assessment. The Assurance Plan was developed to manage impacts to several 'Program Matters', or listed threatened fauna species under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Act 1999, which include the Ghost Bat. Monitoring of Ghost Bat caves in the area is required to the Program Matter Outcome of 'no loss of Ghost Bat Population's due to Program Activities' is being achieved.

1.2 Purpose of this report

This targeted Ghost Bat assessment will be used to inform future environmental approvals across the area and Ghost Bat monitoring required under BHP's Federal Strategic Approval; however as requested this survey report is a general report and does not assess any specific development proposed by BHP WAIO.

1.2.1 Limitations and assumptions

This report has been prepared by GHD for BHP and may only be used and relied on by BHP for the purpose agreed between GHD and the BHP as set out in section 1.2 of this report.

GHD otherwise disclaims responsibility to any person other than BHP arising in connection with this report. GHD also excludes implied warranties and conditions, to the extent legally permissible.

The services undertaken by GHD in connection with preparing this report were limited to those specifically detailed in the report and are subject to the scope limitations set out in the report.

The opinions, conclusions and any recommendations in this report are based on conditions encountered and information reviewed at the date of preparation of the report. GHD has no responsibility or obligation to update this report to account for events or changes occurring subsequent to the date that the report was prepared.

The opinions, conclusions and recommendations in this report are based on assumptions made by GHD described in this report. GHD disclaims liability arising from any of the assumptions being incorrect.

GHD has prepared this report on the basis of information provided by BHP and others who provided information to GHD (including Government authorities), which GHD has not independently verified or checked beyond the agreed scope of work. GHD does not accept liability in connection with such unverified information, including errors and omissions in the report which were caused by errors or omissions in that information.

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The opinions, conclusions and any recommendations in this report are based on information obtained from, and testing undertaken at or in connection with, specific sample points. Site conditions at other parts of the site may be different from the site conditions found at the specific sample points.

Investigations undertaken in respect of this report are constrained by the particular site conditions, such as the location of buildings, services and vegetation. As a result, not all relevant site features and conditions may have been identified in this report.

1.3 Scope of works

The survey objectives were to:

• document and characterise potential Ghost Bat roosts on and off BHP WAIO tenure around the Jimblebar area;
• map important Ghost Bat habitat;
• record evidence of Ghost Bat; and
• in collaboration with BHP, set up methodology for an on-going monitoring program. Consistent with these objectives the scope of works involved:
• provision of a comprehensive desktop assessment comprising database search and literature review for the study area, to determine the presence, or likely presence, and location of Ghost Bat;
• undertaking a single season targeted Ghost Bat survey within the survey area;
• producing a technical report (this document) detailing the desktop assessment and the targeted survey method and results; and
• submission of the survey data in accordance with BHP requirements.

1.4 Study Area location

This Study Area is located directly adjacent to the Jimblebar BHP WAIO mining operation and approximately 50 kilometres (km) north of Newman, Western Australia (WA). The Study Area consist of discrete targeted search areas (survey area) derived from a desktop assessment review of previous reports (see Figure 1, Appendix A). For this report, the term Study Area includes the survey area and an additional 40 km radius buffer around the survey area. The Study Area defines the limits of the desktop assessment.

The survey area defines the limits of the targeted field assessment undertaken by GHD for the Ghost Bat.

1.4.1 Regional biogeography and climate

The study area is situated in the Eremaean Botanical Province, within the Pilbara and Gascoyne bioregions as described by the Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation of Australia (IBRA; Thackway and Cresswell 1995).

The Pilbara bioregion is characterised by vast coastal plains and inland mountain ranges with cliffs and deep gorges. Vegetation is predominantly mulga low woodlands or snappy gum over bunch and hummock grasses. Tenure comprises Aboriginal land, leasehold (for grazing cattle) and conservation reserves. The bioregion provides the majority of WA's exports in petroleum, natural gas and iron ore. Major population centres are Karratha, Port Hedland, Newman and Tom Price.

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The Gascoyne bioregion is characterised by low, rugged ranges and broad, flat valleys. The vegetation is dominated by open mulga low woodlands. The main land use of this sub-region comprises extensive sheep and cattle grazing on pastoral leasehold. Mining is important for the bioregion's economy. There are no major population centres in the bioregion.

The climate of this region is arid to tropical with very hot summers and mild winters. Rainfall in the Pilbara is spatially and temporally variable. Rainfall in the eastern Pilbara (containing the site) is most influenced by tropical and monsoonal drivers which are predominantly active in the summer and autumn months (December - May) while rainfall in the western Pilbara is also influenced by southern mid-latitude drivers such as frontal systems during autumn and winter (March - August) (Sudmeyer 2016).

During summer and early autumn (December - March), average daily temperatures exceed 30°C across the region, with average daily maxima exceeding 35°C from October - March. During the winter months (June - August), average temperatures are around 20°C across the region.

The closest current weather station to the site is in Newman (Station ID: 007176) located approximately 51 km south of the southern survey area boundary. Climate data from this station indicate:

• mean maximum temperature ranges from 22.8°C in July to 39.1°C in December;
• mean minimum temperature ranges from 6.4°C in July to 24.9°C in January; and
• mean annual rainfall is 334.9 mm with an average of 38.7 rain days per year (BoM 2020).

Rainfall for the previous six month lead up to the survey is presented in Table 1 (based on Newman data Aero Station 007176). The rainfall total for this period was 293.2 mm, which ispproximately 90% of the year's average total for this region.

Table 1 Rainfall 6 months prior to the survey month.

Date	Rainfall (mm)
November 2019	1.4
December 2019	6.6
January 2020	198.2
February 2020	61.8
March 2020	0.4
April 2020	17.4
May 2020	7.4
Total	285.8 mm

During the survey the weather was cool and dry. Temperature and rainfall statistics during the survey period are presented in Table 2.

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Table 2 Daily temperature and rainfall statistics during survey period (sourced BoM 2020)

Date

Temperature (°C)

Rainfall (mm)

			Minimum		Maximum
25 May 2020			12.7		16.1		1.4
26 May 2020			8.0		20.2		6.0
27 May 2020			3.9		20.8		0
28 May 2020			4.9		22.7		0
29 May 2020			8.6		26.2		0
30 May 2020			8.6		25.1		0
31 May 2020			9.2		24.5		0

1.4.2 Geology, land systems and soils

The study area is located within the Warakurna and Fortescue Large Igneous Provinces of the Pilbara Craton (Glikson et al. 1996). The Pilbara Craton is a geological formation formed from Archaean crust (3.6-2.7 billion years ago).

The study area forms part of the Hamersley Ranges to the north and west. The Newman region is characterised by Banded Iron Formations (BIFs) and Late Archaean greenstones, in the west giving way to the Early Archaen grantoids and metagabbro intrusive of the Augustus region to the south (Government of Western Australia 2020). The area largely comprises banded jaspilite and chert along with shales (Biologic 2014).

Soils within the study area comprise the following (Bureau of Regional Sciences 2009):

• Mz25: Plains associated with the Fortescue valley; there is a surface cover of stony gravels
  close to the ranges and hills: chief soils are acid red earths (Gn2.11) with some neutral red earths (Gn2.12); red-brown hardpan is absent. Associated are areas of calcareous earths (Gc) and loams (Um1) on calcrete (kunkar) and some hard red (Dr) soils around creek lines.
• Fa13: Ranges of banded jaspilite and chert along with shales, dolomites, and iron ore formations; some areas of ferruginous duricrust as well as occasional narrow winding valley plains and steeply dissected pediments. This unit is largely associated with the Hamersley and Ophthalmia Ranges. The soils are frequently stony and shallow and there are extensive areas without soil cover: chief soils are shallow stony earthy loams (Um5.51) along with some (Uc5.11) soils on the steeper slopes. Associated are (Dr2.33, Dr2.32) soils on the limited areas of dissected pediments, while (Um5.52) and (Uf6.71) soils occur on the valley plains.
• BE6: Extensive flat and gently sloping plains, which sometimes have a surface cover of
  gravels and on which red-brown hardpan frequently outcrops: chief soils are shallow earthy loams (Um5.3), with associated (Gn) soils of units My5O and Mz23 of Sheet 6. As mapped, there are inclusions of units Oc47 and BB9.
• Mz36: Pediments with some steep hills on granites; granitic residuals; bosses and tors: chief soils are acid red earths (Gn2.11) overlying a red-brown hardpan. Other soils include (Uc5.11) and (Dr2.32).
• AA16: Low ranges and steep hills on granites, with extensive areas of bare rock; small valley
  plains are included: chief soils appear to be shallow stony sands (Uc5.1 l) but small areas of (Dr2.32) and (Gn2.12) soils also occur.

The Pilbara region has been surveyed by the Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia (DAFWA) and others for the purposes of land classification, mapping and resource evaluation. One hundred and two land systems have been described for the region, which are distinguished on the basis of topography, geology, soils and vegetation (van Vreeswyk et al.

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2004). The survey area intersects five mapped land systems; details of these land systems are presented in Table 3.

Table 3 Land systems within the survey area

Land	Description
system
Boolgeeda	Stony lower slopes and plains below hill systems
	supporting hard and soft spinifex grasslands or mulga
	shrublands
Newman	Rugged jaspilite plateaux, ridges and mountains
	supporting hard spinifex grasslands.
McKay	Hills, ridges, plateaux remnants and breakaways of
	meta sedimentary and sedimentary rocks supporting
	hard spinifex grasslands.
Sylvania	Gritty surfaced plains and low rises on granite
	supporting acacia-eremophila-cassia shrublands.
Talga	Hills and ridges of greenstone and chert and stony
	plains supporting hard and soft spinifex grasslands.

Land type

Stony plains with spinifex grasslands

Hills and ranges withspinifex grasslands

Hills and ranges withspinifex grasslands

Stony plains with acacia shrublands

Hills and ranges withspinifex grasslands

1.4.3 Hydrology and vegetation

Jimblebar Creek runs through the targeted survey area. Jimblebar Creek is classified as a 'Significant Stream' which flows seasonally. The Caramulla Creek, classified as a 'Major River', is located approximately 6.5 km east of the most eastern targeted area and is also considered seasonal (Desmond et al. 2001).

Broad scale (1:1,000,000) pre-European vegetation mapping of the Pilbara region was completed by Beard (1976) at an association level. The mapping indicates there are two vegetation associations present within the survey area including:

• Low woodland, open low woodland or sparse woodland: Mulga Acacia aneura and associated species; and
• Low tree-steppe: Hummock grassland with scattered bloodwoods & snappy gum Triodia spp., Corymbia dichromophloia, Eucalyptus leucophloia.

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