The use by vertebrate fauna of the Slaty Creek Wildlife Underpass, Calder Freeway, Black Forest, Macedon, Victoria

摘要

The Slaty Creek Wildlife Underpass, built as part of the Calder Freeway at Macedon,udVictoria, was monitored for a 12-month period to establish its use by vertebrate fauna. Twoudcontrol sites were established on either side of the underpass in the adjacent Black Forest. Audmonitoring regime of 14 methods was used, targeting various fauna groups, including grounduddwelling mammals, arboreal or semi-arboreal mammals, reptiles, amphibians and birds.udApproximately two-thirds of the total number of species detected throughout the monitoringudperiod, across all sites, were detected within the Slaty Creek Underpass. With at least fourudspecies of reptile, six species of amphibian, 24 confirmed and seven unconfirmed mammaludspecies and 37 bird species within or above the underpass, the Slaty Creek Underpass hasudbeen shown to be one of the most diversely populated underpasses ever studied. Severaludculverts and a smaller underpass nearby the Slaty Creek Underpass were also monitored andudwere shown to have fewer species passing through them than the Slaty Creek underpass.udThere were some species of birds and mammals that were detected in the surrounding forest,udbut never within the underpass, but were generally detected on too few occasions to provideudfor statistical analysis. Statistical analysis did demonstrate that native and some introducedudspecies demonstrated an attraction to the underpass, whilst some other native species wereudrarely detected within the underpass, and were more often detected within the surroundingudforest. The Slaty Creek Underpass could be further enhanced with the use of rope canopyudbridges or glider poles, suitably designed and maintained fencing and enhanced revegetationudwithin the underpass.