@article{91b7f17fa1c74a47ac76f0fa69955927,
title = "Research priorities for the ghost bat (Macroderma gigas) in the Pilbara region of Western Australia",
abstract = "The ghost bat (Macroderma gigas) is Australia's largest echolocating bat. It is restricted to several disjunct populations in the north of the continent, including a population in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. In 2016 the ghost bat was listed as Vulnerable under Australian federal legislation, owing to declining numbers across many regional populations. The most severe threat to ghost bats in the Pilbara region is the destruction and disturbance of habitat due to mining operations, but disturbance to their roosts from other infrastructure developments and changes to and loss of foraging habitat also pose significant threats. A set of research priorities for ghost bats in the Pilbara was developed during a workshop attended by mining industry representatives, environmental consultants, scientists and government regulators. Five research priorities were identified: (1) identify and characterise critical diurnal roosts and foraging habitat; (2) improve knowledge of the distribution, movement and dispersal patterns of ghost bats in the region; (3) improve knowledge of population size, persistence and long-term trends; (4) better understand the cumulative, direct and indirect impacts of mining and other development activities; and (5) better understand the threats posed by fence entanglements, cane toads and feral cats.",
keywords = "cane toads, colony, conservation, dispersal, distribution, diurnal roost, fence, feral cats, foraging, habitat, mining, population, threats",
author = "Cramer, {Viki A.} and Armstrong, {Kyle N.} and Bullen, {Robert D.} and Cross, {Sophie L.} and Lesley Gibson and Nicola Hanrahan and Knuckey, {Chris G.} and Kym Ottewell and Scott Reiffer and Laura Ruykys and Shaw, {Robyn E.} and Rujiporn Thavornkanlapachai and Thompson, {Scott A.} and Suzi Wild and {Van Leeuwen}, Stephen",
note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022 CSIRO. All rights reserved. Funding Information: We thank Kimberley Flowerdew of BHP Iron Ore for her support of the workshop. We thank Craig Salt and his team at Sustainable Consulting for facilitating the workshop and for ensuring remote attendees were able to fully participate in the process. Sophie Cross from Curtin University compiled a database of publications on ghost bats that greatly assisted in the writing of this paper. We also thank the presenters at the workshop for their contribution on the day. RS was supported by funding from the Australian Research Council (LP170100061). Four anonymous reviewers provided helpful suggestions that improved the content and clarity of the manuscript. Funding Information: The workshop was funded by BHP Iron Ore. The authors declare no other conflicts of interest. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2023 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)).",
year = "2022",
month = jun,
day = "10",
doi = "10.1071/AM21042",
language = "English",
volume = "45",
pages = "1--12",
journal = "Australian Mammalogy",
issn = "0310-0049",
publisher = "CSIRO",
number = "1",
}