Common dunnart (Sminthopsis murina) population, Waitara Creek - rejection of endangered population listing

The Scientific Committee, established by the Threatened Species Conservation Act, has made a Final Determination to reject a proposal to list the Waitara Creek population of the Common Dunnart Sminthopsis murina as an ENDANGERED POPULATION in Part 2 of Schedule 1 of the Act.

NSW Scientific Committee - final determination

The Scientific Committee has found that:

1. The Common Dunnart Sminthopsis murina is not listed on Part 1 of Schedule 1 of the Threatened Species Conservation Act, and thus populations of Sminthopsis murina are eligible for listing on Part 2 of Schedule 1 of the Act.

2. The Common Dunnart is a mouse-sized insectivorous marsupial. It has a broad but patchy distribution in New South Wales, being found most commonly in woodland, open forest and heathland, but with some records from hummock grassland, shrubland and transitional vegetation near rainforest. Populations are usually sparse, and achieve peak abundance 3 to 4 years after fire.

3. In 1994 a single adult female Common Dunnart with seven young was collected at Carcoola Crescent, Normanhurst, immediately adjacent to bushland along Waitara Creek in Hornsby Shire.

4. The Common Dunnart was known from scattered locations throughout the Sydney metropolitan area in the nineteenth century, but has not been recorded since 1907 when a specimen was recorded from near Bankstown. Later records of the Common Dunnart have been made from localities outside of Sydney, at East Kurrajong (1940), Royal National Park (1952, 1970), Cranebrook (1969) and Brisbane Water National Park (1974).

5. Recent captures indicate that the population of the Common Dunnart is not restricted to Waitara Creek, but extends into the adjacent Berowra Valley Bushland Park. Although the population is probably small and of conservation significance, there are extensive areas of potentially suitable habitat for the Common Dunnart in Berowra Valley Bushland Park.

6. As a consequence, the Scientific Committee is of the opinion that the Waitara Creek population of the Common Dunnart is not in immediate danger of extinction, and that it is therefore not eligible for listing as an endangered population on Part 2 of Schedule 1 of the Act.

References: 

Smith & Smith (1990), Vegetation and Fauna of Berowra Valley Bushland Park. Report to Hornsby Shire Council

Proposed Gazette Date: 28.7.2000
Exhibition Period: 28.7.2000 to 1.9.2000