“For a bushland reserve surrounded by suburban development and main roads, Manly Dam has an impressive diversity of herpetofauna.”

Reptiles and Frogs Survey

The Manly Dam catchment provides a range of habitats for reptiles and frogs. The 2020/2021 survey and collated information detected:

• 11 species of frog, and

• 43 species of reptiles

• 3 threatened species: Red-crowned Toadlets (Pseudophryne australis), Rosenberg’s Monitor (Varanus rosenbergi), and The Gully Skink (Saproscincus spectabilis).

While the species of herpetofauna (reptiles and frogs) is reasonably diverse, it was noticeable that many of the species present are in apparently low numbers. The reduction in the number of reptiles and frogs seems to be related to the range of impacts that affect the animals and their habitats within the reserve. Impacts Include:

• The surrounding residential areas are a constant source of feral animal incursions as well as weeds, chemicals and garbage.

• The sealing of the roads and building allotments surrounding the reserve has altered the surface water drainage patterns and greatly altered the penetration of ground water, especially around the perimeter of the reserve.

• Human activity in the reserve also has a detrimental influence of the fauna; this is very evident as the herpetofauna is particularly scarce around the walking tracks and roads in the reserve.