THE FAUNA CATCHER
Helping wildlife impacted by human activity
Our story
The Fauna Catcher was established by Nathan Bignell in 2018 as an environmental consultancy dedicated to offering fauna spotter catcher and koala spotter services. The Fauna Catcher operates under a Rehabilitation Permit (Spotter Catcher activities) issued by the Queensland Department of Environment and Science.
The Fauna Catcher's small, capable team has extensive hands-on experience handling wildlife, and can effectively deal with any fauna-related situation that may arise on a job site. We take a pragmatic approach to fauna management, work closely with clients to ensure animal welfare without causing unnecessary project delays, and offer prompt and professional reporting.
Operating as a mobile service with low overheads, The Fauna Catcher offers competitive hourly and daily rates for projects large and small.
Based in the northern Sunshine Coast hinterland, The Fauna Catcher team works regularly across the Sunshine Coast, Noosa, Gympie, Moreton Bay, Brisbane, Somerset, Fraser Coast, and Wide Bay Burnett regions, and undertakes FIFO/DIDO projects across Queensland and beyond.
We have worked with a diverse range of clients on many types of projects, including:
-
Residential developments—from small single lot clearings to complex large scale projects;
-
Dewatering projects—both saltwater and freshwater, from small dams and culverts to large creek catchments and lakes;
-
Public infrastructure projects—small- and large-scale vegetation clearing and earthworks for new roads, road widenings, and infrastructure maintenance;
-
Large-scale industry projects—CSG, coal mines, gold mines, pipelines, dams, and electricity transmission corridors;
-
Building demolition projects;
-
And more!
Our team
The Fauna Catcher's team members are appropriately qualified and licensed to carry out fauna spotter catcher and koala spotter activities. All team members hold a Construction Industry White Card and a venomous snake handling certificate, and many hold additional qualifications and licenses including First Aid and CPR, Work Safely at Heights, Operate and Maintain Chainsaws, 4WD, Mining Standard 11 Surface Induction and Coal Board Medical, and CASA Drone Operator Accreditation.
Our team is committed to best practice and continuous learning and development, and we are actively engaged in the wildlife management community. Perhaps most importantly, we love what we do!
Nathan Bignell
Owner / Principal Fauna Spotter Catcher
Nathan has been fascinated by Australian wildlife, particularly reptiles, since he was a child growing up in Brisbane's outer suburbs.
After leaving school and studying Environmental Science at Griffith University, he changed direction and built a successful 20-year career as an ICT Systems Administrator in Sydney. However, his true passion continued to call, and in 2006 he joined WIRES as a volunteer wildlife rescuer and rehabilitator specialising in reptiles and frogs.
Moving back to Queensland in 2010, he continued to volunteer as a carer and work casually as a snake catcher before becoming a professional Fauna Spotter Catcher in 2013.
While working for several environmental consultants on a diverse range of projects across Queensland and Western Australia, Nathan gained a wealth of experience in all aspects of fauna spotter catcher field work, administration, and data collection.
He started The Fauna Catcher in 2018, and now leads a small, hand-picked team of fauna spotter catchers to deliver high quality fauna management services to clients around southeast Queensland and beyond.
Nathan has vast knowledge of Australian animals, their habitats, and their behaviours, and is an advocate of fauna spotter catcher best practice. He has a thorough understanding of the practical implications of Queensland's environmental legislation, and provides sound advice to clients to help them achieve compliance while avoiding costly project delays.
Nathan has also worked as a bush regenerator, holds a Certificate III in Conservation and Land Management and a Certificate III in Horticulture, and has a thorough working knowledge of native plant and weed species.
Shanna Bignell
General Manager / Fauna Spotter Catcher
Shanna has always been passionate about the environment, and began caring for wildlife alongside husband Nathan in 2006. Together, they have rescued and rehabilitated hundreds of native animals, particularly snakes, lizards, turtles, and frogs. She is currently a volunteer wildlife rescuer with WILVOS on the Sunshine Coast.
She assisted The Fauna Catcher with surveys, research, reporting, and general business operations from 2018, before moving into the business full-time in 2021, bringing skills and knowledge from a 20-year career in marketing communications to her role as General Manager.
She has since gained extensive experience in all aspects of fauna spotter catcher field work, and has actively participated in safety planning with major clients, including development of WRACs and Broad-Brush Risk Assessments.
Shanna is a keen wildlife photographer, and aims to inspire people to learn more about—and care for—our extraordinary native animals and plants.
Rhys Chapman
Fauna Spotter Catcher
Rhys is the owner of Rhys Chapman Wildlife Services. Since 2016, he has provided a range of services across the Sunshine Coast, including snake relocation and identification, possum, turkey, and rodent trapping, roof and yard inspections, custom built indoor and outdoor enclosures, and more!
In 2021 he joined The Fauna Catcher, utilising his vast hands-on wildlife experience and calm, professional approach to rescue and relocate animals on a range of projects and work sites.
Rhys is passionate about educating people to respect and understand wildlife, and to interact safely with it. He is strongly committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of both people and animals.
Sally Begbie
Fauna Spotter Catcher
Sally joined The Fauna Catcher in 2022, bringing previous experience as a fauna spotter catcher and bush regenerator.
She holds a Certificate IV in Wildlife Veterinary Nursing, a Certificate I in Conservation and Land Management, and is currently studying for a Bachelor of Animal Ecology at the University of the Sunshine Coast.
Sally is passionate about the environment, native wildlife, biodiversity, and working outdoors, and she has extensive experience working on a range of clearing, construction, and environmental projects across southeast Queensland.