Spotted-Tailed Quolls ©

Species Fact Sheet: Spotted-tailed quolls ©

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Spotted-tailed quolls Dasyurus maculatus Four species of quolls are found in Australia. Most parts of the country were once inhabited by at least one quoll species and they were among the first native animals to be described by European scientists. The spotted-tailed quoll (also known as the spot-tail quoll or tiger quoll) is the largest marsupial carnivore surviving on mainland Australia. All quoll species have declined in numbers since European settlement. This is because of habitat loss and habitat change across the land, as well as introduced predators such as foxes.

Conservation status The World Conservation Union (IUCN) Redlist of Threatened Species: Vulnerable Australian Government - Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 : Endangered Did you know? Unfortunately, female and juvenile quolls are especially susceptible to the poison if it’s eaten. It is vital that when • Captain Cook collected quolls along the east coast 1080 baits are used, best practice management guidelines in 1770, and recorded ‘quoll’ as an Aboriginal are employed in order to keep impacts to native species to name for these animals. a minimum.

• In the breeding season, male spotted-tailed quolls Fire may emit a slow, deep growl and a loud, explosive Since spotted-tailed quolls favour dense habitats with a lot spitting sound (like that of a cat; but enormously of ground litter on the forest floor, burning is also a threat to magnified). The female’s call is not quite as loud. the species. These calls may have given quolls their fearsome ‘tiger’ reputation. Hunting Hunting is considered a threat in some areas where quolls Distribution and habitat are killed, such as in response to raids on poultry runs. Spotted-tailed quolls are found in a range of forest Other threats to the spotted-tailed quoll include road environments, from rainforest to open woodland. They mortality in some areas, due to scavenging of road-killed require forest with suitable den sites such as rock crevices, carcasses, as well as the potential impacts of climate caves, hollow logs, burrows and tree hollows. change. The spotted-tailed quoll has a large home range and can Conservation action cover more than six kilometres overnight. It is largely nocturnal and solitary. The spotted-tailed quoll was once WWF-Australia, through the Threatened Species Network - common throughout south-eastern Australia, including a community-based program of the Australian Government Tasmania. However, since European settlement it has be - and WWF-Australia, has been involved in a number of come rare across most of its range. initiatives to aid in the recovery of spotted-tailed quolls over many years and works closely with quoll experts on the Ecology and life cycle recovery of this species. These activities have included education and awareness raising activities; supporting and Spotted-tailed quolls are more than 50 per cent larger than coordinating surveys for quolls and supporting and other quolls and, unlike other species, have white spots assisting in developing and securing funding for important that extend along their tail. They have bright eyes, a moist survey and research work for quolls. With the support of pink nose and sharp teeth. They have a pointed snout and Threatened Species Network Community Grants, many a long tail. Their fur has a coarse texture and is red-brown community groups have undertaken projects to survey for to dark brown with white spots of varying size. spotted-tailed quolls and raise awareness of this species and its conservation requirements within their local Spotted-tailed quolls hunt mostly at night. Their diet communities. appears to consist primarily of medium-sized mammals including gliders, possums, rabbits, and even small wallabies. They like carrion (dead animals), birds and eggs How you can help as well. Small mammals, reptiles and invertebrates are also a significant part of the diet, particularly for juvenile quolls. • Find out if your land is likely to be Spotted-tailed quolls are sexually mature at two years of spotted-tailed quoll habitat - you can age. Adult males begin searching for females around May, contact your Threatened Species and mating takes place in mid-June. The young are born in Network Coordinator for information early July, and by mid-August are no longer attached to their mothers, although they feed from her and spend much time in the den. By early November at only 18 weeks • Road-related deaths are quite common of age, young are completely independent. Quolls live for for this species, as the quoll often approximately five years. scavenges on road kill and is thus placed in danger. Take extra care driving through Threats areas of known quoll habitat, especially at Adult spotted-tailed quolls have a ‘territory’ of up to 500 night hectares. There are few areas where such territories can exist without quolls encountering the effects of humans. • Keep your pets indoors or fenced in at night so they don’t escape and become Habitat loss Loss and fragmentation of habitat is one of the main feral predators threats to this Australian marsupial carnivore, especially areas of suitable forest with sufficient numbers of den sites • Participate in revegetation and tree- and prey. Populations of spotted-tailed quolls are now planting schemes in your local area. You scattered and hence vulnerable to chance events such as should ensure that all plants are locally bushfires and disease. sourced and appropriate for the region Introduced species and the animals within it The introduction of foxes and cats has had a major effect on many of Australia’s unique species, including quolls. Not • If you live in southeast Queensland, join only are young quolls at risk of predation by foxes and cats the Quoll Seekers Network. For more but these introduced species also compete for food. Poisoning by cane toads has led to the death of many information visit www.quollseekers.com quolls who try to eat them. • Report any quoll sightings to your local 1080 poison conservation department This is used to control fox and wild dog numbers. WWF-Australia GPO Box 528 Sydney NSW 2001 Tel: 1800 032 551 wwf.org.au