Species Fact Sheet: Northern ©

V i e w f i n d e r

Nothern quoll Dasyurus hallucatus The northern quoll is a medium-sized carnivorous that lives in the savannas of northern . It is found from south-eastern Queensland all the way to the northern parts of the Western Australian coast. Populations have declined across much of this range, particularly as a result of the spread of the . Recent translocations to islands in northern Australia free from feral have had some success in increasing populations on islands The World Conservation Union (IUCN) Redlist of Threatened Species: Lower risk – near threatened Australian Government - Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 : Endangered Did you know? . They have been associated with the de - mise of a number of native species. • Although they are , female northern do not have a pouch. At the start of the Conservation action breeding season the area around the nipples becomes enlarged and partially surrounded by a Communities, scientists and governments are working flap of skin. The young (usually six in a litter) live together to coordinate the research and management here for the first eight to 10 weeks of their lives. effort. The Threatened Species Network, a community- • Almost all male northern quolls die at about one based program of the Australian Government and WWF- year old, not long after mating. Australia, recently provided funding for Traditional Owners to survey Maria Island in the for northern Distribution and habitat quolls. On Groote Eylandt, the most significant island for northern quolls, a TSN Community Grant is providing funds Northern quolls live in a range of habitats but prefer rocky to help quarantine the island from hitch-hiking cane toads areas and eucalypt forests. The quoll is a good climber but by providing fencing and traps at key barge landings. spends most of its time foraging and sleeping on the ground. During the day it likes to hide in hollow logs, rock Past TSN Community Grants have included the support of crevices, caves and hollow trees. the Marthakal Rangers to translocate quolls to two islands free of cane toads, and two other grants were provided to The species was once found from north of Brisbane right support both the Kimberley Land Council and the across to the northern parts of the Western Australian Lianthawirriyarra Sea Ranger Unit in undertaking northern coast. It is now reduced to small populations in the quoll surveys. Northern Territory, Western Australia’s Kimberley and Pilbara regions, and Queensland’s Cape York, Wet Tropics WWF successfully nominated cane toads as a Key and a small area just north of Brisbane. Threatening Process under the EPBC Act. Ecology and life cycle The northern quoll is the smallest in the quoll family, growing to about the size of a small cat. It has a dark grey to brownish body with large white spots and a long furry tail. In Queensland the northern quoll lives in the same areas as the spotted-tailed quoll, but it is easy to distinguish between them - northern quolls are smaller and don’t have spotted tails. Threats How you can help Northern quoll populations have declined for various reasons, such as introduced and invasive species and • For landholders, research whether your changed fire patterns. land is likely to be quoll habitat. Contact your local TSN coordinator for Invasive species information. The rapid decrease in northern quolls in recent years has been due to the spread of the cane toad into areas where they live. A recent study in found the • Road-related deaths are quite common species was completely gone from sites where cane toads for this species, as the quoll often had recently arrived. scavenges on road kill and thus is placed in danger. Take extra care driving through Cane toads were brought to Australia in 1935 to control the cane beetle in cane fields. They are now found across areas of known quoll habitat, especially at northern Australian from the top of New South Wales night. through the Northern Territory to the Western Australian border. They also compete with quolls for food and • De-sex your pets, particularly dogs and shelter. The toad will eat almost anything that fits in its cats, so unwanted litters are not mouth - native insects, frogs, small reptiles, and birds. Cane toads are poisonous at all stages of their life produced that may create new cycle. Northern quolls often mistake the toads for native competitors for the quoll’s food. It is also frogs, eat them and then die from the poison. important to control your pets at night so they don’t escape and become feral Altered fire regimes predators. Fires can destroy den sites and vegetation and decrease the availability of prey for the quolls. A change in the fre - quency or type of fire can affect quolls. • Participate in revegetation and tree planting schemes in your local area. You Introduced species should ensure that all plants chosen are The introduction of foxes and cats has had a major impact locally sourced and appropriate for the on Australia’s unique species, including quolls. Not only are young quolls at risk of predation by foxes and cats but region and animals within it. these feral animals are also a competitor for food. • Be careful when travelling in known cane Foxes were introduced into Australia soon after European toad areas – make sure you don’t allow settlement and are now well established over most of the cane toads to hitch-hike and spread non-tropical mainland. Cat arrival is believed to predate European settlement in Australia, with the first thought to further. have become established from shipwrecks off the coast of WWF-Australia GPO Box 528 Sydney NSW 2001 Tel: 1800 032 551 wwf.org.au

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