Print or Save this Advice. The Spotted-tailed Quoll Dasyurus maculatus is a large carnivorous marsupial that is found in a range of habitats throughout mainland Tasmania. The species also occurs in south-eastern mainland Australia, and a separate sub-species occurs in Queensland.
Male Spotted-tailed Quolls can weigh up to 7. Spotted-tailed Quolls have long bodies and short legs, and a brown coat with a lighter underside. Numerous bold white spots are found on the body, legs and tail.
They can be distinguished from the superficially similar Eastern Quoll Dasyurus viverrinus by their larger size and long spotted tail. Eastern Quolls do not have spots on their tail. Habitat important to the Spotted-tailed Quoll includes large patches of forest containing adequate denning sites and high densities of mammalian prey such as rats, possums and small wallabies.
Habitat loss, fragmentation, and modification are believed to be the major threats to the species in Tasmania. Competition and predation from introduced predators such as cats, road mortality, and wildfires are also threats. Causes of habitat loss and modification include urban and agricultural development, conversion of forest to pasture or plantation, road construction, and vegetation clearance in general.
Key Points Important: Is this species in your area? Do you need a permit? Important: Different threatened species may have different requirements. For any activity you are considering, read the Activity Advice pages for background information and important advice about managing around the needs of multiple threatened species.
If in doubt about whether a site represents potential habitat for this species, contact the Threatened Species Section for further advice. The Spotted-tailed Quoll is widely but sparsely distributed across Tasmania. The species occurred on King and Flinders Islands until the early s but is now extinct on these islands.
This project is calling on members across the community to report sightings of six key species inc. Spot-tailed Quoll within fire-affected and neighbouring areas. Bushfire Recovery Community Wildlife Reporting.
Tiger Quolls are the largest extant marsupial predator on mainland Australia and considered to be in decline across their range.
The CEC continues to pursue further evidence of the species and is concentrating its efforts on trialling novel detection techniques including the use of scat detection dogs.
Once techniques prove to be reliable and effective, management decisions can be made with greater confidence and with the potential to preserve this iconic species. The dogs are trained to detect quoll scat and indicate a find through passive behavioural responses so as not to disturb native wildlife. Conservation Dogs have the potential to increase the number of Tiger Quoll detections drastically.
We anticipate the first deployment of the Otway Conservation Dogs will be in The current species confined home range along with their cryptic and nocturnal habits makes detection of quoll populations problematic, especially as the species now occur at low densities. Victorian members of the public are encouraged to report sightings directly to the Australian Quoll Conservancy. Spot-tailed Quoll. Female Spot-tailed Quoll at latrine site. Close relatives of the Spot-tailed Quoll; Eastern Quoll Dasyurus viverrinus considered regionally extinct in Victoria and across mainland Australia.
Western Quoll Dasyurus geoffroii considered regionally extinct in Victoria. Northern Quoll Dasyurus hallucatus only occurs in northern Australia. Distribution All known records indicating distribution of Spot-tailed Quoll in Victoria. Source: VBA Many populations of Spot-tailed Quoll have experienced a significant decline over the past years to the extent where there is a question over their long term viability.
Source: Parks Victoria - Otways The Spot-tailed Quoll occupies a range of forest habitats, particularly wet eucalypt forests associated with rocky outcrops, extensive riparian vegetation and high levels of ground dwelling prey. Females may carry up to 6 young, which become independent after 18 weeks Spot-tailed Quolls are mainly nocturnal feeders but have been observed in daylight hours.
Threats Competition ; foxes and cats preying on potential quoll prey is a problem where forest habitats have extensive boundaries with rural landscapes, opening up areas of forest through construction of vehicular and foot tracks also exacerbates the problem by providing easy access to competitor species.
Predation ; foxes, feral cats and dogs pose a direct threat to quolls. Feral Cats and Foxes were frequently photographed by remote cameras in the Otway Ranges during surveys in Images: Saul Vermeeren The issue of non-target poising For some time there were concerns that baiting programs carried out to control populations of wild dogs and foxes were having a detrimental impact on Spotted-tailed Quoll populations Belcher Source: Parks Victoria - Grampians. Conservation measures in East Gippsland and Gippsland Areas in East Gippsland contain ideal quoll habitat and are regarded as a stronghold for this species in Victoria.
Specifically surveys for Spot-tailed Quoll; Preferred survey method Remote camera survey, 2 cameras per ha over a period of minimum 21 days. Walking Transect Survey - m per 10ha Density threshold triggering prescriptive action - Verified sighting of a quoll from remote camera. Wild dog and fox baiting DELWP is responsible for ensuring adequate training for personnel involved with wild dog and fox baiting programs to minimise the risks to Quolls.
Control of predators such as wild dogs and foxes is undertaken in this area. Fox baiting protocols developed to ensure fox baiting in Glenelg Ark project does not threaten Spot-tailed Quolls through intensive sand pad monitoring to determine cause of bait takes, and ensuring poisoned baits are buried at least 15 cm. Mt Eccles National Park Ensure all pest animal control activities in areas of known Quoll populations comply with current best practice prescriptions to minimise the risks of baiting programs to Quolls.
This will include holding information sessions and training days for DELWP staff and others involved in wild dog and fox control. Great Otway National Park and Otway Forest Park Poor results from planned survey efforts with only 2 random records between and , a scat at Lorne was confirmed and a hair tube returned positive overall a very low detection rate through the Otway Ranges.
A remote camera image was taken in April, Parks Victoria to liaise with DELWP to ensure that fox management and fire suppression activities are conducted in a manner to reduce any potential impact on spot-tailed quoll populations or habitat.
DELWP to provide input into fire management plans to minimise the impact of fire suppression on spot-tailed quoll habitat. Parks Victoria conducts surveys to determine the status and extent of population in Otway National Park. Support and fund community groups to undertake Quoll survey work in the Otway Ranges Bioregion.
Grampians National Park Monitor in conjunction with other fauna programs. Other State Wide management actions for Spot-tailed Quoll conservation Develop a model that will assist in determining the probability of detection of a Quoll within an animal's home range, and developing a sampling and analytical framework to assess Quoll habitat Completed.
Determine the impact of broad-scale fox control initiatives on Quoll populations at experimental sites — completed. Review current survey methods and conduct additional research as required, to assess the relative effectiveness of different techniques, or combination of techniques, to identify optimal survey protocol — completed.
Negotiate with land management agencies to incorporate the protection of rocky outcrop and riparian zones into fire management prescriptions within areas of known spot-tailed quoll habitat on-going. Continue to collect biological and ecological data on Spot-tailed Quoll as opportunities arise, to help compile information on the species for more effective conservation management Monitor the abundance or an index of abundance of spotted-tailed quolls and introduced predators in areas with and without predator control programs.
Bushfire Recovery Community Wildlife Reporting This project is calling on members across the community to report sightings of six key species inc. The Northern Quoll is the smallest of the quolls, with males weighing around 1kg females are appreciably smaller — the size of a small kitten.
Quolls have black to fawn fur, white spots, long tails and sharp teeth. Northern Quoll. Photo Steve Parish. The Eastern Quoll, once widespread in south-east Australia, has been extinct on the mainland since the s. Where they remain, quolls use a wide range of habitats. They live in coastal heathlands, sub-alpine woodlands, temperate woodlands and forests, riparian forests and wet sclerophyll forests.
Females are smaller than males and have smaller home ranges. Male quolls can move up to several kilometres a night in search of food. An Eastern Quoll caught and collared for research in the Tasmanian Midlands. Quolls generally shelter in these dens during the day and hunt alone at night. Quolls generally breed during winter. Being marsupials, quoll young pups spend the first part of their lives in a pouch. Females have between five and eight pups per litter.
Western Quoll pups outgrow the pouch after nine weeks, after which the young are left in a den while the female searches for food. Young reach independence and leave the den at around five months. The Spotted-tailed Quoll can eat medium-sized birds and mammals, such as possums and rabbits. Some Quolls can climb high into trees to capture prey, including tree-roosting sleeping birds.
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