LISTED AS VULNERABLE IN NSW
The spotted-tailed quoll is listed as a vulnerable species in New South Wales.
Its distribution and population have dramatically declined, and the animal is now found over a restricted range.
In many cases, quolls are living in isolated areas that may be too small to support viable long-term populations.
This reduction in distribution and population has been caused by:
- loss, fragmentation and degradation of suitable quoll habitat through land clearing, change in fire patterns and logging
- loss of potential den sites such as large hollow logs
- foxes and cats which prey on quolls and also compete with them for food
- feral cats can also spread diseases which affect quolls
- persecution by humans, who have often blamed quolls for the loss of stock and poultry. As a result quolls are trapped, poisoned or shot
- being hit on the road
- eating poisonous cane toads.
The Spotted-tailed Quoll is about the size of a domestic cat. It has rich-rust to dark-brown fur above, with irregular white spots on the back and tail, and a pale belly. The spotted tail distinguishes it from all other Australian mammals, including other quoll species. However, the spots may be indistinct on juvenile animals.
The range of the Spotted-tailed Quoll has contracted considerably since European settlement. It is now found in eastern NSW, eastern Victoria, south-east and north-eastern Queensland, and Tasmania. Only in Tasmania is it still considered relatively common.
The spotted-tailed quoll has been recorded across a range of habitat types, including rainforest, open forest, woodland, coastal heath and inland riparian forest, from the sub-alpine zone to the coastline.
Quolls use hollow-bearing trees, fallen logs, other animal burrows, small caves and rock outcrops as den sites.
They are mostly nocturnal, although they will hunt during the day. They spend most of the time on the ground, although they are also an excellent climber and will hunt possums and gliders in tree hollows and prey on roosting birds.
Quolls use communal ‘latrine sites’, often on flat rocks among boulder fields, rocky cliff-faces or along rocky stream beds or banks. Such sites may be visited by multiple individuals and can be recognised by the accumulation of the sometimes characteristic ‘twisty-shaped’ feces deposited by animals.
They are a generalist predator with a preference for medium-sized (500g-5kg) mammals. Quolls consume a variety of prey, including gliders, possums, small wallabies, rats, birds, bandicoots, rabbits, reptiles and insects.
They will also eat carrion and they will take domestic fowl.
Females occupy home ranges of 200-500 hectares, while males occupy very large home ranges from 500 to over 4000 hectares, and are known to traverse their home ranges along densely vegetated creek lines.
The average litter size is five and both sexes mature at about one year of age. The life expectancy in the wild is about 3-4 years.
YOU can help Save Our Woodlands preserve and enhance precious spotted-tailed quoll | tiger quoll habitat.
Save Our Woodlands is an environmentally conscious group of volunteers dedicated to preserving threatened birds, animals and ecosystems in the woodlands of New South Wales, Australia.
Only 15% of our woodlands remain, the rest has been cleared for agriculture.
Save Our Woodlands Inc. secures and protects woodlands in NSW and pays landholders, in perpetuity, to conserve, enhance and re-establish native woodlands on THEIR land, and to manage these woodlands, so they are maintained.
BUT we need YOUR help. Together we can bring about change. Please consider donating.
People tend to think that woodlands are “just bush,” consequently, over 85% of the native woodlands in New South Wales, Australia have been replaced by agriculture.
Donate $10 per month & help protect critical habitats. By doing so YOU will prevent further species from extinction.
Our work is only possible with your support.
