Eastern Quoll - profile

Indicative distribution

Loading map...

Key:

known

predicted

The areas shown in pink and/purple are the sub-regions where the species or community is known or predicted to occur. They may not occur thoughout the sub-region but may be restricted to certain areas. ( click here to see geographic restrictions). The information presented in this map is only indicative and may contain errors and omissions.

Scientific name: Dasyurus viverrinus

Conservation status in NSW: Endangered

Commonwealth status: Endangered

Profile last updated: 21 Jul 2021

Description

Slightly built animal with large sensitive ears and striking white-spotted black or fawn fur. Females grow to about 350 mm head-body length, and weigh about 900 g. Males are larger than females and weight half again as much. Distinguished from the larger Spotted-tailed Quoll by the absence of spots on its tail, only four toes on hindfoot, a less bulky head and body shape which give a more 'delicate' appearance than the 'robust' Spotted-tailed Quoll.

Distribution

This species existed in NSW until at least the 1990s. A road-killed individual collected on Barrington Tops in 1989 was recently identified genetically as coming from mainland rather than Tasmanian provenance. Analysis of credible reports repeatedly made across much of the former range lend hope that a small population of mainland quolls may still exist. The species is now listed as Endangered by the Commonwealth due to a population crash in Tasmania over the past decades. A recent reintroduction of Eastern Quolls into Jervis Bay failed to establish a population despite intensive management. Other translocations into fenced areas on the mainland are creating small 'captive' populations.

Habitat and ecology

Highly flexible habitat selection, occurring in dry sclerophyll forest, scrub, heathland, pasture and even cultivated land. They seek diurnal refuge in burrows, hollow logs, rock piles and even buildings.
Opportunistic, nocturnal carnivore. Insects typically provide the majority of the diet supplemented by small vertebrates. However, quolls are capable of taking prey nearly as large as themselves, and readily scavenge on carcasses.
Home range size varies between the sexes and is dependent on habitat quality. In very fertile habitats females can obtain enough prey within several hectares, but a home range of 20 ha would be more typical. Males often travel over a kilometre in a night, familiarising themselves with the multiple females in their large, overlapping home ranges.
Females produce litters of six joeys in early winter, and deposit them in the maternal den once they grow too large for the pouch. They do not carry young on their back while foraging, only doing so when shifting the litter between burrows.

Threats

Failure to recognise published evidence that Eastern Quolls existed in NSW long after the typically quoted 1963 date hinders appropriate assessment of credible reports.
Possible loss of the mainland genotype, which may be better adapted to future translocation efforts.

Recovery strategies

A Saving Our Species conservation project is currently being developed for this species and will be available soon. For information on how you can contribute to this species' recovery, see the Activities to assist this species section below.