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Species Fact Sheet: Northern quoll © Viewfinder Nothern quoll Dasyurus hallucatus The northern quoll is a medium-sized carnivorous marsupial that lives in the savannas of northern Australia. 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 cane toad. Recent translocations to islands in northern Australia free from feral animals have had some success in increasing populations on islands Conservation status 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? • • Although they are marsupials, female northern quolls do not have a pouch. At the start of the breeding season the area around the nipples becomes enlarged and partially surrounded by a flap of skin. The young (usually six in a litter) live here for the first eight to 10 weeks of their lives. Almost all male northern quolls die at about one year old, not long after mating. Distribution and habitat Northern quolls live in a range of habitats but prefer rocky areas and eucalypt forests. The quoll is a good climber but spends most of its time foraging and sleeping on the ground. During the day it likes to hide in hollow logs, rock crevices, caves and hollow trees. The species was once found from north of Brisbane right across to the northern parts of the Western Australian coast. It is now reduced to small populations in the Northern Territory, Western Australia’s Kimberley and Pilbara regions, and Queensland’s Cape York, Wet Tropics and a small area just north of Brisbane. Western Australia. They have been associated with the demise of a number of native species. Conservation action Communities, scientists and governments are working together to coordinate the research and management effort. The Threatened Species Network, a communitybased program of the Australian Government and WWFAustralia, recently provided funding for Traditional Owners to survey Maria Island in the Northern Territory for northern quolls. On Groote Eylandt, the most significant island for northern quolls, a TSN Community Grant is providing funds to help quarantine the island from hitch-hiking cane toads by providing fencing and traps at key barge landings. Past TSN Community Grants have included the support of the Marthakal Rangers to translocate quolls to two islands free of cane toads, and two other grants were provided to support both the Kimberley Land Council and the Lianthawirriyarra Sea Ranger Unit in undertaking northern quoll surveys. WWF successfully nominated cane toads as a Key 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 changed fire patterns. • Invasive species 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 Kakadu National Park found the species was completely gone from sites where cane toads had recently arrived. For landholders, research whether your land is likely to be quoll habitat. Contact your local TSN coordinator for information. • Cane toads were brought to Australia in 1935 to control the cane beetle in cane fields. They are now found across northern Australian from the top of New South Wales through the Northern Territory to the Western Australian border. They also compete with quolls for food and shelter. The toad will eat almost anything that fits in its mouth - native insects, frogs, small reptiles, mammals and birds. Cane toads are poisonous at all stages of their life cycle. Northern quolls often mistake the toads for native frogs, eat them and then die from the poison. Road-related deaths are quite common for this species, as the quoll often scavenges on road kill and thus is placed in danger. Take extra care driving through areas of known quoll habitat, especially at night. • De-sex your pets, particularly dogs and cats, so unwanted litters are not produced that may create new competitors for the quoll’s food. It is also important to control your pets at night so they don’t escape and become feral predators. • Participate in revegetation and tree planting schemes in your local area. You should ensure that all plants chosen are locally sourced and appropriate for the region and animals within it. • Be careful when travelling in known cane toad areas – make sure you don’t allow cane toads to hitch-hike and spread further. Altered fire regimes Fires can destroy den sites and vegetation and decrease the availability of prey for the quolls. A change in the frequency or type of fire can affect quolls. Introduced species The introduction of foxes and cats has had a major impact on Australia’s unique species, including quolls. Not only are young quolls at risk of predation by foxes and cats but these feral animals are also a competitor for food. Foxes were introduced into Australia soon after European settlement and are now well established over most of the non-tropical mainland. Cat arrival is believed to predate European settlement in Australia, with the first thought to have become established from shipwrecks off the coast of WWF-Australia GPO Box 528 Sydney NSW 2001 Tel: 1800 032 551 wwf.org.au © 1986 Panda symbol WWF. ® (trademark words, e.g. “WWF”, “panda”, or “living planet”) is/are WWF Registered Trademark/s.