Fight to save the Otways Tiger

Otways scientists have been working to find out more about the Tiger Quoll with only a small number left in Australia in the hope of discovering more in the wild, according to the Geelong Advertiser.

The Cape Otway Conservation Ecology Centre last week opened a sanctuary to house three young quolls as part of a program designed to protect the endangered species, the largest remaining carnivorous marsupials on the Australian mainland.

Program leader Dr Kellie Leigh said that unless action was taken, the species may face the same fate as its cousin, the Tasmanian Tiger, which became extinct 75 years ago.

"There used to be quolls all throughout Victoria but now there aren't many left, and traditional survey methods aren't detecting them because they're at such low densities," she said.

Baby quolls make a Spring entrance

What do you call a couple of handfuls of baby quolls? A quoggle? A quadrella? Well, technically it's a litter of joeys - no alliterations unfortunately!

Australian Geographic has a lovely story about Wildlife Sydney in Darling Harbour which has just welcomed its latest Spring babies, the offspring of the park's spotted tail quolls.

Meet Badger, the Quoll-tracking dog!

Colac district conservationists hope a dog could be the key to saving Australia’s tiger quoll population.

Employees of the Cape Otway Centre for Conservation Ecology have been busy training two-year-old Badger, the tiger quoll detection dog, to locate scats from the endangered tiger quoll population.

Program leader Kellie Leigh is training Badger, an Australian shepherd, with the aid of three tiger quolls kept on site in a custom-built sanctuary named the “Qualloseum”.

Staff feed the quolls a varied diet and the quolls, each of which is about 12 months old, provide fresh scats for Badger’s training program.

Conservationists hope new detection methods will help find populations of native tiger quolls in the Otways.

Cape Otway Centre for Conservation Ecology program leader Kellie Leigh hopes Badger the dog will help conservationists find native tiger quoll populations around the Otways.

Ms Leigh said tiger quoll numbers in the Otways were so low that environmental authorities, who use remote cameras to survey the animals, had not detected the marsupial predator for “about seven years”.

Plea to save Spotted-Tailed Quoll's home

We've just been sent this petition - slap your moniker on it if you have a moment...

Proposed development of a mega-resort in the Elbow Valley region of SE Queensland may push the Spotted-Tailed Quoll to local extinction.

Chinese Development Company Joyful View Garden Real Estate proposes to develop over 2090 acres of land into a mix of permanent resident and resort-style accommodation for overseas visitors and residents of up to 4000 people. The environmental impact of the mini-city may push the Spotted-Tailed Quoll to extinction in this region. Research (Meyer-Gleaves 2007) shows this area to be the last stronghold of the species in south east Queensland.

The animal is mainland Australias largest marsupial carnivore and is listed by the Federal Government as endangered. It is also recognised internationally as vulnerable under the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Wildlife Preservation Society of Qld cites 'habitat destruction and loss, many types of development or industry and increased traffic on roads' as the key reasons the Spotted-Tailed Quoll has become endangered. Recent research adds 'removal of cover, contact with exotic predators and human populations, impact of introduced species, persecution and hunting, and poisoning programs'.

In 2009 Southern Downs Regional Council opposed the proposed extension of the Unimin mine in the same region, citing the proposed expansion might have a potential impact on the habitat of the quoll yet passed this proposed development in June 2011 with no consideration for the species!

The recent extinction rate of mammals in Australia is unequalled anywhere in the world.

The petition will be sent to the Minister of Sustainability and Environment who will make the final decision on approval of the mega-resort.

We need YOUR help to ensure the survival of this important native carnivore. Please sign the petition to add your voice to help one with none.

Aussies in London #2

The riches of the Natural History Museum in London are boundless, and tucked away in the collection are some amazing antipodean specimens.

These include a very pale-looking Tasmanian Devil:

A somewhat anaemic-looking quoll:

And a fair-haired bettong:

Just to give you an idea of just how faded these specimens are, here are the animals in question with their normal vibrant coats. First up, the Tasmanian Devil:

Some colour phases of the Quoll, which includes four species - the Eastern, Western, Spotted Tail and Northern Quoll:

And the Rufus Bettong:

Baby quolls come out to play - VIC

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/sunday-heraldsun/some-quoll-ity-time/story-e6frf92f-1225927916155

Zoologist Chris Humfrey doesn't recommend keeping tiger quolls as pets.

Despite their size, the small carnivores' aggressive nature means they're inclined to attack whatever crosses their path.

Mr Humfrey breeds the species, the lesser-known cousin of the Tasmanian tiger. He said quoll numbers had dwindled due to habitat destruction, poisoning and foxes and cats attacking their offspring and spreading diseases.

Mr Humphrey is hand-rearing two of the 17 baby quolls, named Quincy and Queenie.

Chris runs www.wildaction.com.au - a wildlife education business.