Eastern Quoll
Encyclopedia
The Eastern Quoll also known as the Eastern Native Cat, is a medium-sized carnivorous dasyurid marsupial
native to Australia
. They are now considered extinct on the mainland, but remain widespread and even locally common in Tasmania
. It is one of six extant species of quoll
.
, which includes most carnivorous marsupial
s. Its species name, viverrinus, indicates that it is "ferret-like". The species was first described in 1800 by George Shaw
, who placed it in the opossum genus Didelphis
, along with the only other then-known quoll
, the Tiger Quoll
.
by their slender build, pointed snout and lack of spots on the tail.
.
The breeding season begins in early winter, and the female gives birth to up to 30 young. Of these, the first to attach themselves to the six teats will be the only survivors. Weaning takes place at about 10 weeks of age, with the young staying in the den whilst the mother forages.
es and dingo
es in Tasmania is believed to have contributed to the survival of the species.
's Nielsen Park, Vaucluse
on 31 January 1963. The National Parks and Wildlife service reports numerous unconfirmed sightings up until 1999 (the year of the report), and the species was reported sighted as recently as 2006. Specimens collected in 2005 and 2008 west of Melbourne, Victoria are likely connected with a nearby Conservation and Research Centre, either as direct escapees, or the descendants of escapees from that facility.
Marsupial
Marsupials are an infraclass of mammals, characterized by giving birth to relatively undeveloped young. Close to 70% of the 334 extant species occur in Australia, New Guinea, and nearby islands, with the remaining 100 found in the Americas, primarily in South America, but with thirteen in Central...
native to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. They are now considered extinct on the mainland, but remain widespread and even locally common in Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
. It is one of six extant species of quoll
Quoll
The quoll, or native cat, is a carnivorous marsupial native to mainland Australia, New Guinea and Tasmania. It is primarily nocturnal and spends most of the day in its den. There are six species of quoll; four are found in Australia and two in New Guinea...
.
Taxonomy
The Eastern Quoll is a member of the family DasyuridaeDasyuridae
Dasyuridae is a family of marsupials native to Australia and New Guinea, including 61 species divided into 15 genera. Many are small and mouse-like, giving them the misnomer marsupial mice, but the group also includes the cat-sized quolls, as well as the Tasmanian Devil...
, which includes most carnivorous marsupial
Marsupial
Marsupials are an infraclass of mammals, characterized by giving birth to relatively undeveloped young. Close to 70% of the 334 extant species occur in Australia, New Guinea, and nearby islands, with the remaining 100 found in the Americas, primarily in South America, but with thirteen in Central...
s. Its species name, viverrinus, indicates that it is "ferret-like". The species was first described in 1800 by George Shaw
George Shaw
George Shaw was an English botanist and zoologist.Shaw was born at Bierton, Buckinghamshire and was educated at Magdalen Hall, Oxford, receiving his M.A. in 1772. He took up the profession of medical practitioner. In 1786 he became the assistant lecturer in botany at Oxford University...
, who placed it in the opossum genus Didelphis
Didelphis
The six species in the genus Didelphis, commonly known as large American opossums, are members of the Didelphimorphia order....
, along with the only other then-known quoll
Quoll
The quoll, or native cat, is a carnivorous marsupial native to mainland Australia, New Guinea and Tasmania. It is primarily nocturnal and spends most of the day in its den. There are six species of quoll; four are found in Australia and two in New Guinea...
, the Tiger Quoll
Tiger Quoll
The tiger quoll , also known as the spotted-tail quoll, the spotted quoll, the spotted-tailed dasyure or the tiger cat, is a carnivorous marsupial of the quoll genus Dasyurus native to Australia...
.
Description
The Eastern Quoll is generally about the size of a small domestic cat, with an adult male averaging 60 cm and weighing approximately 1.3 kg. Their thick coat is covered by white spots, and ranges in colour from a light fawn to a near black, with an off-white belly. They can be distinguished from the Tiger QuollTiger Quoll
The tiger quoll , also known as the spotted-tail quoll, the spotted quoll, the spotted-tailed dasyure or the tiger cat, is a carnivorous marsupial of the quoll genus Dasyurus native to Australia...
by their slender build, pointed snout and lack of spots on the tail.
Behaviour
The Eastern Quoll is a solitary predator, hunting at night for its prey of insects and small mammals. They have also been known to scavenge food from the much larger Tasmanian DevilTasmanian Devil
The Tasmanian devil is a carnivorous marsupial of the family Dasyuridae, now found in the wild only on the Australian island state of Tasmania. The size of a small dog, it became the largest carnivorous marsupial in the world following the extinction of the thylacine in 1936...
.
The breeding season begins in early winter, and the female gives birth to up to 30 young. Of these, the first to attach themselves to the six teats will be the only survivors. Weaning takes place at about 10 weeks of age, with the young staying in the den whilst the mother forages.
Threats
The main threats to the Eastern Quoll are competition and predation from feral cats and illegal poisoning and trapping. The lack of foxFox
Fox is a common name for many species of omnivorous mammals belonging to the Canidae family. Foxes are small to medium-sized canids , characterized by possessing a long narrow snout, and a bushy tail .Members of about 37 species are referred to as foxes, of which only 12 species actually belong to...
es and dingo
Dingo
The Australian Dingo or Warrigal is a free-roaming wild dog unique to the continent of Australia, mainly found in the outback. Its original ancestors are thought to have arrived with humans from southeast Asia thousands of years ago, when dogs were still relatively undomesticated and closer to...
es in Tasmania is believed to have contributed to the survival of the species.
Mainland extinction
The last mainland Eastern Quoll specimen was collected as roadkill in SydneySydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
's Nielsen Park, Vaucluse
Vaucluse
The Vaucluse is a department in the southeast of France, named after the famous spring, the Fontaine-de-Vaucluse.- History :Vaucluse was created on 12 August 1793 out of parts of the departments of Bouches-du-Rhône, Drôme, and Basses-Alpes...
on 31 January 1963. The National Parks and Wildlife service reports numerous unconfirmed sightings up until 1999 (the year of the report), and the species was reported sighted as recently as 2006. Specimens collected in 2005 and 2008 west of Melbourne, Victoria are likely connected with a nearby Conservation and Research Centre, either as direct escapees, or the descendants of escapees from that facility.