Search begins for elusive quoll

5th March 2009

submitted

IF there are quolls in the Sunshine Coast hinterland, University of the Sunshine Coast scientist Dr Scott Burnett is certainly the man to find them.

Dr Burnett is leading a research study to count the numbers of the endangered carnivorous marsupials that might inhabit the Mary River headwaters in forest reserves around Conondale, Kenilworth and Kandanga.

The USC Wildlife Ecology lecturer will soon set camera traps (heat-activated cameras) to help count the animals as part of a Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland (WPSQ) project called “Protecting Quolls in Queensland Landscapes”.

The Federal Government has funded this State-wide project, providing Dr Burnett and a USC research assistant with the resources they need to conduct the quoll count between now and September.

“The heat-activated cameras which we put out will have chicken carcasses as bait and will take photos of the quolls when they come close,” he said.

“I'd anticipate that we'll end up with many images of other wildlife species as well as quolls, if there are quolls there, and these images will be made available to the WPSQ.”

Dr Burnett, who is one of Australia's leading quoll experts, said his interest in the very private, pointy-noised marsupial went beyond the fact that the species needed protection.

“They are Australia's largest marsupial carnivore, so there's a certain allure about that. And they're quite poorly known, so there's that mystery factor as well,” he said.

“I'm a real sucker for animals that are hard to find, and they're such a spectacular-looking animal with their coat patterns and spots. They are a bit of an environmental yardstick as well because they sit on top of the food chain.”

Large spotted-tailed quolls have a diet of birds, reptiles and mammals like possums, echidnas and rabbits, while smaller quolls eat mainly insects, birds, frogs, snakes, lizards and small mammals.

As part of the “Protecting Quolls in Queensland Landscapes” project, Dr Burnett also will run special quoll discovery days across the State to highlight how communities can help protect quolls.

“I show people how to recognise if quolls live in the area and I give displays on how to build a quoll-proof chicken pen,” he said.

“There also will be a live quoll on display.”

Dr Burnett will run quoll discovery days in northern Queensland in March and April, before returning to the Sunshine Coast for a display at the Gympie Show in mid-May and a quoll discovery day in Gympie on Sunday 31 May.