Eastern Quoll
Dasyurus viverrinus
Australia's Threatened Species Category
Endangered
Listed since: 3/12/2015
IUCN's Threatened Species Category
Endangered
Listed since: 15/03/2014
Population trend: Decreasing
Other names: Luaner
Priority Species? Yes
The Australian government's Threatened Species Action Plan 2022-2032 selected over 100 priority species derive from consultation with threatened species experts and the wider community. While all species are important, focusing on a limited number of species can help target effort and resources so that outcomes can be achieved, measured and shared.
Description
The Eastern Quoll is widespread in Tasmania and was previously widespread in mainland south-eastern Australia, but is now restricted to Tasmania. The Eastern Quoll is mostly solitary and not territorial. They are nocturnal and sleep in dens made under rocks, in underground burrows or fallen logs. It is an opportunistic carnivore that takes live prey and scavenges, however, the main component of its diet is invertebrates, especially beetles and worms.
Threats
The main threats faced by the Eastern Quoll is predation by feral cats and climate change. The predicted increase in the frequency, severity and duration of extreme weather events will increase the frequency at which quoll populations will be reduced.
Quollity Conservation Hub's Vulnerability Score:
38
To help compare the relative vulnerability of different species, we have developed a scoring system based on biological and ecological characteristics that influence a species' ability to survive and recover from environmental change and natural disasters.
The framework is adapted from assessment methods used by conservation experts following the Black Summer bushfires to help identify species most in need of conservation action, research, and recovery funding.
Each species is assessed using a range of factors, including its conservation status, lifespan, reproductive rate, habitat and dietary requirements, ability to disperse or recover after fire, and the number and severity of threats it faces.
In general, the higher a species' score, the greater its overall vulnerability and risk of decline or extinction.
Like all conservation assessments, this scoring system is limited by the information currently available. Many threatened species remain poorly studied and receive limited research funding, meaning some assessments rely on the best available scientific knowledge or information from closely related species. As new research becomes available, scores may be updated to reflect our improved understanding.