Quokka
Setonix brachyurus
Australia's Threatened Species Category
Vulnerable
Listed since: 30/01/2014
IUCN's Threatened Species Category
Vulnerable
Listed since: 13/12/2012
Population trend: Decreasing
Other names: None
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 Quokka is a small wallaby with thick, coarse, grey-brown fur. They occur on 2 offshore island of Western Australia (Rottnest Island and Bald Island) and a number of mainland sites in south-west Western Australia. Their distribution is severely fragmented. The Quokka is a habitat specialist and needs close proximity to fresh water, dense understorey, less that 10 years since fire with adjacent vegetation age that is greater the 25 years and the absence of feral predators. They prefer to feed of new young growth vegetation and on Rottnest Island their diet is primarily succulents.
Threats
The introduction of the Red Fox caused major declines in the 1930s with predations and habitat destruction through inappropriate fire regimes still being key drivers of their ongoing decline. The Quokka is also susceptible to the indirect impacts of the Phythophthera plant pathogen due to death of vegetation which has the potential to increase the risk of predation and loss of resources for the Quokka.
Quollity Conservation Hub's Vulnerability Score:
46
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.