Dasyurus viverrinus
eastern quoll

Eastern quolls once lived in southeastern Australia, Tasmania, Kangaroo Island, and King Island (Nowak, 1991). They were last seen in the Sydney suburb of Vaucluse in the 1960's and are now extinct from the Australian mainland. Eastern quolls are still common in Tasmania (Parks and Wildlife Service of Tasmania 1997).

Eastern Quolls live in rainforests, woodlands, and closed forests. They are mostly found where rainfall exceeds 600 millimeters per year. Their dens are usually in caves and hollow logs or trees. They were once found in Victoria and the Great Dividing Range from East Queensland to Tasmania, but they are now extinct from all locales except for Tasmania. There are occasional sightings reported in the New England region of New South Wales, suggesting there may be a small residual mainland population (Whitfield 1984).

Eastern quolls are the size of small cats. Generally, females are smaller than males with females ranging from 600 to 1,030 grams and males ranging from 850 to 1,550 grams in weight. Head and body length ranges between 350 and 450 mm and tail length from 210 to 300 mm (Nowak, 1991). Fur colors range from black to brown or tan with white spots on their bodies. The tail may have a white tip. Quolls have a pink nose and ears, a thick snout, a pointed muzzle, and very sharp teeth (Parks and Wildlife Service of Tasmania 1997).

Dasyurus viverrinus differs from other species in this genus in that it lacks a first toe on the hind foot and the pads of the feet are granulated, rather than striated as in the other species (Nowak, 1991).

Eastern quolls experience a single breeding season between late fall and early winter. Up to 30 young are born at one time, though females have from 6 to 8 mammae and can only nurture that number of embryos in the pouch (Jagoe 2000, Nowak, 1991). They have a gestation period of 20 to 24 days. The young remain in their mother's pouch for 8 weeks and are weaned at 18 weeks. Maximum longevity recorded in a captive individual was 6 years and 10 months (Nowak, 1991).

Eastern quolls are primarily solitary animals that hunt at night. They are sometimes observed during the day. Quolls are primarily terrestrial, but are capable of climbing as well. Quolls subdue prey by biting them on the neck.

Their main native competitors are Tasmanian devils, but quolls are also negatively impacted by introduced predators and competitors such as feral cats, dogs, and foxes. The most common causes of death in quolls are dog predation, getting hit by vehicles, illegal poisoning, and trapping by poultry owners. They are under tight legislation in Tasmania as a threatened species (Parks and Wildlife of Tasmania 1997).

Eastern quolls are predatory, they are primarily nocturnal and feed mainly on insects, though small vertebrates (small marsupials, rats, rabbits, and mice), carrion, and some vegetable matter may be taken as well. Preferred foods are the cockshafer beetle, corbie shrub, dead animals, and fruit (Parks and Wildlife of Tasmania 1997). They shelter in rock piles and hollow logs during the day (Nowak, 1991).

Eastern quolls can have positive effects on humans. They remove carrion and eat mice and insect pests on human crops. They are also fascinating animals with some tourism value in Tasmania (Parks And Wildlife Service of Tasmania 1998).

Some farmers complain that their livestock, especially poultry, are attacked by this mammal. Quolls do sometimes eat sick and weak farm animals but their benefits may outweigh their negative impacts (Parks and Widlife Service of Tasmania 1998).

Eastern quolls are endangered. CITES lists D. viverrinus as 'lower risk, near threatened.' Competitors such as feral cats, dogs, and European foxes, along with the destruction of their forest habitat, have led to their decline (Parks and Wildlife Service of Tasmania 1997).

This species is under strict protection in Tasmania (Parks and Wildlife Service of Tasmania 1998).