Australian Quoll Conservancy News 1 2015 by Australian Quoll Conservancy

2015 FIRST QUARTER - Report

Spots Newsletter #1

NEW NAME ... NEW OBJECTIVES How much is our wildlife worth ... We are very excited to announce the the Far North Quoll Seekers network establishment of Australia’s newest with Luke for several years – had to conservation group, the Australian Quoll leave Cairns for family commitments. As Conservancy (AQC). We would like to Alberto started filming these creatures, welcome you to our inaugural newsletter. he began to understand them and T h e A Q C i s d e d i c a t e d t o t h e become genuinely concerned for their conservation of all four of Australia’s future and expressed a desire to have a Quoll Species, particularly the race greater commitment to protecting these “gracilis” of the spotted tailed quoll in animals. Alberto and Luke’s passion to North QLD. The AQC is based in Cairns, save quolls has culminated in the Nth QLD however we strive to promote creation of the AQC. and support conservation efforts

The AQC is a registered not for

undertaken by conservation groups profit conservation group and has the across Australia. The AQC was established by Luke

following objectives: • To ensure the protection of

Jackson (from Far North Quoll Seekers remaining quoll populations and their Network) and Alberto Vale (WildCAM habitat across Australia; Australia®) out of a genuine concern

• To reverse the declining trend of

about the long term future of these quoll populations nationally and - where a n i m a l s . A l b e r t o i s a w i l d l i f e possible - increase populations by redocumentary maker and approached establishing populations which have Luke over a year ago to undertake a become locally extinct and by documentary about quolls in far north

expanding the range of existing

Queensland. Glenn Kvassay – who ran populations;

[1]

Newsletter Snapshot • Welcome • Fast and Furious Update • Sightings • News from across the country • Links to other studies • By Catch Pages • How you can help • Our sponsors

• To raise awareness in the local,

• To share information with respect

regional, national and international to quoll populations, threats, habitat community of the plight of quolls and requirements, etc, amongst researchers, what efforts individuals, groups and national parks, government agencies, companies can make to reverse the the community and other decline;

conservation groups in an effort to

• To work collaboratively across the forge collective conservation outcomes; country with communities,

• To restore and protect key

conservationists, scientists, indigenous remaining habitat; groups, researchers, gover nment

• To protect the flora and fauna that

agencies and the private sector to forge lives side by side with quolls and collective efforts to protect quolls and support the groups and researcher’s their habitat;

working towards the conservation of

• To use a range of technology to such flora and fauna; gather data on the population of quolls

• To m o n i t o r e x i s t i n g q u o l l

in Australia by obtaining sightings from populations; and the community, receiving information

• To encourage, support and be

from researchers and undertaking active in pest eradication programs and camera surveys in habitats suitable for support groups involved in such quolls;

activities.

• To educate the public about the

To achieve these objectives, the

i m p o r t a n c e o f q u o l l s w i t h i n t h e AQC has also has an action plan. This ecosystem, the threats that they face can be viewed on our webpage at and how they can assist in preserving www.quolls.org.au quolls;

Please Like Us on Facebook https://

• To assist researchers requiring www.facebook.com/pages/Australianinformation or support during relevant Quoll-Conservancy/777746602271285 studies relating to quolls;

[2]

L L O QU

DOCUMENTARY

Alberto has completed the bulk of his filming of spotted tailed quolls in the wild of his upcoming documentary “Quolls Fast and Furious”. Alberto has spent over 28 months tracking and filming several quolls in the rainforest in North Queensland. During this time, Alberto has made several discoveries about quolls which were previously unknown to science. Alberto became accustomed to several female quolls which he named. One of them became very familiar with Alberto and was very comfortable around him. This gave Alberto an incredible opportunity to film these very scarce and rarely seen animals. Alberto has used a variety of technology to take incredible footage of these amazing animals both by day and night. He has also filmed their home and the plants and animals which form part of the environment that these quolls depend on. The documentary also explores quolls in other parts of

with

the country and a range of experts have provided information for the documentary. Alberto was also fortunate to be supported through this documentary by several quoll experts including Scott Burnett, Geoff Middleton, Amber Gillet (Australia Zoo Vet) and Sean Fitzgibbon. We are very excited about the completion of this documentary. It will still take a few more months for Alberto to complete the post production of his documentary, but in 2015 – watch this space. It will be fantastic to have a documentary released worldwide (hopefully Australian broadcasters will have some interest) with Several National and International distributors showing genuine direct interest to releasing this documentary to show the world about quolls, how they live and what is threatening their future. Please visit WildCAM Australia® website for further information. www.wildcamaustralia.com

[3]

Am Luk be e with Jackso r & Se an, n fi one Doc of Alb nally a bl u me e ntar rto’s Q e to po y St se u ars. oll

SURVEYS

SIGHTINGS &

The AQC has

one was found at Davies Creek National park on the road.

received many

This highlights the importance of people driving carefully,

quoll sightings

particularly at night when these animals are most active.

this year,

Alberto and I also managed to have a hitchhiking northern

particularly over

quoll when we were leaving a property at Emerald Creek

the past few

where we were filming them. Thanks to Kim Hillier for being

months. The total

so generous in letting is stay at his property to film his

combined

wonderful northern quolls. They really loved making a mess

sightings in our

of his outside kitchen.

database is now

Additional sightings were made by Dr Scott Burnett as

282 quolls, with 89 being

part of a comprehensive study that he conducted into the

Spotted Tailed Quolls and

possible northern quoll population of far north queensland.

193 being northern quolls.

This study is available for viewing at the following web link:

The database contains

http://tinyurl.com/ovgvwam

records and sightings of quolls in north Queensland over the past decade. It includes studies carried out by researchers, the far north quoll seekers network and the AQC. The AQC is now the only established group in the country which is actively seeking sightings from the public and maintaining a database for the two quoll species in North The AQC is confident that northern quoll populations

Queensland. This data is invaluable and we share it

appear to be stable. In the absence of any ongoing

with government and non-

comprehensive study, it would appear that sightings of

government agencies that

these animals are regular and the paper provided by Scott

require information about

Burnett indicates a substantial population. We hope this population continues to thrive and

quoll populations.

expand into the future.

The data that we have collected highlights the rarity of the Spotted Tailed Quoll in particular. Sightings this

Report a Sighting

year of Spotted Tailed Quolls from the public totaled 3 animals with one from the Tully area and two from the Bartle Frere. Alberto and Luke have also seen four different Spotted Tailed Quolls on several occasions from the Atherton sub population west of Cairns. This highlights the rarity of this creature as well as its requirement for vast areas of intact wilderness. Because it lives largely in wilderness areas, people rarely see them. Northern quoll sightings have again been common with thirteen sightings coming in so far this year with several being seen in the Red lynch Valley, Clifton Beach, Tinaroo area and Cooktown. A dead one was found on Mulgrave Rd fronting the Earlville Shopping Centre and another dead

Your sighting recorded. If you see it ... declare it to the AQC, just email us with your coordinates or geographical location and tell us as much you can about your encounter. We will now are able to record it, in our public database sightings with google maps. Your sighting now is public for everyone to see, and just not stored. Report it aqc@quolls.or.au https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer? mid=zYPdaIRK5uco.k0PNZLyAXHlc

[4]

FAME

Re-introducing quolls to South Australia – a collaboration between hunters and conservationists

The Foundation for Australia’s Most Endangered Species (FAME) recently embarked on a bold experiment to reintroduce western quolls from Western Australia to the Flinders Ranges in South Australia. Western Quolls disappeared from South Australia over 100 years ago and were wiped out over most of their large territory which covered 70% of Australia over central, southern and western parts of the country. FAME – with the help of a substantial donation as well as on ground assistance from the Sporting Shooters Association in South Australia – has reintroduced Western Quolls to the Flinders Ranges in South Australia. The shooters assisted by eradicating foxes and cats in the area of release and continue to provide this support as needed. The quolls have been breeding and many young have become independent. This is a fantastic outcome and shows that animals can be “rewilded” with dedication and team work. We would like to congratulate FAME, the shooters and the WA and SA governments for assisting in this process. If you would like to read more or watch a video about this remarkable conservation effort, please see the following links. We would also encourage people to donate to FAME who also concentrate on other core species, including Tasmanian Devils.

TROUBLED

image co urt FAME.OR

LINKS http://fame.org.au/projects/western-quoll http://fame.org.au/news_resources/news/view/western-quollreintroduction-trial-deemed-a-success http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-04-26/helping-hand/5413400? section=sa

EASTERN QUOLLS

The AQC has recently been in touch with the most eminent expert on Eastern Quolls in Tasmania, Bronwyn Fancourt, regarding the status of Eastern Quolls in Tasmania. Bronwyn has been studying these animals for over 15 years. Bronwyn’s studies indicate that Eastern Quoll populations are declining in most parts of Tasmania. Unfortunately, Bronwyn has been unable to find a definitive answer to why this is happening. Bronwyn has not been able to make a connection between the loss of devils with declines in quoll numbers, nor is there definitive evidence that points to foxes or poisoning either. Bronwyn has noted an increase in cats in certain areas, however there is no proof that this has resulted in eastern quoll declines. Historically, eastern quolls were found across the east coast of Australia in NSW, and Victoria and Tasmania. Eastern Quolls became extinct on the mainland in the 1960’s and there are a range of conservationists who are keen to see these animals re-introduced to the mainland, including “Rewilding Australia”. Given the declining populations in Tasmania, there is a good argument to rewild some of these animals to islands or even protected areas on the mainland to safeguard the species. The Trowunna Wildlife Park in Tasmania is presently trying to garner public support and donations for a breeding program there which they will hope will be able to restock quolls in other parts of the state. If you would like to support them, please look up their website at http://molecreek.info/natures-wonders/ tasmanian-wildlife/trowunna-wildlife-park/

[5]

esy

G.AU

REWILDING

AUSTRALIA

REWILDING is a concept that is taking off all over the world. Rewilding is where animals which have become extinct from an area are re-introduced. The idea is to recreate natural populations of animals in areas that have become protected. Rewilding has been occurring in Africa for many decades, particularly with Rhinos. In Europe over the past decade it has become very popular and very successful with bears, wolves, bison and lynx being successfully reintroduced to protected parts of Europe. In many cases, these animals are surviving without human intervention and are increasing in numbers. Rewilding is also occurring in Australia as can be seen by the previous articles in this newsletter. A conservation group called “Rewilding Australia” established recently with the aim of reintroducing a range of animals to former parts of their historic range with a particular initial focus on Tasmanian Devils and Quolls being reintroduced to the mainland where they became extinct between 50 and 400 years ago. Given the substantial and worrying declines in these apex predators in Tasmania, there is a genuine fear that these animals could be lost. Rewilding offers an opportunity to arrest this decline by bringing animals back to parts of their former range on the mainland. There are protected areas in NSW and Victoria where populations of devils and quolls could be released, like has been the case in South Australia with Western Quolls. To bring these carnivorous marsupial back could have the advantage of reducing the numbers of introduced predators,

BY CATCH

Conscious progress from just conserving to actively rebuilding ecosystems

sy image courte

REWILDING

M.AU AUSTRALIA.CO

restoring a more natural balance in the ecosystem and then hopefully follow this with reintroductions of other lost species such as the southern bettong, eastern barred bandicoot and southern pademelon, all of which occurred in Victoria and are now extinct in the wild in that state. To read more about current rewilding efforts and how you can participate, support or donate to this important cause, please see the following web http://www.rewildingaustralia.com.au/

Yet again the AQC has not only been delighted by images of spotted tailed quolls on our cameras, but we were also able to capture some images of other wonderful creatures, some of which are very rare.

NEWSLETTER sponsored by WildCAM Australia®

[6]

www.wildcamaustralia.com

HOW TO

HELP

2015 Spots Programme

In January 2015 the AQC launched the "Spots Programme" in an attempt to ascertain the current distribution of the spotted-tailed quoll (D.maculatus gracilis) in Tropical North Queensland. The Department of Environment is now supplying maps to the general public about threatened species habitat, however they are ONLY indicative rather than definitive maps. Such maps are now a starting point for further investigation rather than the outcome of a comprehensive scientific assessment. AQC has not enough cameras to successfully target areas to help the ID mapping of spots pattern Spotted-tailed quolls (uniquely like a fingerprint) this imaging library will aid current identification numbers of the specie and a better regional-scale habitat planning for these species. HELP THIS CONSERVATION PROJECT For the project to be successful we need the community support to buy several trail cameras. Our donation target has been raised to $5000.00 for cameras and batteries. Contributions are tax deductible and can be donated at our website using the Donate Paypal Buttons.