RECONNECTING QUOLL CORRIDORS USING QUOLL PORTABLE LATRINES ALBERTO N. VALE Introduction All four Australian species of Quolls have what is commonly known as communal latrines (animal toilet) sites. These defaecation sites have a variety of locations ranging from open bushland sites to rainforest understory rockeries, forestry roads, trails and even outside human erected restrooms at Jenolan Caves Road, 33° 49.154'S 150° 1.487'E [Fig. 1]. Quolls use these communal latrine sites for marking their territory and for other stereotyped social functions such as identifying gender status and fertility readiness. Latrines of the Spotted-tailed Quoll Dasyurus maculatus are historically sites used during long periods of time where individuals are observed to converge repeatedly to urinate and defecate. The Australian Quoll Conservancy (AQC) field researchers have observed that in areas where a lure or an organic bait has been deposited, for example carrion, Quolls will defaecate in and around the food source. Their defaecation and urination at these sites is thought to have a function in socialisation in the species. Studies of the Spotted-tailed Quoll latrines have provided insights into their distribution, diet, habitat, population structure, and management (Dawson 2005). Visits to these dedicated daefecation sites have been recorded by the AQC to occur throughout the day and night in the tropics of North Queensland, with increase in this behavioral activity during the breeding season. Fig 1 The AQC has for quite some time contemplated a practical purpose of using these natural latrine gatherings, as an innovative way to reconnect existing colonies of Quolls, and to naturally facilitate movement between adjacent lower populated colonies. The Quoll Portable Latrine (QPL) developed by the AQC, is now demonstrating such social communication and individual movement in areas where current outer edge colonies are failing to recruit new members (particularly males), necessary to maintain a healthy colony gene pool.
Application and Design There is evidence that this type of communal latrines are means of communication among individuals occurring in all Australian Quoll species. Northern Spotted-tailed Quolls Dasyurus maculatus gracilis in North Queensland use rainforest understory rockeries, forestry roads and trails for their daefecation. For these animals sharing a toilet, is a form of social networking. As part of the "National Wildlife Corridors Plan", AQC wants to restore the Spotted-tailed Quoll wildlife corridor between the Goldsborough Valley
National Park and the Danbulla National Park in North Queensland. This project will use AQC’s Quoll portable latrines (QPL) to entice individuals inhabiting areas over 17 km apart, to establish communication through scent. This project will be monitored by AQC and has the full cooperation of QPWS, including Dan Fitzpatrick - Ranger in Charge Cairns South QPWS and Roger James - Ranger Lake Tinaroo QPWS, assisting with QPL’s deployment. There is current evidence that northern Spottedtailed Quoll individuals are still using the edge portions of this wildlife corridor but low and discontinuous distribution of colonies is probably
Australian Quoll Conservancy - Reconnecting Quoll Corridors Using Quoll Portable Latrines - © Alberto Vale 2018
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