Survey guidelines for Australia’s threatened non-flying mammals

Spotted-tailed quoll (southeast mainland and Tasmania)

Dasyurus maculatus maculatus

States and territories: Tasmania, Victoria, NSW and Queensland.

Regions: South-eastern mainland and Tasmania.

Habitat: Utilises a range of habitats including rainforest, damp forest, open forest and open woodland. Commonly associated with gullies, rocky escarpments and outcrops (Belcher 2000; Belcher et al. 2001).

Habit: Ground and tree-dwelling.

Avg. body weight: Average adult weights in south-eastern Australia are: males 2.8 kg (range 2.0–4.2 kg) and females 1.7 kg (range 1.2–2.1 kg) (Belcher 2003). In Tasmania adult weights are: males 3.5 kg (n=10) and females 1.8 kg (n=9) (Jones et al. 2001). Maximum weights recorded are up to 7 kg (males) and 4 kg (females) (Edgar & Belcher 1995).

Activity pattern: Crepuscular nocturnal, but often hunts for arboreal prey in their hollows during the day.

Diet: Carnivore: up to 80 per cent of diet made up of medium-sized (500–5000 g) mammals (for example, rabbits, common brushtail and common ringtail possums, bandicoots) and carrion. Young quolls are more dependent on invertebrates, reptiles, small mammals and birds, as recorded from a study in Victoria and New South Wales (Belcher 1995; Glen & Dickman 2006a). Greater gliders are a major prey item in damp forests (Glen & Dickman 2006a; Belcher et al. 2007)

Breeding: Mating occurs between late May and early August, and young are born after a 21 day gestation period. The average litter size is 5 and offspring remain in the pouch for seven weeks. Offspring are left in the den whilst the female hunts. They become fully independent at 18–20 weeks (Edgar & Belcher 1995; Belcher 2003; Van Dyck and Strahan 2008). From a limited sample, the average number of young weaned was three (Belcher 2003).

Description

The spotted-tailed quoll is the largest and most arboreal of the quolls, with distinctive white spots on its coat and tail (distinguishing it from other quolls) (Edgar & Belcher 1995). Its range is associated with forest habitats that are not fragmented or isolated. It is a rare and cryptic species that occurs at low population densities and occupies large home ranges that vary in size, depending on habitat richness and female spacing (Belcher 2000; Nelson, 2006; Van Dyck & Strahan 2008). The species’ abundance is related to the availability of resources, including prey species and suitable den sites (Belcher 2000). The abundance and distribution of the spotted-tailed quoll has declined across its range, due primarily to loss and fragmentation of habitat, but surveys to document this decline are scarce because the species is very difficult to detect (Lunney & Matthews 2001).

The spotted-tailed quoll shelters during the day in dens located in caves, among rocks, hollow logs, low tree hollows and burrows (Edgar & Belcher 1995; Belcher & Darrant 2006). The animals defecate at specific points within their home range, particularly in the vicinity of their den, at sites referred to as latrines. Latrines possibly have a function relating to intra-specific communication, such as marking a territory (Belcher 1994; Kruuk & Jarman 1995). Peak latrine use occurs during the breeding season, suggesting that these are used to enable males to monitor the reproductive status of females (Belcher 1994). They may also further be used to mark territorial boundaries and landscape features, and to communicate presence without physical contact (Belcher 1994; Van Dyck & Strahan 2008).

Spotted-tailed quolls are solitary, with females defending exclusive home range territories (600–1000 hectares), whereas males have larger and undefended home ranges, which overlap a number of female home ranges (2000–4500 hectares) (Belcher 2000; Belcher & Darrant 2004). Males move greater distances than females, especially during the breeding season when they rove in search of oestrous females. Less competitive males (sub-adults, old or sick individuals) disperse away from female home range areas during the breeding season, and are often observed at that time in areas that would not normally be suitable habitat (Belcher 2000).

Survey methods

Given that spotted-tailed quolls have home ranges in excess of several hundred hectares, the likelihood of detection in a 5 hectare sampling unit is extremely small and surveys conducted at this scale are not appropriate for such a wide-ranging species. Sampling units of 100 hectares may be more appropriate.

On the basis of previous surveys, the following survey techniques are recommended to detect the presence of the spotted-tailed quoll:

• 
  daytime searches for potentially suitable habitat resources, such as areas associated with a gully or a ridge and potential den sites (caves, hollow logs or even dense understorey vegetation such as Lantana species that provides suitable cover – see Ecovision Environmental Consultants 1996) (description of the survey technique and recommended effort is outlined in Section 3.1)
  
• 
  daytime searches for signs of activity, scats and latrines (description of the survey technique and recommended effort is outlined in Section 3.2). Latrine searches should be limited to areas where there are rocky habitats which can be targeted for searching. Where the spotted-tailed quoll occurs in sympatry with the eastern quoll, Dasyurus viverrinus in Tasmania, the species present may need to be identified through the application of direct detection survey techniques. Hair samples may be present in scats as a result of grooming, and species identification may be possible from an analysis of such hairs if they occur
  

• 
  hair sampling device (hair funnels) surveys, following the description of the technique and recommended effort provided in Section 3.3.7, placed 100 metres apart and using a mixture of sardines, tuna oil and flour for bait. Hair funnels should be set for a minimum of 14 consecutive nights. The spotted-tailed quoll is included among those known to be distinguishable from hair samples which will provide a high probability of detection (see Table 2, Section 3.3.7). Fourty widely spaced hair-tubes within a 100 hectare sampling unit has approximately 96% likelihood of detection on occupied sites (Nelson 2007)
  
• 
  recent surveys have found remote cameras to be the most cost-effective technique and allow concurrent data to be collected on other carnivores, particularly cats and foxes (Nelson 2008) (see Section 3.3.6). Cameras should be left on site for a minimum of three weeks.
  

Cage trapping surveys are not considered necessary at the first stage of detection, provided hair funnel surveys or remote cameras are employed, as they are an appropriate and effective alternative. Should cage trapping surveys be required, then it is recommended that they be conducted according to the description and recommended survey effort provided in Section 3.3.10, provided that permission and licensing has been granted from the relevant government organisation. Cage trapping should, however, not be conducted between early September and mid-November when females may have large pouch young or den-young.

The optimal survey time is during the breeding season, with peak activity occurring between May and August. Surveys conducted during April to August may detect males in areas where they may not usually occur, either as they move in search of females to mate with or move away from other more competitive males. The locations of these records may indicate important supplementary habitats such as corridors within fragmented landscapes.

Similar species in range

The spotted-tailed quoll in Tasmania overlaps in distribution with the eastern quoll Dasyurus viverrinus. Spotted-tailed quolls can be distinguished by their larger size and spotted markings on their tails.

References

AMBS 2002. Fauna Underpass Monitoring Stage Two, Episode Five - Bulahdelah to Coolongolook. Unpublished Report prepared for the NSW Roads and Traffic Authority.

Belcher, C.A. 1994. Studies on the diet of the Tiger Quoll Dasyurus maculatus. MSc thesis, LaTrobe University, Bundoora, Victoria.
Belcher, C.A. 1995. Diet of the Tiger Quoll (Dasyurus maculatus) in East Gippsland, Victoria. Wildlife Research: 341-357.
Belcher, C.A. 2000. Ecology of the Tiger Quoll Dasyurus maculatus PhD Thesis, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria.
Belcher, C., Newsome, A. and Gifford, E. 2001. Tiger Quoll survey and assessment at Lake Burrendong N.S.W. Unpublished report conducted by CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems for the New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service, Dubbo.
Belcher, C. 2003. Ecosystems Environmental Consultants Personal communication.
Belcher C.A. 2003. Demographics of tiger quoll (Dasyurus maculatus maculatus) populations in south-eastern Australia. Australian Journal of Zoology 51: 611-626.
Belcher, C.A. and Darrant, J.P 2004. Home range and spatial organization of the marsupial carnivore, Dasyurus maculatus maculatus (Marsupialia: Dasyuridae) in south-eastern Australia. Journal of Zoology London 262 271-280
Belcher, C.A. and Darrant, J.P 2006. Den use by the Spotted-tailed Quoll in south-eastern Australia. Australian Mammalogy 28: 59-64.
Belcher, C.A., Nelson, J.L. and Darrant, J.P. 2007. Diet of the tiger quoll (Dasyurus maculatus) in south-eastern Australia. Australian Journal of Zoology 55:117-122.
Catling, P.C. and Burt, R.J. 1994. Studies of the ground-dwelling mammals of eucalypt forests in south-eastern New South Wales: the species, their abundance and distribution. Wildlife Research 21: 219-239
Catling, P.C. and Burt, R.J. 1997. Studies of the ground-dwelling mammals of eucalypt forests in north-eastern New South Wales: the species, their abundance and distribution. Wildlife Research 24: 1-19.
Edgar, R. and Belcher, C. 1995. The Spotted-tailed Quoll Dasyurus maculatus. In ‘The Mammals of Australia’. (Ed. R. Strahan) pp. 67-68. (Reed Books: Sydney).
Ecovision Environmental Consultants. 1996. Spotted-tailed Quoll (Dasyurus maculatus) survey of Popran National Park, NSW. Unpublished report prepared for the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service.
Glen, A. S. and Dickman, C. R. 2006a. Diet of the spotted-tailed quoll (Dasyurus maculatus) in eastern Australia: effects of season, sex and size. Journal of Zoology 269: 241-248.
Glen, A. S. and Dickman, C. R. 2006b. Home range, denning behaviour and microhabitat use of the carnivorous marsupial Dasyurus maculatus in eastern Australia. Journal of Zoology 268: 347-354.
Jones, M.E., Rose, R.K. and Burnett, S. 2001. Mammalian Species: Dasyurus maculatus. American Society of Mammalogists 676: 1-9.
Kruuk, H. and Jarman, P.J. 1995. Latrine use by the Spotted-tailed Quoll (Dasyurus maculatus: Dasyuridae, Marsupialia) in its natural habitat. Journal of Zoology. London. 236: 345-349.
Lunney, D. and Matthews, A. 2001. The contribution of the community to defining the distribution of a vulnerable species, the spotted-tailed quoll, Dasyurus maculatus. Wildlife Research 28: 537-545.
Nelson, J. L. 2007. The development of a survey protocol using hair-tubes to detect a rare marsupial carnivore, the spotted-tailed quoll Dasyurus maculatus. PhD thesis, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria.
Nelson, J. L. 2008. Proceedings of the WWF-Australia Quoll Workshop.