Dasyurus viverrinus

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

View Printer Friendly

Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	MAMMALIA	DASYUROMORPHIA	DASYURIDAE

Scientific Name:

Dasyurus viverrinus

Species Authority:

(Shaw, 1800)

Common Name/s:

English	–	Eastern Quoll
French	–	Chat Marsupial Moucheté

Synonym/s:

Satanellus viverrinus (Shaw, 1800)

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Near Threatened ver 3.1

Year Published:

2008

Assessor/s:

McKnight, M.

Reviewer/s:

Lamoreux, J. & Hilton-Taylor, C. (Global Mammal Assessment Team)

Justification:
Listed a Near Threatened because, although the species has undergone massive declines in range in the past, it is considered to be reasonably common and widespread in most habitat types on Tasmania, and is not thought to be undergoing a significant decline. However, the recent introduction of the Red Fox has the potential to be a major threat to this species in the near future. If fox control measures are not successful, this species may face a significant decline in the next ten years (but unlikely to be as great as 30%), thus making the species close to qualifying for Vulnerable under criterion A.

History:

1996

–

Lower Risk/near threatened

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Historically, the Eastern Quoll occurred on Tasmania and on the Australian mainland, including South Australia (from the southern Flinders Range to the Fleureu Peninsula), Victoria, and New South Wales to the mid-north coast (C. Rehberg pers. comm.). The range has now been reduced by 50-90%. It has become extinct on the mainland within the last 40 years (the last mainland specimen being a road-killed specimen was in 31 January 1963 in Vaucluse, Sydney), although there are numerous unconfirmed reports of the species since then (C. Rehberg pers. comm.). The species is now present only in Tasmania and on Bruny Island, where it may have been introduced. It is widespread within Tasmania, but its distribution is patchy (Maxwell et al. 1996).
Countries:	Native: Australia (New South Wales - Regionally Extinct, South Australia - Regionally Extinct, Tasmania, Victoria - Regionally Extinct)
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	The species is still fairly common on Tasmania.
Population Trend:	Stable

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	In Tasmania, Eastern Quoll occurs in open forests, woodlands, grasslands, and ecotones including agricultural pasture. It also occurs in heaths, wet scrub, and moorlands. The quoll occurs at all altitudes and in a wide range of vegetation types except rainforest (Rounsevell et al. 1991). Specific habitat requirements are unknown (Maxwell et al. 1996).
Systems:	Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	The threatening processes that caused the decline and extinction of Eastern Quoll on the Australian mainland are unknown. While the biology of the species is fairly well known, diseases and habitat requirements for conservation of the population are not. The Eastern Quoll is susceptible to road mortality and an increase in traffic speed has resulted in local extinction in one area (Maxwell et al. 1996). The impact of feral cats in Tasmania is not well understood, and red foxes were recently introduced (in 2000), which could pose a major threat to this species in the future.

Major Threat(s):

The threatening processes that caused the decline and extinction of Eastern Quoll on the Australian mainland are unknown. While the biology of the species is fairly well known, diseases and habitat requirements for conservation of the population are not. The Eastern Quoll is susceptible to road mortality and an increase in traffic speed has resulted in local extinction in one area (Maxwell et al. 1996). The impact of feral cats in Tasmania is not well understood, and red foxes were recently introduced (in 2000), which could pose a major threat to this species in the future.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Recommended actions for Eastern Quolls (Maxwell et al. 1996) include: design and implementation of a suitable system for monitoring change in range and abundance of the species in Tasmania; identify threats and habitat requirements for management, through appropriately developed research. Ongoing fox control measures in Tasmania should be fully supported.

Conservation Actions:

Recommended actions for Eastern Quolls (Maxwell et al. 1996) include: design and implementation of a suitable system for monitoring change in range and abundance of the species in Tasmania; identify threats and habitat requirements for management, through appropriately developed research. Ongoing fox control measures in Tasmania should be fully supported.

Citation:	McKnight, M. 2008. Dasyurus viverrinus. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 25 May 2012.
Disclaimer:	To make use of this information, please check the <Terms of Use>.
Feedback:	If you see any errors or have any questions or suggestions on what is shown on this page, please fill in the feedback form so that we can correct or extend the information provided