Register      Login
Australian Mammalogy Australian Mammalogy Society
Journal of the Australian Mammal Society
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Targeted survey for the eastern quoll (Dasyurus viverrinus) in the Nungatta and Yambulla areas of southern New South Wales

Ben Hope A D , Rohan J. Bilney B and Jess Peterie B C
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, 12 Darcy Street, Parramatta, NSW 2150, Australia.

B Forestry Corporation of New South Wales, PO Box 702, Eden, NSW 2551, Australia.

C Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, 48–52 Wingewarra Street, Dubbo, NSW 2830, Australia.

D Corresponding author. Email: ben.hope@environment.nsw.gov.au

Australian Mammalogy 44(1) 153-157 https://doi.org/10.1071/AM20060
Submitted: 14 September 2020  Accepted: 24 February 2021   Published: 14 April 2021

Abstract

Following the report of a photograph of an eastern quoll in 2013 from the Nungatta area, near Eden in southern New South Wales, we investigated whether the species may persist in the area. This involved reviewing existing wildlife records, speaking to landholders and ecologists who have recently surveyed the area, and performing a targeted survey totalling 1893 camera-nights across 59 sites in May–July 2019 in the general vicinity of the sighting. We were not able to independently verify the presence of a wild population as no additional record of an eastern quoll was obtained.

Keywords: camera trapping, Dasyurus viverrinus, eastern quoll, predator, extinction, dasyurid, wildlife survey, citizen science.


References

Baker, C. M., Bode, M., Dexter, N., Lindenmayer, D. B., Foster, C., MacGregor, C., Plein, M., and McDonald-Madden, E. (2019). A novel approach to assessing the ecosystem-wide impacts of reintroductions. Ecological Applications 29, 1–12.
A novel approach to assessing the ecosystem-wide impacts of reintroductions.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Broome, L., Blackley, S., and Tennant, P. (1997). Long-footed potoroo Potorous longipes research plan in south-eastern NSW (NPWS). Project No. 448a, National Parks and Wildlife Service.

Catling, P. C., and Burt, R. J. (1995). Studies of the ground-dwelling mammals of eucalypt forests in south-eastern New South Wales: the effect of environmental variables on distribution and abundance. Wildlife Research 22, 669–685.
Studies of the ground-dwelling mammals of eucalypt forests in south-eastern New South Wales: the effect of environmental variables on distribution and abundance.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Claridge, A. W. (2002). Use of bioclimatic analysis to direct survey effort for the long-footed potoroo (Potorous longipes), a rare forest-dwelling rat-kangaroo. Wildlife Research 29, 193–202.
Use of bioclimatic analysis to direct survey effort for the long-footed potoroo (Potorous longipes), a rare forest-dwelling rat-kangaroo.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Fancourt, B. A. (2016). Diagnosing species decline: a contextual review of threats, causes and future directions for management and conservation of the eastern quoll. Wildlife Research 43, 197–211.
Diagnosing species decline: a contextual review of threats, causes and future directions for management and conservation of the eastern quoll.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Fancourt, B. A., Hawkins, C. E., Cameron, E. Z., Jones, M. E., and Nicol, S. C. (2015). Devil declines and catastrophic cascades: is mesopredator release of feral cats inhibiting recovery of the eastern quoll? PLoS ONE 10, 1–25.
Devil declines and catastrophic cascades: is mesopredator release of feral cats inhibiting recovery of the eastern quoll?Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Frankham, G. J., Thompson, S., Ingleby, S., Soderquist, T., and Eldridge, M. D. B. (2017). Does the “extinct” eastern quoll (Dasyurus viverrinus) persist in Barrington Tops, New South Wales? Australian Mammalogy 39, 243–247.
Does the “extinct” eastern quoll (Dasyurus viverrinus) persist in Barrington Tops, New South Wales?Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Godsell, J. (1983). Eastern quoll. In ‘The Australian Museum Complete Book of Australian Mammals’. (Ed. R. Strahan.) pp. 20–21. (Angus and Robertson: Sydney.)

Hope, B., Soderquist, T., and Eldridge, M. D. B. (2020). Eastern quoll (Dasyurus viverrinus Shaw, 1800): a review of recent sightings on mainland Australia. Australian Mammalogy 42, 144–151.
Eastern quoll (Dasyurus viverrinus Shaw, 1800): a review of recent sightings on mainland Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Lunney, D., Crowther, M. S., Shannon, I., and Bryant, J. V. (2009). Combining a map-based public survey with an estimation of site occupancy to determine the recent and changing distribution of the koala in New South Wales. Wildlife Research 36, 262–273.
Combining a map-based public survey with an estimation of site occupancy to determine the recent and changing distribution of the koala in New South Wales.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Nelson, J. (2007). Surveys to determine the distribution and status of spotted-tailed quoll populations in East Gippsland and North East Victoria. The Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg, Victoria.

NSW and Commonwealth governments (1998). Eden CRA/RFA Project Summaries. New South Wales Government, Sydney; Commonwealth Government, Canberra. Available at https://www.agriculture.gov.au/sites/default/files/sitecollectiondocuments/rfa/regions/nsw-eden/nsw_ed_projects.pdf [verified 31 March 2021]

Peacock, D., and Abbott, I. (2013). The role of quoll (Dasyurus) predation in the outcome of pre-1900 introductions of rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) to the mainland and islands of Australia. Australian Journal of Zoology 61, 206–280.
The role of quoll (Dasyurus) predation in the outcome of pre-1900 introductions of rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) to the mainland and islands of Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Portas, T. J., Evans, M. J., Spratt, D., Vaz, P. K., Devlin, J. M., Barbosa, A. D., Wilson, B. A., Rypalski, A., Wimpenny, C., Fletcher, D., Gordon, I. J., Newport, J., and Manning, A. D. (2020). Baseline health and disease assessment of founder eastern quolls (Dasyurus viverrinus) during a conservation translocation to mainland Australia. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 56, 547–559.
Baseline health and disease assessment of founder eastern quolls (Dasyurus viverrinus) during a conservation translocation to mainland Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 32017663PubMed |

Robinson, N. M., Dexter, N., Brewster, R., Maple, D., MacGregor, C., Rose, K., Hall, J., and Lindenmayer, D. B. (2020). Be nimble with threat mitigation: lessons learned from the reintroduction of an endangered species. Restoration Ecology 28, 29–38.
Be nimble with threat mitigation: lessons learned from the reintroduction of an endangered species.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Slade, C., and Law, B. (2016). The other half of the coastal State Forest estate in New South Wales; the value of informal forest reserves for conservation. Australian Zoologist , 1–11.

Thackway, R., and Cresswell, I. D. (1995). An interim biogeographic regionalisation for Australia: a framework for establishing the national system of reserves. Australian Nature Conservation Agency, Canberra.

Tozer, M., Turner, K., Keith, D., Tindall, D., Pennay, C., Simpson, C., MacKenzie, B., Beukers, P., and Cox, S. (2010). Native vegetation of southeast NSW: a revised classification and map for the coast and eastern tablelands. Cunninghamia 11, 359–406.

Wauchope-Drumm, M., Bentley, J., Beaumont, L. J., Baumgartner, J. B., and Nipperess, D. A. (2020). Using a Species Distribution Model to Guide NSW Surveys of the Long-Footed Potoroo (Potorous longipes). Austral Ecology 45, 15–26.
Using a Species Distribution Model to Guide NSW Surveys of the Long-Footed Potoroo (Potorous longipes).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Wilson, B. A., Evans, M. J., Evans, M. J., Batson, W. G., Banks, S. C., Gordon, I. J., Gordon, I. J., Gordon, I. J., Gordon, I. J., Fletcher, D. B., Wimpenny, C., Newport, J., Belton, E., Rypalski, A., Portas, T., and Manning, A. D. (2020). Adapting reintroduction tactics in successive trials increases the likelihood of establishment for an endangered carnivore in a fenced sanctuary. PLoS ONE 15, .
Adapting reintroduction tactics in successive trials increases the likelihood of establishment for an endangered carnivore in a fenced sanctuary.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 32598368PubMed |

Woinarski, J., Burbidge, A., and Harrison, P. (2014). ‘The Action Plan for Australian Mammals 2012.’ (CSIRO Publishing: Melbourne.)10.1071/9780643108745