An observation of male interaction in the predominantly solitary spottedtailed quoll Dasyurus maculatus.

Abstract

THE spotted-tailed quoll (Dasyurus maculatus) is generally regarded as a solitary species in which individuals usually forage and rest alone (Belcher and Darrant 2004). Aggressive interactions between captive individuals have been recorded, with some resulting in death (Fleay 1940; Settle 1978). Although overlap between the home ranges of male D. maculatus is extensive (Watt 1993; Belcher and Darrant 2004), direct encounters are rarely observed in the wild. This note describes an instance of two adult male D. maculatus being captured together in a cage trap, and therefore represents a rare observation of close interaction between conspecifics. The observation was made in November 2003