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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 31(5)

Population structure, turnover and movement of spotted-tailed quolls on the New England Tablelands

Gerhard Körtner A E , Shaan Gresser B , Beth Mott C , Bobby Tamayo D , Phil Pisanu A , Paul Bayne A and Robert Harden A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A NSW Department of Environment and Conservation, c/- Zoology, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia.

B NSW Department of Environment and Conservation, PO Box 1967, Hurstville, NSW 2220, Australia.

C Department of Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia.

D Department of Biological Science A08, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.

E Corresponding author. Email: gerhard.koertner@npws.nsw.gov.au

Wildlife Research 31(5) 475-484 https://doi.org/10.1071/WR03041
Submitted: 15 May 2003  Accepted: 9 March 2004   Published: 13 December 2004

Abstract

Between 2000 and 2002 two populations of the spotted-tailed quoll (Dasyurus maculatus) were studied on the New England Tablelands using trapping surveys and radio-tracking. Overall, 85 individuals were trapped, but only two individuals were trapped throughout the 26 months of the study. Trapping was male-biased (74%). Adult males (>1 year) were substantially larger than females. On average, males travelled longer distances than females, and the maximum distances recorded were 8.1 and 3.9 km for a male and female respectively. Home ranges of males overlapped substantially, whereas those of females appeared to be exclusive. Mortality rates and the turnover in the quoll populations appeared to be substantial and at the beginning of autumn the populations comprised ~50% juveniles.


Acknowledgments

The active support from NPWS staff, rangers and field officers from Armidale and Walcha was instrumental in completion of the experiments and limited help was also received from the NPWS Dorrigo Plateau Area. We are also thankful for the support from NSW State Forests and thank Alan Jackson for performing the post-mortems and Barbara Vanselow, Ian Beveridge, and Dave Spratt for their help identifying gastric parasites. Stuart Cairns helped with some of the statistical procedures. The project was jointly funded by Environment Australia through the National Heritage Trust and the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service. The NPWS Animal Care and Ethics committee approved the project (ACEC No. 03040001) and Scientific Investigation Licenses were issued to the personnel involved (RH A60; GK B2128; SG B2142; BM B2313; BT B2358). NSW State Forests issued a Special Purpose Permit for Research for Doyles River State Forest (Nos 05494, 05563 and 05660).


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