Free Standard AU & NZ Shipping For All Book Orders Over $80!
Register      Login
Australian Journal of Zoology Australian Journal of Zoology Society
Evolutionary, molecular and comparative zoology
Shopping Cart: ( empty )
You are here: Home > Journals > ZO > ZO06102 > Fulltext
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 55(2)

Diet of the tiger quoll (Dasyurus maculatus) in south-eastern Australia

C. A. Belcher A D , J. L. Nelson B and J. P. Darrant C
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Deakin University, Pigdons Road, Geelong, Vic. 3217, Australia. Present address: Ecosystems Environmental Consultants, 397 Brumbys Road, Peterborough, Vic. 3270, Australia.

B Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research, PO Box 137, Heidelberg, Vic. 3084, Australia.

C Cooma-Monaro Shire Council, PO Box 714, Cooma, NSW 2630, Australia.

D Corresponding author. Email: ecosystems@westvic.com.au

Australian Journal of Zoology 55(2) 117-122 https://doi.org/10.1071/ZO06102
Submitted: 19 December 2006  Accepted: 28 February 2007   Published: 28 May 2007

Abstract

Analysis of 338 tiger quoll scats from tableland moist forest in south-eastern New South Wales found that the greater glider was the major prey species occurring in 54.1% of scats and contributing an estimated 51.01% of the biomass consumed by tiger quolls. Medium-sized (0.5–5 kg) mammals were the most important prey group by occurrence (53.9%), frequency (66.0%) and estimated biomass contribution to diet (62.93%). Other medium-sized prey taken by tiger quolls included: long-nosed bandicoot, rabbit, brushtail possum and ringtail possum. Macropods and wombats were also present in the scats and had been presumably taken as carrion. There was no significant difference in the diets of male and female tiger quolls. Tiger quolls were recorded hunting greater gliders in their tree hollows during the day, hunting rabbits in their burrows both during the day and at night and were observed eating road-killed macropods and wombats around dawn and dusk.


Acknowledgements

This study was funded by Environment Australia, Ecosystems Environmental Consultants, a Deakin University postgraduate scholarship (to CB), New South Wales Department of Primary Industries (JD and CB) and the Department of Sustainability and Environment (JN). Buff Rogers generously provided hospitality and access to the Suggan Buggan site. Barb Wilson, John Aberton and Peter Catling provided valuable comments on earlier drafts of this manuscript.


References

Anon.  (1995). Proposed forestry operations in the Queanbeyan and Badja Management Area. Environmental Impacts Statement. Volume A. State Forests of NSW, Southern Region.

Belcher C. A. (1994). Studies on the diet of the tiger quoll Dasyurus maculatus. M.Sc. Thesis, LaTrobe University, Melbourne.

Belcher, C. A. (1995). The diet of the tiger quoll, Dasyurus maculatus, in east Gippsland, Victoria. Wildlife Research 22, 341–357.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Belcher C. A. (2000). The ecology of the tiger quoll, Dasyurus maculatus, in south-eastern Australia. Ph.D. Thesis, Deakin University, Geelong.

Belcher, C. A. , and Darrant, J. P. (2004). Home range and spatial organisation of the marsupial carnivore Dasyurus maculatus maculatus (Marsupialia Dasyuridae) in south-eastern Australia. Journal of Zoology 262, 271–280.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Brunner H., and Coman B. J. (1974). ‘The Identification of Mammalian Hair.’ (Inkata Press: Melbourne.)

Dawson J. (2005). Impact of wildfire on the spotted-tailed quoll Dasyurus maculatus in Kosciuszko National Park. M.Sc. Thesis, University of New South Wales, Sydney.

Edgar R., and Belcher C. A. (1995). Spotted-tailed quoll. In ‘The Mammals of Australia’. (Ed. R. Strahan.) pp. 67–69. (Australian Museum & Reed New Holland: Sydney.)

Glen, A. S. , and Dickman, C. R. (2006). Diet of the spotted-tailed quoll (Dasyurus maculatus) in eastern Australia: effects of season, sex and size. Journal of Zoology 269, 241–248.
Howarth M. (1992). The effects of varying intensity logging practices and time since logging on arboreal marsupials in moist hardwood forest in New South Wales. Grad.Dip.Nat.Res. Thesis, University of New England, Armidale.

Jones, M. E. , and Barmuta, L. A. (1998). Diet overlap and relative abundance of sympatric dasyurid carnivores: a hypothesis of competition. Journal of Animal Ecology 67, 410–421.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Jones M. E., and Rose R. K. (1996). Preliminary assessment of distribution and habitat associations of the spotted-tailed quoll (Dasyurus maculatus maculatus) and eastern quoll (D. viverrinus) in Tasmania to determine conservation and reservation status. Nature Conservation Branch, Parks and Wildlife Service. Report to the Tasmanian Regional Forest Agreement Environment and Heritage Technical Committee.

Kavanagh, R. P. , and Webb, G. A. (1998). Effects of variable-intensity logging on mammals, reptiles and amphibians at Waratah Creek, southeastern New South Wales. Pacific Conservation Biology 4, 326–347.
King C. M. (1989). The advantages and disadvantages of small size to weasels, Mustela species. In ‘Carnivore Behaviour, Ecology, and Evolution’. (Ed. J. L. Gittleman.) pp. 302–334. (Cornell University Press: New York.)

Lindenmayer, D. B. (1992). Some impacts on arboreal marsupials of clearfelling on a 80–120 year rotation in mountain ash (Eucalyptus regnans) forest in the central highlands of Victoria. Victorian Naturalist 109, 181–186.
Loyn R.H., Macfarlane M.A., Chesterfield E.A. and Harris J.A. (1980). Forest utilisation and the flora and fauna in Boola Boola State Forest in south-eastern Victoria. Forests Commission of Victoria Bulletin No. 28.

Lunney, D. (1987). Effects of logging, fire and drought on possums and gliders in the coastal forests near Bega, NSW. Australian Wildlife Research 14, 263–274.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Martin S. K. (1994). Feeding ecology of American martens and fishers. In ‘Martens, Sables and Fishers: Biology and Conservation’. (Eds S. W. Buskirk, A. S. Harestad, M. G. Raphael and R. A. Powell.) pp. 297–315. (Cornell University Press: New York.)

Milledge D. R., Palmer C. L., and Nelson J. L. (1991). “Barometers of Change”: the distribution of large owls and gliders in mountain ash forests of the Victorian central highlands and their potential as management indicators. In ‘Conservation of Australia’s Forest Fauna’. (Ed. D. Lunney.) pp. 53–65. (The Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales: Sydney.)

Myers K. (1995). Rabbit. In ‘The Mammals of Australia’. (Ed. R. Strahan.) pp. 703–705. (Australian Museum & Reed New Holland: Sydney.)

Troughton, E. (1954). The marsupial “tiger cat”: birth and growth in captivity. Australian Museum Magazine 11, 200–202.


Tyndale-Biscoe, C. H. , and Smith, R. F. C. (1969). Studies on the marsupial glider, Schoinobates volans (Kerr). III. Response to habitat destruction. Journal of Animal Ecology 38, 651–659.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |