The Tiger Quoll (Dasyurus maculatus), also known as the Spotted-tail Quoll and the Spotted Quoll, is a carnivorous marsupial mammal, native to Australia. It is mainland Australia's largest carnivorous marsupial.
(Wikipedia).
Country Distribution:
Dasyurus maculatus is found in the following countries:
(IUCN Red List).
Biome(s)/Ecosystem(s): IUCN lists the following as biomes for
Dasyurus maculatus:
Terrestrial (IUCN Red List).
Major Habitat(s):
1.5
Forest - Subtropical/Tropical Dry
3.5
Shrubland - Subtropical/Tropical Dry
10.1
Coastline - Rocky Shores
10.2
Coastline - Sand, Shingle or Pebble Shores
(IUCN Red List).
Habitat:
Before European settlement the southern subspecies had a range extending from southern Queensland through coastal New South Wales and Victoria to Tasmania. It is now confined to a few areas, mostly in national parks, and listed as threatened in all mainland states. Land clearing, habitat destruction, foxes and feral and domestic cats have led to the decline.
The northern subspecies of the Tiger Quoll lives in restricted areas around Cairns and Cooktown in northern Queensland, and also in Papua New Guinea. It is slightly smaller than the southern subspecies. It is predicted that only 50% of quolls remain compared to last century.
(Wikipedia).
Range:
In southeast Queensland, Australia, this species is rare, having undergone a large range contraction. Still extant in the ACT and eastern NSW, patchily distributed as far west as Warrumbungles NP with a number of localized areas where reasonably abundant. Most abundant populations believed to be in northeastern NSW. Patchily distributed through Victoria. In Tasmania it is reported mainly from the northeastern highlands. (IUCN Red List).
Status:
The Spotted Quoll is listed by the IUCN on the Red List of Threatened Species with the status "vulnerable". The Australian Department of the Environment and Heritage considers the northern subspecies D.m. gracilis as endangered.
(Wikipedia).
CONSERVATION STATUS
Red List Category & Criteria:
Dasyurus maculatus is listed as
VU C1+2a ver 2.3 (1994) (IUCN Red List).
Year Assessed:
Dasyurus maculatus's status was assessed in
1996 (IUCN Red List).
Assessor:
Dasyurus maculatus's Red List status was evaluated by
Australasian Marsupial & Monotreme Specialist Group (IUCN Red List).
History:
The Tiger Quoll ranges from 35 to 75 cm in length and has a tail of about 34 to 50 cm. Females are smaller than the males: while females grow to four kilograms, males can reach up to 7 kg. Quolls have thick, soft fawn, brown or black fur. Small white spots cover the body except for the bushy tail, which may have a white tip.
Quolls feed on a large range of prey including birds, rats and other marsupials, small reptiles and insects. They are good climbers but spend most of their time on the forest floor. Although nocturnal, they spend the daylight hours basking in the sun. They nest in rocky banks, hollow logs or small caves.
They produce one litter a year with four to six young. The gestation period is 21 days. The young remain in their mother's pouch for about seven weeks, and it takes some 18 weeks for them to become independent of the mother. Sexual maturity is reached after one year. Tiger Quolls can get 4 to 5 years old.
(Wikipedia).
Data Sources for IUCN data: The following is a list of citations from the IUCN web site for
Dasyurus maculatus:
Citations listed by IUCN
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 (Dasyurus viverrinus) in Tasmania to determine conservation and reservation status. Report to Tasmanian Regional Forest Agreement Environment and Heritage Technical Committee (unpublished).
Mansergh, I.M. 1995. Spot-tailed Quoll. In: P.W. Menkhorst (ed.) Mammals of Victoria, pp.51-52. Oxford University Press, Melbourne.
Maxwell, S., Burbidge, A.A. and Morris, K. (compilers) 1996. Action Plan for Australian Marsupials and Monotremes. IUCN/SSC Australasian Marsupial and Monotreme Specialist Group. .
(IUCN Red List).
References: Wikipedia lists the following as references for
Dasyurus maculatus:
Australasian Marsupial & Monotreme Specialist Group (1996). Dasyurus maculatus. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 10 May 2006. Listed as Vulnerable (VU C1+2a v2.3) Groves, Colin (16 November 2005). Wilson, D. E., and Reeder, D. M. (eds) Mammal Species of the World, 3rd edition, Johns Hopkins University Press, 25. ISBN 0-801-88221-4. (Wikipedia).
Links:
IUCN Red List Profile for Dasyurus maculatus (IUCN Red List).
