Recently Released Eastern Quolls Breed for the First Time

Posted By : The Animal Facts Editorial Team

Date: March 14, 2021 5:45 pm

An eastern quoll in the sanctuary at Aussie Ark

Photo Credit: Aussie Ark

Aussie Ark have celebrated as thirteen eastern quoll joeys were recorded in their sanctuary at the Barrington Tops. The parents of these joeys were part of an effort to re-wild the region and returned to the wild in 2020.

This is the first time that quolls have bred in the Barrington Tops region in over 60 years.

Eastern quolls have been considered extinct on the Australian mainland since 1963 following the introduction of invasive species such as feral cats and the red fox.

In May 2020 the captive insurance population grew large enough to allow for a release to the wild. This led to the release of 28 quolls at the Barrington Wildlife Sanctuary.

Since their release the quolls have been thriving in their new habitat hunting a range of spiders, insects, rabbits, mice and rats. These animals are primarily nocturnal but occasionally rangers catch them sunbaking.

— AD —

“We are so excited to see that the sanctuary is working!” said Max Jackson, an Aussie Ark Ranger monitoring the Eastern quolls. “The birth of these lucky 13 joeys, proves that the Eastern quolls are healthy enough to raise young in the wild, without any intervention from us, which is our ultimate goal. It has taken years to get to this point, with the help of our partners and local community. Hopefully, this is the beginning of a robust and thriving population of Eastern quolls in the Barrington Tops.”

Recently the joeys received a quick health check and have since been doing well. At this check rangers fitted them with a microchip and gave them names to help identify them in the future.

Soon after the check the quolls were returned to the wild.

Aussie Ark have produced over 100 joeys as part of their breeding program which is supported by Australian Geographic. This has also allowed for reintroductions at Booderee National Park.