Spot-tailed Quoll Recovery Program
Reversing species decline
We're not going to let another tiger go
The last Thylacine died in a Tasmanian Zoo on 7 September 1936 - an event that turned the ‘Tassie Tiger’ into a cultural icon; a cautionary tale of how easily a species can be lost.
Now another Australian tiger is on the brink.
The Spot-tailed Quoll - also known as the Tiger Quoll – is currently listed as Endangered under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and in Victoria (Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988). To boost the species’ survival, we’re conducting a research and rescue program in the last stronghold of the quoll - East Gippsland.
Why the Spot-tailed Quoll is Endangered
Spot-tailed Quolls were once widespread in Victoria, but hunting, habitat destruction and feral animal predation have led to the populations declining by 50% since European settlement. The Upper Snowy River region of Gippsland is now the last remaining stronghold of the quoll. But even here, numbers continue to decline.
Climate change is also reducing the area that quolls can call home, with the 2019/20 bushfires extent overlapping 29% of the species’ distribution nationally. Without immediate actions to protect and bolster the remaining population, the quoll is facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.
A decade to rebuild vulnerable populations
In 2024, a network of concerned government and non-government organisations, First Nations communities, ecologists, geneticists and quoll enthusiasts came together to develop a Spot-tailed Quoll Recovery Program. With a Victorian Government Nature Fund grant, the team will identify pathways for Spot-tailed recovery in East Gippsland, the remaining stronghold of the species.
The project will undertake genetic assessment of captive and wild quolls to inform the development of a captive breeding and translocation strategy; two fundamental steps required to repopulate Gippsland with quolls.
A cornerstone of the project is our collaborative approach, creating cross-sector, multi-agency partnerships to foster ongoing relationships for future conservation efforts.
Learn more ...
Click on the links below to read about our rescue plan and learn about the Spot-tailed Quoll.
How we plan to achieve our recovery goals
In this multi-phased project, we'll be gathering data on the size and health of local populations, develop a preservation strategy and engage stakeholders in activities to protect Gippsland's quolls.
Learn more about the quoll's character, diet and habitat
Secretive, elusive creatures by night and sunbakers by day, quolls are tree-climbing beasts whose scavenging habits help to balance the ecosystem.
Why we need to link our landscapes and expand habitat
Learn how we're engaging landholders and a large network of environmental organisations to expand the quoll's habitat outside of our study zone.
Banner photo top with thanks to Mark Sanders @ EcoSmart Ecology.