Other Quolls

Size: headbody: 280-450mm; tail: 170-280mm
Weight: M: to 2kg aver: 1.3kg F: to 1.1kg aver: 900g

This species is common only in Tasmania but there are occassional claims of sightings in Victoria and southern New South Wales. The mainland population is suspected to have succumbed in the early 20th century to some form of disease that, on top of the other pressures such as introduced predators caused a population collapse.

It lives in a wide variety of habitats including sclerophyll, scrublands, heaths, farmland and rainforest. It eats insects primarily but will also take small mammals and birds as well as being an eager scavenger of larger carcases. Seasonal fruits and grasses also play an important role in this quolls diet.

Mating occurs in late May / early June with the young being fully weaned by late October.


Map modified from Menkhorst and Knight (2001) & Strahan (1998) Orange areas represent the original known distribution while red shows the current range

Size: headbody: 260-400mm; tail: 210-350mm
Weight: M: to 2.1kg aver: 1.3kg F: to 1.1kg aver: 900g

This small quoll lives in remnant sclerophyll forest, woodlands and mallee shrublands in the southwest of Western Australia. Once prevalent across most of the continent its habitat was already shrinking rapidly as early as the middle of the 19th century. Western quolls prefer to live in burrows or hollow logs but will occassionally utilize bandicoot nests and tree hollows. Its diet consists of insects such as termites and beetles, small reptiles, frogs, small mammals and the occassional bird.

Litters of up to six are born between May and September with most occuring in June/July. Juveniles are usually weaned by 22-24 weeks and disperse to live a self sufficient life soon after.


Map modified from Menkhorst and Knight (2001) & Strahan (1998) Orange areas represent the original known distribution while red shows the current range

Size: headbody: 200-310mm; tail: 180-340mm
Weight: M: 400g - 1kg F: to 300g - 500g

The most widespread of the Dasyurus genus. This small quoll is considered to be the most aggressive of all the quolls but it is not long lived with most individuals only living 2 years and a few surviving to 3 years. They generally only participate in two breeding seasons and females have an average of six young each but can have as many as eight. Mating occurs in late June and the young are weaned by five months.

The Northern quoll prefers savannah, open woodland and rocky outcrops as habitat. It is generally arboreal but will hunt on the ground and seems content to raid human habitats for food. They primarily eat other mammals such as rats and antechinus but will also eat reptiles, insects and worms.


Map modified from Menkhorst and Knight (2001) & Strahan (1998) Orange areas represent the original known distribution while red shows the current range		Photo courtesy of Rhys Parry

QSN would like to thank Jenny Kirwan of the Northern Territory Wildlife Park for her assistance in obtaining this photo. Jenny heads a very successful captive breeding program in the Northern Territory that aims to increase quoll numbers to offset quoll losses resulting from the cane toad invasion of Kakadu.