Dasyurus viverrinus
Eastern quolls are medium-sized carnivorous marsupial native to Australia. Eastern quolls are slightly built with soft fur and large, sensitive ears. Small white spots cover their bodies, except for the bushy tail which has a white tip. They are largely solitary and nocturnal animals, during the day they sleep in nests made under rocks in underground burrows or fallen logs.
Distribution and habitat
Once common throughout Australia, Eastern quolls were declared extinct on the mainland in 1963 due to introduced feral predators and now only exist in Tasmania. They are found in a variety of habitats, but prefer dry grassland and forest near agricultural land. Females tend to restrict their movements to a few hundred metres surrounding their dens, while males will often travel over a kilometre in a night in search for food and mates.
Diet
The main diet of Eastern quolls consists of spiders, cockroaches and grasshoppers. They are also impressive hunters, with an appetite for rabbits, mice and rats that helps keep the populations of these pests under control.
Conservation status
ENDANGERED (IUCN Red List of Threatened Species).
