QUOLL SEEKERS NETWORK

Australia has four species of quoll: the spotted-tailed, the northern, the eastern and the western. The spotted-tailed quoll and the smaller northern quoll are both found in Queensland.

Spotted-tailed quolls are mainland Australia’s largest native marsupial carnivore.

About QSN

Quoll Seekers Network (QSN) was established to raise community awareness of quolls in Queensland, gather information on quoll populations, and help people enjoy living alongside quolls. The network aims to be Queensland’s central non-government body for collecting and disseminating information about quolls in order to achieve positive conservation outcomes. Networking with other organisations is a key component of Wildlife Queensland’s operations and communications strategy.

Get involved

QSN welcomes wildlife enthusiasts who want to join the network. Membership is free – we just ask you to fill out the form for our records. You’ll get our regular Network News, merchandise discounts, as well as prior notification of workshops and volunteer opportunities.

We encourage everyone who has ever seen a quoll to send in a QSN sightings form.

Or if you have a story to share about where and when you saw an quoll, send it to Quoll Bites – along with a picture if you have one and we may publish it on our website.

If you don’t have much time on your hands, you can support the work of Quoll Seekers Network through our adopt-a-quoll program.

QSN in action

QSN collects data on quoll populations, threats and conservation initiatives to better understand how to support their continued existence in Queensland.

Network members contribute in many ways – helping out at Quoll Discovery Days, writing articles for our publications, fundraising, office support, and assisting with our education program. Above all, members help to raise the profile of quolls in the broader community.

QSN’s most recent projects and campaigns are as follows:

Scenic Rim regional survey program 2013

Thanks to funding from the Scenic Rim Regional Council, Quoll Seekers Network commenced a survey program in early 2013. By late April, we had success – and ‘captured’ a quoll on camera in the Mt Alford area!

Surveys are continuing and the funds have also contributed towards a ‘Quoll Discovery Experience’, local landholder engagement and travel expenses. QSN is now looking for financial support to allow the continuation of surveys in this area. You can help – please ‘adopt a quoll’.

Read the media release – April 2013.

Looking out for Quolls in Logan 2011-2014

Our latest project ‘Looking out for Quolls in Logan’ is a three-year program which will build on the survey work undertaken in 2006 by Scott Burnett and Ivell Whyte in the northern section of the then Beaudesert Shire, as well as address possible sightings in other areas. Wildlife Queensland is very grateful to Logan City Council for the funding to get this exciting project underway.quoll3_003

For the 2011–2012 year thus far, funding provided by the Logan City Council’s Envirogrant program assisted with QSN field surveys from April–July 2012, and two successful Quoll Discovery Day events – one held in Greenbank in October 2011, and the most recent in Jimboomba in August 2012.

Despite a number of community sighting records that continue to be reported from the Logan area, no quolls have been detected on camera during the field surveys this year. However we are still hopeful quolls will be successfully captured on camera during the 2013 survey effort.

Read the latest update on this project.

Uncertain future for Cullendore quoll population 2012

quoll3_002In 2011, local residents of the Elbow Valley in south-east Queensland alerted Wildlife Queensland to a proposed mega-resort development at Cherrabah near Warwick. They feared this development would have local environmental implications including a serious impact on the spotted-tailed quoll population and other threatened species.

In August 2012, Wildlife Queensland prepared a submission highlighting the threats to spotted-tailed quolls in the area if the development was approved, and we are currently awaiting the outcome.

A PhD thesis published in 2008 by Meyer-Gleaves titled ‘Ecology and Conservation of the Spotted-tailed Quoll (Dasyurus maculatus maculatus) in Southern Queensland’ focussed its study on the site called Cullendore, consisiting of two adjacent properties including Cherrabah.quoll3_004

To help understand the significance of this quoll population and the implications of further habitat disturbance, read a summary of the Meyer-Gleaves PhD thesis.

If you would like to support the petition by local residents against the development, go to the July 2011 News Page.

For more details on these and other activities, see resources, news and information below as well as the Network Newsletters.

Regional QSN groups

Granite Belt Quoll Seekers Network

Thanks to a commited team of volunteers in the Granite Belt region, QSN has another active group helping quolls. The Granite Belt is one of the last strongholds of quolls in Southern Queensland.

If you live in the Granite Belt region and would like to join, call QSN member Betty Balch on 4683 3271.

Support: QSN is providing some support to the group but local

sponsorship is urgently needed.

Far North Quoll Seekers Network

quoll

Luke and Glenn coordinate this group and are passionate advocates of quolls and conservation. They collect data on spotted-tailed quolls and northern quolls in the Cairns, Daintree and Atherton Tablelands areas. The profile of quolls has been increased through prominence in the local media and through activities in the local community.

For more information, contact Luke Jackson or read the latest Spot Tales newsletter.

Support: FN QSN is partly supported by Cairns Regional Council and is interested in hearing from anyone wishing to help fund or extend its activities.

North Queensland Quoll Seekers Network

The project aims to build knowledge of northern quoll populations in the Townsville region. Activities include community quoll surveys, field data collection, quoll population mapping and monitoring.

For more information, Contact NQ QSN or read the latest survey reports below.

Support: NQ QSN is supported by Townsville City Council and is interested in hearing from anyone wishing to help fund or extend its activities.

Resources, news and information

Species profiles

Forms

News releasesquoll3_005

 

Network Newslettersqgnnews_000

QSN News is available by email only.

QSN projects and survey reports

Wildlife Queensland and Quoll Seekers Network have run several projects over recent years and produced a number of field reports.

Projects

  • Protecting Quolls in Queensland landscapes 2009 — completed
  • Border Ranges of Queensland/NSW border: Quoll survey and community liaison – completed
  • Beaudesert report to be available via North Beaudesert Study: Quoll survey and community liaison – completed

Reports

Other resources and merchandise

  • Quoll Info Kit – Available now on CD $10 ($5.50 for QSN Members). Available online or contact us for your copy.
  • Quoll Soft Toy – support us by buying a Quoll Seeker soft toy. Available online or contact us.
  • Building a quoll proof poultry pen. Download here
  • Spotted-tailed quolls: Queensland a great spot for quolls. Free copy – QSN members only
  • Quolls in North Queensland … the best spot for Quolls. Free copy- QSN members only
  • Quolls in the Mary River headwaters. Free copy – QSN members only

Quoll Seekers Network background

Originally established in 2001, QSN became a new program under Wildlife Queensland in 2007 where its work continues to expand. Wildlife Queensland’s support of QSN will ensure the ongoing collection of data on quoll populations throughout Queensland and aim to address the threats that quolls face from habitat loss and invasive species.

For more information on WPSQ’s projects, email or phone +61 (7) 3221 0194.