Australia is home to over 378 mammal species. 27 mammal species have become extinct since Europeans settled in Australia. Five mammals are considered critically endangered, 34 mammals are endangered, and over 55 are vulnerable. Currently, 87% of all mammals in Australia are found nowhere else in the world. Europeans arrived at Australia in 1788 and during the 229 years, 27 mammal species have become extinct, making Australia the country with the highest extinction rate. Unlike other countries where most of the animals being extinct are near places with high human population density, Australia animals are getting extinct in remote places. The reason behind this is because of introduced animals, hunting and disease. The introduced animals such as feral foxes, cane toad or European rabbits are in a new area with natural predator so they reproduce and spread across Australia with no predator to stop them. They compete with the Australian mammal’s food and habitat with no hinderances. Hunting is another major cause of mammal extinction in Australia. Between 1888 to 1909 Europeans paid over 2,000 bounties to eradicate all Tasmanian Tigers. Another contributing factor is disease, like the one that is affecting the Tasmanian Devil. This disease is called Devil Facial Tumor Disease and only affects Tasmanian Devils. It spreads by Tasmanian Devils biting each other and causes huge tumours to form around the face, affecting eating and ultimately leading to starvation.
About The Spotted-tail Quoll
The Spotted-tail Quoll, also known as the tiger quoll is the largest surviving carnivorous marsupial on Australia’s mainland. It is a member of the family, Dasyuridae, which includes most carnivorous marsupial mammals. They are nocturnal and are also larger than ordinary quolls. They have red-brown pelage with white spots and unlike other species, these white spots extend along their tail. They have sharp teeth, a moist pink nose, a pointed snout and a long tail. Their weight ranges from 1.8 to 3.5 kg.
The Spotted-tail Quoll live in forest environments, from rainforests to open woodland, that have suitable den sites such as hollow logs, caves, rock crevices or burrows. These are some necessary abiotic factors that the Spotted-tail Quoll needs for shelter. They were once abundant, in Southeastern Australia, Northern Queensland and Tasmania as shown on the map. However, due to European settlement, their numbers have decreased.
Spotted-tail Quolls mostly hunt at night and their diet consists of gliders, possums, rabbits, and even small wallabies. They also consume carrion, which is dead animals, birds and eggs. Juvenile Tiger Quolls mainly eat reptiles, small mammals and invertebrates. They also prey on insects, crayfish, domestic poultry, platypus, pademelons and wombats. They even scavenge on dead animals which include kangaroos, dingoes, cattle and feral pigs. These animals can be from road kill or left over pieces of meat from dead animals. These are some biotic factors that Spotted-tail Quolls need for survival and prevention of starvation.
Reasons Why Spotted-tail Quolls are Dying Out
The Spotted-tail Quolls’ conservation status has been rated as endangered and vulnerable by the Australian Department of Environment and Energy and the EPBC ( Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation ) act list. This is not as bad compared to all the critically endangered mammals but the case of the Spotted-tail Quolls being in the ‘endangered and vulnerable’ state cannot be ignored as there is the possibility of the quolls’ number dropping further down even more. This may result in the Spotted-tail Quolls being classified as critically endangered soon. Thus, we must take drastic action to help save the Spotted-tail Quolls before their number drop any further. However, before discussing on how we can help save the Spotted-tail Quolls, it is necessary to know why they are dying out.
Adult Spotted-tail Quolls have a territory of up to 500 hectares so it is nearly impossible for them to live without encountering the effects of humans. Spotted-tail Quolls are most likely to die from habitat loss, introduced species and 1080 poisoning. Tiger Quolls live in forest environments and because of growth in the human population, the problem of deforestation is getting worse. More trees are getting cut down and more of the Tiger Quolls’ habitat is getting destroyed meaning they have no shelter and nothing to eat and eventually, dying out. Another problem is introduced species. With introduced species, the risk of predation on young Tiger Quolls by feral foxes is inevitable, as well as the fact that they compete with the Tiger Quolls for food. Another factor contributing to the dying out of Tiger Quolls is 1080 poison. This chemical was intended to be used to control foxes and wild dog numbers, but it also affects female and juvenile Tiger Quolls.
Plans To Save Spotted-tail Quolls
Tiger Quolls are dying out because of such things like habitat loss, introduced species and 1080 poisoning. That is why I have devised a plan the will surely contribute significantly in saving the Tiger Quolls. This plan must be carried out so that the Tiger Quolls’ numbers can get higher. Also, with this plan, we can provide the Tiger Quolls a habitat where they can live safely and live without being harmed by 1080 poisoning. To save the Tiger Quolls from habitat loss, we can pick forests that are away from areas with human activity and forests that have suitable shelter and den sites for the Tiger Quolls to live in. We can also restrict logging in such forests by placing specific laws that make sure no one is allowed to cut down any trees, which will help prevent the destruction of Tiger Quolls’ habitats. Also, to stop introduced species and 1080 poisoning altogether from harming the Tiger Quolls, I have come up with a solution. The government should try to make chemical to replace 1080 poison that doesn’t harm Tiger Quolls and only harms feral foxes and other introduced species.