Quolls to be reintroduced to mainland Australia after extinction 50 years ago

After disappearing in the Australian mainland for over 50 years, eastern quoll is making a comeback with the assistance of researchers from the Australian National University (ANU).

In a media release dated Wednesday, the university said that a new generation of wild eastern quolls from Tasmania, the only area the animals can be found in the wild, will be released into the Mulligans Flat Woodland Sanctuary in Canberra.

"This is the first translocation of wild eastern quolls directly into a free ranging situation on the Australian mainland," said Professor Adrian Manning from the ANU Fenner School of Environment and Society, leader of the research.

"Our aim is not just to establish a healthy and diverse population of eastern quolls but also undertake critical research to understand the best way to introduce the species to improve success in future reintroductions on the mainland."

The eastern quoll, a small carnivorous marsupial, was once widespread in southeastern Australia. Its extinction can be attributed to habitat loss, foxes and cats, disease, accidental poisoning and deliberate persecution by humans.

The last recorded sighting of an eastern quoll in the Sydney region was in 1963. Its absence in the Canberra region is closer to 80 years.

The quolls will be released with radio-tracking collars to allow researchers to do regular health checks and monitor their breeding and habitat.

Manning said there is debate in conservation about whether using captive-bred or wild founders is the best for successfully establishing new populations.

"We will test this by comparing the two, having also released six captive-bred eastern quolls from Mount Rothwell in Victoria," he said.

The reintroduction of the eastern quoll follows the successful reintroduction of Eastern bettongs in 2012 as part of the Mulligans Flat-Goorooyarroo Woodland Experiment, which is a long-term ecological experiment and research partnership led by Manning. Endit