| The Eastern Quoll | | | | niche. These two species live in the same areas. |
| The Eastern Quoll,Dasyurus viverrinus, is | | | | The Eastern Quoll is a powerful hunter for its size, |
| sometimes described as being about the size of a | | | | eating not only Mice, but also hunting and killing |
| small domestic Cat, Felis catus, but since even the | | | | Rats. However, its main food is insects. |
| male Eastern Quolls only grow to about 1.3 | | | | Farmer's Friend |
| Kilograms (3 pounds), I would make that a very | | | | Most of the creatures this animal eats are |
| small domestic Cat. | | | | agricultural pests like pasture cockchafers and |
| This animal is one of the four Australian species in | | | | many other types of insects. They also eat |
| the so called Native Cat group. They were | | | | carrion and help to clean up any dead animals |
| recorded and collected by Captain James Cook in | | | | which would be breeding grounds for the dreaded |
| 1770. He was able to find out the name, Quoll, | | | | Blowfly which attacks sheep. |
| from the native people of the area. | | | | Predators |
| Native Cats | | | | The Eastern Quoll was probably wiped out on the |
| The early European settlers gave them several | | | | mainland. Its small size makes it vulnerable to |
| different and misleading names based on animals | | | | Foxes and Cats. Dogs, including Dingos will also eat |
| they were more familiar with. Some of these | | | | this animal, but since they were still thriving |
| names were Native Cat, Spotted Marten and | | | | thousands of years after the Dingo was |
| Native Polecat. | | | | introduced, it is clear that the Quolls can cope with |
| The Spotted-tailed Quoll is the largest of the | | | | dogs. |
| group while the Northern Quoll is the smallest. The | | | | Cane Toad |
| Eastern Quoll is between these two extremes. | | | | Another animal that is a threat to Quolls is the |
| Range | | | | Cane Toad. This poisonous animal was introduced |
| The Eastern Quoll used to range over much of | | | | to control a pest of sugar cane. It failed to control |
| the Eastern coastal region of Australia, but is now | | | | the pest and has seriously damaged the wildlife of |
| believed to be extinct on the mainland. The | | | | the areas it is in. It is steadily spreading further. |
| population in Tasmania is still thriving. | | | | Some of the Quolls appear to have found a way |
| Diet and Niche | | | | to cope with this problem. The University of |
| The Eastern Quoll has similar dietary preferences | | | | Sydney is attempting to teach the wild Quolls to |
| to the Spotted-tailed Quoll, but its smaller size | | | | avoid the Cane Toad. |
| means it effectively occupies a different ecological | | | | |