The Vertebrate Fauna of Jenolan Karst Conservation Reserve: Final

SPOTTED-TAILED QUOLL DASYURUS MACULATUS
EPBC Act: Endangered TSC Act: Vulnerable Priority in Area: High
Occurrence in the Survey Area
Uncommon resident. However, in relative terms, this area is a
hotspot for this rare and secretive animal. Quolls are seen
fairly regularly by staff and park visitors. Two were recorded
in the current survey program, one from a picnic area on
Jenolan Drive where an adult male was seen foraging in a
garbage bin, and another crossing the road at night. This is
an unusually high frequency, with this species rarely detected
during systematic surveys in this region. Furthermore, since
the surveys, an adult pair and a juvenile were seen in the
Spotted-tailed quoll. Photo © C. Harmsen
vicinity of the cottages on Burmah Road (November 2011) (I.
Eddison pers. comm.), confirming breeding occurs in the
reserve and two roadkills have been reported (January 2012) (A. Musser pers. comm.).
Other Atlas of NSW Wildlife records include: Oaky Camp in 1988 and Kanangra Road in 1999. In
addition, numerous quolls have been seen by staff in recent times and these records were collated for
this study. These records include: Jenolan Caves Road, the works depot and near Burmah Road in
2010 and 2011. Spotted-tailed quolls have also been seen at the Kowmung River Fire Trail, Sally
Camp Creek; Mount Krungle Bungle; and north of Oaky Camp between 2003 and 2004 (M. Jones
pers. comm.). The karst system provides an abundance of safe denning sites and there are large
unbroken tracts of forest and ample prey resources. Anecdotally, spotted-tailed quoll may have
increased within JKCR since the implementation of intensive fox control (J. Bros pers. comm.).
Regional Conservation Significance
Records are scattered across the region, though there are few areas where it is recorded with any
reliability. JKCR, Kanangra-Boyd and south-west Blue Mountains NPs appear to be a stronghold for
the species. It has declined in many areas, including the Illawarra and the Blue Mountains villages
(DECC 2007). JKCR, compared to other areas with similar visitation, seems to be one of the most
important areas for quolls within the southern Blue Mountains and the Sydney Basin Bioregion. Any
decline in population at JKCR would impact on the conservation status across the region. Therefore it
is a high conservation priority and should be a target for monitoring and conservation programs.
Threats in the Survey Area
Road mortality; predation and competition with foxes; poisoning through inappropriate fox baiting;
competition with cats and pigs; loss of fallen timber and
hollow-bearing trees.
Management Considerations
Staff and visitors should be strongly encouraged to
report all sightings of quolls to the Atlas of NSW
Wildlife. Interpretive signs would be appropriate.
Negotiate with the RTA to install road signs warning
tourists to look out for quolls on the road.
Keep informed of the latest recommendations
regarding minimising quoll mortality during fox or dog
baiting. Keep informed of research on fox, dog, quoll
and cat interactions.
Ensure all 1080 fox baits are buried below 10cm to
reduce the incidence of off-target poisoning.
Alternative delivery methods for fox baits (e.g. M44
ejectors) and fox poisons (e.g. PAPP) are worth
considering, although special thought must be given to
potential impacts on quolls.
A monitoring program that ties in with existing
predator monitoring at JKCR and considers why this
species persists in this area may be appropriate (for
full details see section 9.7).
The Vertebrate Fauna of Jenolan Karst Conservation Reserve 73