Proceedings of the WWF-Australia Quoll Workshop

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Theme 1: Updates and new informationPresentations for this introductory theme provided overviews of new research and current knowledge gaps, quolls in NewGuinea, and suggested priority actions for future quoll conservation. A number of presentations were given which aimedto provide an overview of WWF-Australia’s reasoning for the workshop, of which summaries are provided below.Tammie Matson, Program Leader Species, WWF-AustraliaWWF-Australia Flagship Species ApproachTammie Matson outlined the goals and activities of WWF-Australia’s Species Program, particularly in relation to theorganisation’s Flagship approach. WWF has selected national flagship species on which to focus its work. These species(or groups of species) are representative of threats and/or habitats that relate to many other plants and animals, sothat by conserving the flagship species there will be a significant broader biodiversity benefit. Flagship species are alsochosen for their charismatic and iconic qualities, thereby having the capacity to mobilise public support and action forconservation.Kat Miller, Program Manager – Threatened Species, WWF-AustraliaThreatened Species Network and Quoll ConservationKat Miller summarised the role of the Threatened Species Network, which is a joint program of WWF-Australia andthe Australian government. Kat also described the Threatened Species Network’s role to date in quoll conservation,which ranges geographically from Tasmania to the Northern Territory, working with community and indigenous groups,government agencies and policy makers for the benefit of gathering better information and reducing the threats to quollspecies.Just some of the quoll projects with which TSN have been involved include;• the translocation of northern quoll to cane-toad free offshore islands in the NT• working with Traditional Owners, Lianthawirriyarra Sea Ranger Unit and NT Parks and Wildlife Service to establish amonitoring program for northern quolls on the Sir Edward Pellew Islands.• the establishment and support of the Qld Quoll Seekers Network• numerous habitat enhancement projects for the spot-tailed quoll in Queensland, NSW, Victoria and WA• regional Victorian spot-tailed quoll surveys and community training on spot-tailed quoll and habitat identification• tracking of western quolls released into Denmark State Forest, WA, and engagement with local community in baitingprogramKaren Firestone, Taronga Conservation Society AustraliaOverview of New Research and Current Knowledge GapsKaren Firestone identified a number of knowledge gaps in quoll conservation. In particular she identified gaps regardingthe taxonomic status of quolls, the phylogeographical status of northern quolls and the genetic response of northernquolls to cane toads. She noted a general lack in understanding of the basic biology and ecology of New Guinea quollsand the factors limiting bronze quoll distribution. Both species are found only in New Guinea. As well as a need for furtherresearch on New Guinea and bronze quolls, there is a need for further understanding of spotted-tailed quolls in northQueensland and Tasmania.Karen outlined recent research that has focussed on quolls and their response to cane toads. This research has foundthat in Queensland cane toads have reduced quoll populations, but that persisting populations of quolls still remain. In theNorthern Territory there have been localised extinctions caused by cane toads. In Western Australia there has been noexposure of quolls to cane toads to date but the toad front will inevitably cross into Western Australia in the near future.6
PlenaryThe following discussion and questions were covered following the presentation.Karen Firestone indicated a desire for a dedicated field project focusing on New Guinea and bronze quolls. She alsoagreed to accept genetic samples from work conducted by the workshop participants.Q. What yard sticks are used for determining ESU (Evolutionary Significant Units)?A. Usually it’s a divergence of 5% in mammals.Q. Has anyone tried breeding the bronze quoll with the New Guinea quoll?A. So far no, it’s not clear if they would produce viable offspring.Q. Are the eastern quolls the most ancestral species?A. No, the northern quolls are.Q. Are cane toads present in the TransFly?A. They are, but so far they are not widely spread.Q. What are the current priorities of the PNG government departments?A. At the moment the priorities encompass community and sustainable development, thus there is very little support forconservation research.Q. What other species are connected with quoll conservation in New Guinea?A. Possibly bats and water rats, but it’s not really known at this time. {Ed. - Depending on which species of quoll you referto, these could be tree kangaroos, cuscus, possums, rats and other small mammals, }Steven Hamilton, University of New South WalesQuolls of New GuineaSteve outlined the key factors relevant to quoll conservation in New Guinea. He noted that two of the six quoll speciesoccur in New Guinea: the Bronze quoll Dasyurus spartacus and the New Guinea quoll D. albopounctatus, and that theTransFly biota of Southern New Guinea is ‘typically Australian’.In relation to pest animals as a threat to quolls, foxes do not occur in New Guinea, however cane toads are establishedin several areas of PNG and are present on Daru Island (1km offshore of the TransFly region of PNG). A new shippingport is currently being constructed on Daru that may increase the likelihood of toads establishing themselves in theTransFly area. Anecdotally an increase in domestic cat presence has been observed in remote villages where they werenot previously kept. This is concerning as it has the potential to facilitate the establishment of feral populations. Catshave become established as feral populations in the TransFly in the last 30 years. Anecdotal evidence suggests NewGuinea quolls D. albopunctatus have become less frequently sighted following establishment of domestic cats in villageselsewhere in New Guinea.Oil palm plantations are also an increasing threat to lowland forest areas, through clearing and habitat fragmentation.Steve described quoll trapping that was carried out in New Guinea with prototype light weight transportable traps designedfor travel and local conditions. Despite intensive trapping over 8 weeks with 100 traps per night, only 8 captures weremade of D. spartacus in the Transfly region.The New Guinea quoll D. albopunctatus has the largest continuous extant distribution of all quoll species. There iscurrently understood to be one single island wide population, and we are investigating population structure using genetictechniques. The species has been recorded in grasslands through to wet forests and moss forest, from sea level throughto 3500 metres elevation. The New Guinea quoll is absent from southern lowlands where the bronze quoll occurs.The bronze quoll is considered to have the most restricted distribution of all quoll species. The bronze quoll inhabitslowland monsoon mixed savannah lower than 60 metres in elevation. The species was first recorded in 1972 and isknown only from 12 museum specimens. The bronze quoll is the only TransFly restricted mammal in New Guinea that7
Page 4 and 5: BACKGROUNDAustralia has the worst r
Page 8 and 9: is not also present in Australia. I
Page 11 and 12: Clare Hawkins, Tasmanian Department
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