Proceedings of the WWF-Australia Quoll Workshop

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is not also present in Australia. It is highly likely to have been (or still is) present in Cape York during the periods when aland bridge connected the TransFly with much of Northern Australia as recently as 8000 years ago.The bronze quoll is closely related to the extant subspecies of western quoll D. geoffroii fortis. The subspecies of westernquoll D. g.geofroii that extended into the Northern Territory and Queensland that is now extinct may be even more closelyrelated. The relationship between these two species is being investigated using DNA from museum specimens of D.g. geoffroii. This research will determine how similar the bronze quoll is to this extinct subspecies. Already the geneticrelationship between the bronze quoll and the extant SW WA western quoll is almost as close as the same geneticspecies, genetic similarity with populations across the former range of D. g. geoffroii are likely to be even greater. It maywell be that D. spartacus is the closest and last remnant of the extinct eastern Australian D. g. geoffroii subspecies.PlenaryThe following plenary questions were discussed:Q. What are the major threats to the bronze quoll?A. Our lack of understanding of their ecology, distribution and threats is a key threat itself. Known threats includepoisonous cane toads (assumed but not proven) that are 1km away from the TransFly population, feral cats which haverecently established in the savannas and increased habitat disturbance, particularly altered fire regimes and weeds (byinference of the impact of these on other quoll species). There may be interplay between all of these threats that whencombined intensify the overall threat to the species particularly when considering the very limited natural distribution ofthis species.Q. What can we do about the cane toads?A. Steven suggested the need for an emergency response plan to be ready should a viable cane toad populationbecome established in the TransFly region (if it has not already established). Such a plan is likely to be focussed aroundestablishing a population safe from toads in the interim. It is not clear if toads have already made it into portions of theTransFly or what effect their presence has on the bronze quoll.Steven suggested that more interest in New Guinean issues could be generated by linking the bronze quoll with its sisterspecies the western quoll with which it is extremely closely related (more so than Tasmanian and mainland Australianspotted-tailed quolls or seen between populations of Northern quoll between WA and QLD). When taxonomically reviewedthe bronze quoll may be found to be a remnant outlying population (sub-species) of western quoll. A relict of its formerwidespread range across arid Australia from when New Guinea and Australia were joined by a huge land bridge asrecently as 8000 years ago, the TransFly may be the last refugia for this eastern extreme of a western quoll genetic clinethat extended across the Australian continent 150 years ago. If western quolls were to ever be reintroduced to formerareas of their natural range in Queensland, it might be plausible to consider the TransFly stock as the most representativeof these extinct populations (by geographic proximity) rather than extant populations much further away in south westWestern Australia. It must be pointed out that huge areas of the former range of the western quoll in Australia have notbeen adequately surveyed to confirm their extinction or absence. Given the high effort required to locate Bronze quolls inNew Guinea, efforts of a similar scale have not been undertaken in potential areas of North Australia that may have onceharboured either the Bronze quoll or the eastern form of the Western quoll.Q. Could the islands between New Guinea and Australia become quoll refugia?A. If appropriate resources and support were made available, there are several islands in the Torres Strait under Australianjurisdiction that might be candidates for translocated populations. All of these islands are under native title. We knowenough about quoll husbandry to easily create an interim captive population as an insurance population and this maywell be a first step in creating island populations as quarantine measures are likely to require such if animals were to betransferred from PNG to Australia (even though its only a few kilometres in distance). The organising of this though wouldrequire a large commitment, as the species is not listed as an Australian species, there are few avenues available for anyco ordination or support from within Australia. There is almost no possibility of support from PNG to co ordinate such.Q. How do the local communities feel about quoll conservation?A. Land owner communities in New Guinea are largely unaware of the significance or uniqueness of quolls on their land,but possess a great base knowledge of many of their natural resources, particularly in the TransFly where resourcelimitations are intensified by a seasonally dry landscape.8
We need more baseline population and distribution data on both the bronze and New Guinea quolls and should exerciseextreme conservation diligence given the history of decline in all quoll species throughout Australia.Steven Hamilton stressed that there has been large scale human trans-migration into West Papua from Java and otherareas of Indonesia, escalating lowland forest encroachment in West Papua.Panel DiscussionCurrent Status and Distribution UpdatesPresentations from theme one were followed by a panel discussion, with the following updates provided:• Spotted-tailed quoll update by Jenny Nelson (Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research, Victoria)Spotted-tailed quolls were historically widely distributed through eastern Australia. They are declining everywhereacross their range except in Tasmania (which is possibly due to competitive release resulting from reduced Devilnumbers), north-east New South Wales and south-east New South WalesThe distribution of spotted-tailed quolls historically includes Queensland, NSW, Victoria, Tasmania and SouthAustralia. However they are considered likely to be extinct in South Australia.• Western quoll update by Keith Morris (Department of Conservation, WA)Western Quolls are found in a 500 km radius around Perth. They were formerly found all over Australia. The speciesis monitored regularly as part of the WA DEC Western Shield project.• Eastern quoll update by Menna Jones (University of Tasmania)Eastern quolls once occurred on the mainland as well as Tasmania, however they are now restricted to Tasmania.The species occurs widely in Tasmania, with common but patchy distribution. They prefer low to medium rainfall andedges of improved pasture paddocks.• Bronze and New Guinea quolls update by Steven Hamilton (University of New South Wales)Steve noted that museum and anecdotal information is the basis of our current knowledge on both of these quollspecies.• Northern quoll update by John Woinarski (NT Dept of Natural Resources, Environment and the Arts)Northern quolls once occurred across one-third of Australia. They prefer rocky areas. They are currently decliningdue to inappropriate fire regimes, pastoralism, possibly cats and cane toads. The Kimberley populations are likely toalso decline as a result of these threats. A recovery plan is currently being prepared by Brydie Hill and Simon Ward(NT NRETA).9
Page 4 and 5: BACKGROUNDAustralia has the worst r
Page 6 and 7: Theme 1: Updates and new informatio
Page 11 and 12: Clare Hawkins, Tasmanian Department
Page 14 and 15: Jenny has compared the relative eff
Page 16 and 17: Theme 4: Barriers and solutionsWork
Page 18 and 19: 7. Protection of HabitatProtection
Page 20 and 21: Summary of actions andrecommendatio
Page 22 and 23: 12. Gene bankingInvestigate potenti
Page 24 and 25: Kat MillerKeith MorrisKendall Bento

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