University of Sydney and conservation group Aussie ArkDasyurus viverrinus) Enter a controlled jungle environment. Medium-sized, thick tail, white spotted nocturnal marsupials were taken to the Bannockburn property at the Scottish Academy, near Nowra near the southern coast of New South Wales, Australia.
Ron Carberry, the leader of the Jerrinja tribe, inspected the animals and welcomed their new home. Traditional owners or indigenous peoples provide welcome to the state, who have obtained permission from traditional owners to welcome visitors to their country.
Caberry not long ago his ancestors roamed with this “magic little animal”. “What happened today is a grand moment. It’s about healing the country,” Carberry added.
The press release marks the first step to re-wild species that disappeared from mainland Australia more than 60 years ago. Today, Quels in the east are found mainly in the eastern part of Tasmania and in places with farmland, open grasslands, dry forests, woodlands, coastal bushes and Alpine wastelands. According to Australia’s climate change, energy, environment and water, Quolls are “opportunistic hunters such as insects, small mammals, birds and reptiles, and cleared prey”.
Ron Carberry frees Eastern Quoll into the bushes. Image source: Australian Ark
They are believed to have become extinct on the Australian continent mainly due to fox disease, poisoning and predation. Reintroduced populations like this are managing the establishment of sites where predators are introduced. Australia’s Ark has established a 400-hectare Barrington Wildlife Sanctuary. Ten of the Eastern Quolls, released in this new site in Bannockburn, were born and reproduced in the shelter.
Thomas Newsome of the University of Sydney’s Global Ecology Laboratory said the team will prioritize long-term scientific research to better understand how to successfully recultify the species. They plan to use high frequency (VHF) radio and global positioning system (GPS) tail transmitters, camera observation networks of 54 camera traps, and quarterly cage capture to collect data and monitor Quolls.
“This long-term research project provides us with an excellent opportunity to not only establish the metapopulation of the eastern Quoll in mainland Australia, but also gain insight into the ecology of the species,” Newsome said in a statement. “We need to better understand the role of Quolls in an ecosystem that has been around for nearly 70 years.”
Eastern Quill. Image source: Australian Ark.
“This version is another driving force for swapping Eastern Quoll for mainland Australia,” added Dean Reid, Australia’s Ark operations manager. “This is after the release of Eastern Quolls to Botanical Gardens last year when Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek personally released one of our Quolls.”
The site will join Quoll Hub in Eastern New South Wales. This network of shelter is participating in genetic trans-management programs. The purpose of the program is to ensure long-term genetic and demographic health in areas that protect predators from predators.
