The contribution of the community to defining the distribution of a vulnerable species, the spotted-tailed quoll, Dasyurus maculatus

In: Wildlife research, Band 28, Heft 5, S. 537

Abstract

Community-based wildlife postal surveys, which included the spotted-tailed
quoll, were undertaken in Eden, Port Stephens, Bellingen and Iluka. This
resulted in 68 records for spotted-tailed quolls for Eden, 40 for Port
Stephens, 39 for Bellingen and 7 for Iluka. Such a high number of records from
coastal New South Wales, with many on private lands, identifies postal surveys
as a major source of previously overlooked sightings. Spotted-tailed quolls
have declined in range by as much as 50–90% since European
settlement, which has seen them listed as a nationally vulnerable species.
There have been few surveys of spotted-tailed quolls in New South Wales due to
their difficulty of detection using standard field survey techniques, such as
cage trapping and hair tube sampling. Their unique appearance makes them an
ideal species to include in community-based surveys. Future use of these
surveys has the potential to contribute significantly to conservation programs
of spotted-tailed quolls that involve private lands and local support.