30 wildlife cameras fail to spot 'quite cute' native after year of filming
More than 30 wildlife-tracking cameras have been filming in Litchfield National Park for almost 12 months, but researchers are yet to spot the endangered northern quoll.
A University of Melbourne PhD candidate named Ryan Sauermann has been studying the presence of the northern quoll in Litchfield National Park for over a year, with cameras set up in an attempt to capture the elusive marsupial. However, despite the nearly 4,000 nights of camera trapping and over 30 wildlife-tracking cameras deployed, the northern quoll has not been spotted.
The decline in the Northern Territory's native species is attributed to the spread of cane toads, which has caused an 85 to 95 percent population loss. Ranger Darius Nasir, who has witnessed the northern quolls in the past, warns that the species may be locally extinct in the region. Sauermann urges pet-owners to keep dogs and cats away from wildlife and to limit fire risk to protect the endangered species.
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