Australian predator relocated to refuge as population dwindles
Once a key Australian predator, northern quoll numbers are now dwindling due to habitat loss and predation. A new program is hoping to give the endangered mammal a future.
A relocation project aims to bolster the dwindling population of northern quolls in Australia. Around 20 female quolls with their young will be moved to a 950-hectare refuge near Townsville, as their numbers have been declining due to factors such as feral cats and invasive cane toads. The Australian Wildlife Conservancy is spearheading this initiative, hoping that the relocated quolls will breed and establish a thriving population within the predator-free refuge.
Ecologists are focusing on female quolls with young, as they tend to stay in one area more than males. Once the quolls den with their young, they are less likely to venture far. When the population is established, it is anticipated that the quolls will naturally expand their range across the Seaview Ranges, between Townsville and Ingham, within the next three decades.
Written by urgent.news from ABC News AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
