Mainland Forgotten Fauna Part 14: A fresh reminder of Eastern Quoll abundance in south-west Victoria in the 1800s

Further to the previous edition of “Forgotten Fauna”, a fantastic paper by Rob Wallis (see below this blog) was recently published in the Victorian Naturalist, and provides some great insights by sharing a number of early recorded observations of eastern quolls in western Victoria.

As we’ve discovered over the years while exploring the issue of forgotten fauna, the Eastern Quoll (commonly referred to in earlier times as the ‘native cat’), was originally a super-abundant species on the mainland. A combination of disease and then the impact of introduced predators – especially the arrival of foxes – seems to have been the final straw in the mostly sudden demise for this long lost and forgotten species.

But thanks to their ongoing persistence in Tasmania and the efforts of a number of organisations doing some wonderful work on the mainland to bring them back, the Eastern Quoll is not quite as forgotten any more!

Here are a few links to show you just a fraction of the fantastic work that is already happening:

• Mt Rothwell/Tiverton (Odonata)
• Dunkeld Pastoral Company
• Mulligans Flat Woodland Sanctuary
• Rewilding Australia
• Barrington Tops (Aussie Ark)

We have a long way to go, but the Eastern Quoll is also on the agenda for us to consider as we start long-term planning for the project at Mount Vandyke, so let’s keep the forgotten fauna conversation going!