This species is believed to have been extinct in South Australia, with no official records for over 100 years. However, it has been rediscovered by a farmer who noticed his flock of chickens mysteriously disappearing.
Would you be surprised to catch an animal that hasn’t been seen for hundreds of years? A farmer in Australia recently observed that his chickens were frequently going missing, so he set traps to find the culprit. Initially, he suspected a cat or some other nuisance animal, but when he checked the trap, he discovered he had caught a strange creature with fangs that he had never seen before.
He told local media: “I thought I would find a feral cat, but instead, I found this little creature. It’s unbelievable.” In fact, this animal had been recorded as extinct in South Australia since the 1880s, over 100 years ago. Currently, after discovering this individual of the species, local authorities are actively searching for more spotted-tailed quolls to implement conservation measures.
The spotted-tailed quoll is one of many unique marsupial species not found anywhere else except Australia and New Guinea. Like many other marsupials, including kangaroos, the evolution of the spotted-tailed quoll has been shaped by the diversity and geographical isolation of the region. (Photo: Zhihu).
Ross Anderson from the National Parks and Wildlife Agency stated: “This species is thought to have been extinct in South Australia, and there have been no official records for over 100 years. Of course, there have been some unofficial sightings, but there is no evidence to verify them. It’s surprising that a species believed to be extinct has suddenly reappeared.”
Anderson added: “It was once believed to have gone extinct here due to habitat loss and competition with animals like cats and foxes. To this day, we are still unsure how many individuals remain in the wild throughout Australia.”
The spotted-tailed quoll is typically divided into two species. The Western quoll has a paw pad and five toes on its hind feet. They are well adapted to nocturnal life with large eyes and sharp ears. Their tails feature a black stripe running to the tip. The Eastern quoll once roamed across Australia millions of years ago, but is now believed to have become extinct on the Australian mainland by 1963. (Photo: A-z-animals)
Dasyurus is the scientific name for the entire genus of quolls. Derived from Latin, the name means “hairy tail,” reflecting this animal’s most distinctive feature. Quolls are closely related to the Tasmanian devil, dunnarts, and several other smaller marsupials. Genetic analysis has concluded that the first quolls evolved around 15 million years ago, and all six living species can trace their lineage back to a common ancestor about four million years ago. Several extinct species have been identified from the fossil record. (Photo: A-z-animals).
The quoll is a carnivorous marsupial. It is characterized by its long snout, pink nose, furry tail, large ears, sharp teeth, and a body covered in brown or black fur with white spots. A notable feature of marsupials is their large pouch used to carry and protect undeveloped young. (Photo: CNN).
A unique aspect of the quoll is that males die soon after mating, while females raise the young alone, protecting them in their pouch. (Photo: ZME).
Quolls face numerous dangerous threats in the wild. When introduced to Australia, non-native animals like foxes and cats disrupted quoll populations. They not only prey on quolls but also compete for food and resources. Other potential threats include pythons, dingoes, eagles, and owls. (Photo: Zhihu).
The introduction of the cane toad to Australia in 1935 also had a devastating impact on local quoll populations. Originally brought from the Americas to control pests, the cane toad had the unintended effect of poisoning and killing native Australian predators. The toad still exists in much of northeastern Australia, and quolls appear to have no resistance or natural immunity to the toxins from cane toads. (Photo: CNN).
The breeding season for quolls begins in autumn or winter in Australia, from April to July. Quolls have a gestation period of about three weeks. Some individuals can give birth to up to 30 young at once, but only 6 to 8 of them can survive, as this is the maximum number a mother quoll can nurse at one time. The typical lifespan of this species is between two to five years, although very few males survive after their first or second breeding season. The maximum recorded lifespan in captivity is about seven years. (Photo: A-z-animals).
