Four species of quoll occur in Australia: the northern, spotted-tailed, eastern and western quolls. Once, most parts of Australia were inhabited by at least one of the species.Captain Cook collected quolls along the east coast in 1770, and recorded "quoll" as their local Aboriginal name. Quolls were often seen by early settlers, who called them "native cat", "native polecat" and "spotted marten", names based on familiar European animals. Since 1770, all four species have declined dramatically in numbers. This is mainly because of habitat loss or change across Australia, and introduced predators such as foxes and cats. Quolls are carnivorous marsupials with a pointed snout, a long tail and brown to black fur distinctively spotted with white. They are lively, attractive animals, with bright eyes, a moist pink nose and many sharp teeth. Like most Australian mammals, quolls are mainly active at night. Typically, they spend the day in one of their many dens, although spotted-tailed quolls and northern quolls sometimes forage and bask in the sunshine. Their large home ranges can extend for several kilometres in each direction from a smaller core range, and the range of a male quoll often overlaps those of several females. An interesting feature of their behaviour is the use of shared latrine (toilet) sites in open spaces such as rock ledges, for marking their territory and other social functions. Male quolls travel widely during the breeding season, with mating occurring during winter. All four species have a gestation period of 21 days. Because they are marsupial mammals, their young are born tiny and undeveloped and must work their way to the pouch, where they attach themselves to a teat to feed. Only the spotted-tailed quoll has a true pouch. In the other species, the young are protected by shallow folds of skin around the teats. As the pups grow, they dangle from the mother's belly; later, she carries them on her back. Quolls reach sexual maturity at one year. They have a naturally short life span, with smaller quolls living an average of only two years, and the larger spotted-tailed quoll about four to five years. The northern quoll is particularly short-lived. This specimen is part of a collection of almost 200 animal specimens that were originally acquired as skins from various institutions across Australia, including the Australian Museum and the National Museum of Victoria, as well as individuals such amateur anthropologist Reynell Eveleigh Johns between 1860-1880. These skins were then mounted by members of the Burke Museum Committee and put-on display in the formal space of the Museum’s original exhibition hall where they continue to be on display. This display of taxidermy mounts initially served to instruct visitors to the Burke Museum of the natural world around them, today it serves as an insight into the collecting habits of the 19th century. This specimen is part of a significant and rare taxidermy mount collection in the Burke Museum. This collection is scientifically and culturally important for reminding us of how science continues to shape our understanding of the modern world. They demonstrate a capacity to hold evidence of how Australia’s fauna history existed in the past and are potentially important for future environmental research. This collection continues to be on display in the Museum and has become a key part to interpreting the collecting habits of the 19th century.Average sized quoll with brown fur with white spots on body but absence on the long tail which is furry unlike the smooth body fur. The quoll has a small had with a pointed snout lined with sharp teeth, and thin membraned ears that are slightly covered in fur. The forelegs of the quoll are slightly smaller than the hindlegs, with all four legs featuring sharp clawed paws.On mounting board: BMM5984/ On Catalogue Tag (attached to left hindleg): Native Cat./ Catalogue. Page 50./ burke museum, taxidermy, taxidermy mount, fauna, animal, animalia, reynell eveleigh johns, quoll, native cat, dasyurus

Wooragee Landcare was formed in 1989 to promote sustainable conservation and land-use practices in the North-East region of Victoria. The organisation's work has included public awareness and education campaigns to control invasive, introduced species and protect native wildlife, such as campaigns to bait or trap foxes and to identify and monitor quoll populations in the region. The organisation has drawn on the work of a variety of Government and academic experts to inform best practice approaches are utilised. In 2004 Andrew Murray, a leading quoll expert from Parks Victoria, conducted training for Wooragee Landcare members and the local community in how to identify potential quoll habitat and populations (through identifying scat and other methods). Spotted-tail or Tiger quolls were known to have lived in the Mt Pilot and Stanley Plateau region previously but habitat encroachment, competitor species such as foxes and natural disasters had reduced sightings in recent years. The Spotted-Tail quoll (formerly known as the Tiger Quoll) is the largest of four species of native marsupial carnivore on mainland Australia, and the second-largest carnivore (after the dingo). The species' scientific name, Dasyurus maculatus, references its' 'hairy tail'. Adults are approximately 125cm long, including their long tail, and weigh around 5 kilograms. The Spotted-tail quoll is currently considered to be a threatened species, but other species are currently listed as endangered.This photograph is significant as an example of wildlife protection awareness programs undertaken by Wooragee Landcare Group in the 2000s in Indigo Shire.Landscape coloured photograph printed on gloss paper.Reverse: WAN NA 0ANA2N0 NNN+ 1 8743 / [PRINTED] (No.23) / 269wooragee, wooragee landcare, indigo shire, north-east victoria, andrew murray, queries about quolls, wildlife, conservation, farming, predators, spotted tail quolls, quolls, marsupials, south-east forests, mt pilot, stanley plateau

Wooragee Landcare was formed in 1989 to promote sustainable conservation and land-use practices in the North-East region of Victoria. The organisation's work has included public awareness and education campaigns to control invasive, introduced species and protect native wildlife, such as campaigns to bait or trap foxes and to identify and monitor quoll populations in the region. The organisation has drawn on the work of a variety of Government and academic experts to inform best practice approaches are utilised. In 2004 Andrew Murray, a leading quoll expert from Parks Victoria, conducted training for Wooragee Landcare members and the local community in how to identify potential quoll habitat and populations (through identifying scat and other methods). Spotted-tail or Tiger quolls were known to have lived in the Mt Pilot and Stanley Plateau region previously but habitat encroachment, competitor species such as foxes and natural disasters had reduced sightings in recent years. The Spotted-Tail quoll (formerly known as the Tiger Quoll) is the largest of four species of native marsupial carnivore on mainland Australia, and the second-largest carnivore (after the dingo). The species' scientific name, Dasyurus maculatus, references its' 'hairy tail'. Adults are approximately 125cm long, including their long tail, and weigh around 5 kilograms. The Spotted-tail quoll is currently considered to be a threatened species, but other species are currently listed as endangered. This photograph is significant as an example of wildlife protection awareness programs undertaken by Wooragee Landcare Group in the 2000s in Indigo Shire.Landscape coloured photograph printed on gloss paper.Reverse: WAN NA 0ANA2N0 NNN+ 2 8743 / [PRINTED] (No.22) / 268wooragee, wooragee landcare, kiewa landcare, indigo shire, north-east victoria, farming, conservation, wildlife, quoll, quolls, marsupials, predators, simon feillafe, andy murray, south-east forests, spotted tail quoll, mt pilot, stanley plateau, andrew murray