A brief history of the northern quoll (Dasyurus hallucatus): a systematic review

Harry A. Moore*, Judy A. Dunlop, Chris J. Jolly, Ella Kelly, John C. Z. Woinarski, Euan G. Ritchie, Scott Burnett, Stephen van Leeuwen, Leonie E. Valentine, Mitchell A. Cowan, Dale G. Nimmo

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

18 Citations (Scopus)
61 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

In response to Australia's current extinction crisis, substantial research efforts have been targeted towards some of the most imperilled species. One such species is the northern quoll (Dasyurus hallucatus), a marsupial predator that has recently suffered substantial declines in range and is now listed as Endangered. We conducted a systematic review of all literature relevant to the conservation and ecology of northern quolls. We reviewed 143 studies, including research articles, government and industry reports, theses, and books, and quantified research effort in terms of topic, location, and publication period. We then summarised research relevant to northern quoll taxonomy, genetics, distribution, habitat associations, diet, reproduction, movement, threats, management, and Indigenous knowledge. Research effort was higher between 2011 and 2020 than the previous four decades combined. Northern quolls in the Northern Territory were the most studied, followed by the Pilbara, the Kimberley, and Queensland populations. Most studies focused on northern quoll distribution and habitat, management, and threats-primarily cane toads, predation, and fire. We conclude with a non-exhaustive list of ten future research directions. If pursued, these future research directions should provide information critical to managing and conserving northern quolls.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)185-207
Number of pages23
JournalAustralian Mammalogy
Volume44
Issue number2
Early online date26 Aug 2021
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2022
Externally publishedYes

Bibliographical note

Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.

Keywords

  • Dasyurus hallucatus
  • Endangered species
  • biodiversity conservation
  • dasyurids
  • extinction crisis
  • habitat management
  • imperilled species
  • mammal extinction
  • marsupial predator
  • northern quolls
  • research studies
  • systematic literature reviews

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