Eastern Quoll  |  

The eastern quoll is widespread in Tasmania and was previously widespread in mainland southeastern Australia, including New South Wales, Victoria and eastern South Australia. The species rapidly declined in abundance throughout most of its mainland range around 1890−1910. Some isolated populations persisted in low densities in some areas, with sightings at Kew, Ivanhoe, Melbourne, Lake Corangamite, Otway Ranges (all Victoria) and Vaucluse (NSW) until the early 1960s. The species is considered extinct on the mainland, with the last confirmed mainland sighting at Vaucluse in 1963. The species is now restricted to Tasmania, including Bruny Island where it is mainly found on the north island. However, the Bruny Island population may have been introduced, as eastern quolls have only been recorded on the island since around the early 1990s. Records from the Tasmanian Natural Values Atlas indicate that the eastern quoll occurs in most parts of Tasmania, but is recorded infrequently in the wetter western third of the state. The species’ distribution is associated with areas of low rainfall and cold winter minimum temperatures. Within this distribution, it is found in a range of vegetation types including open grassland (including farmland), tussock grassland, grassy woodland, dry eucalypt forest, coastal scrub and alpine heathland, but is typically absent from large tracts of wet eucalypt forest and rainforest. Abundance and occurrence within this broader distribution are often patchy over short distances.