Published Wednesday, 06 June, 2007 at 10:57 AM
Minister for Environment and Multiculturalism
The Honourable Lindy Nelson-Carr
DALBY GARAGE OWNERS SHOCKED AT FINDING RARE QUOLL
The northern quoll, a small carnivorous marsupial, has been discovered at a car mechanics’ workshop in Dalby, the farthest south the creature has ever been reported.
Environment Minister Lindy Nelson-Carr said it was a surprising find.
“The farthest south this species has been seen before is around Maryborough on the coast, and at Mount Moffatt in Carnarvon National Park to the north-west of Dalby,” Ms Nelson-Carr said.
“How it got into a Dalby garage is anyone’s guess, but it is likely that the quoll ‘hitched’ a ride.
Ms Nelson-Carr said all species of quolls were notorious for stowing themselves away in car boots, which they often entered looking for food items left after picnics.
Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service rangers Rod Hobson, Graham Allen and Robert Ashdown responded to a call from garage owners Jeff and Derrick Hirning, who had trapped the animal in a cage at the T & H Service Centre on the busy Warrego Highway in Dalby.
Mr Hobson said something had been setting off the security alarm in the garage at night and the Hirnings thought it was a feral cat that was living in a tree in their yard.
“The garage owners had decided to use food scraps to try to trap the animal when it entered the workshop at night.
“When the rangers arrived at the garage they identified the creature as a mature male northern quoll, a nocturnal species known to live in northern Australia,” Mr Hobson said
“The garage owners are also quite sure that a second animal is around.”
“If a second animal is found, it might be that the first animal wasn’t a ‘stowaway’, and further investigations might be warranted to determine whether the species is in fact extending its range,” he said.
The animal discovered at the garage was assessed to be in good health and has since been released at Braemer State Forest in more suitable quoll habitat.
Northern quolls are about the size of a small domestic cat and have grey or brownish fur with white spots, except on the tail. They often live in or around dwellings and can be quite aggressive.
Photos are available on request.
Media contact: Lisa Gilby 3336 8002 (Minister Nelson-Carr’s office) or Rod Hobson (QPWS) 4699 4319.
Environment Minister Lindy Nelson-Carr said it was a surprising find.
“The farthest south this species has been seen before is around Maryborough on the coast, and at Mount Moffatt in Carnarvon National Park to the north-west of Dalby,” Ms Nelson-Carr said.
“How it got into a Dalby garage is anyone’s guess, but it is likely that the quoll ‘hitched’ a ride.
Ms Nelson-Carr said all species of quolls were notorious for stowing themselves away in car boots, which they often entered looking for food items left after picnics.
Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service rangers Rod Hobson, Graham Allen and Robert Ashdown responded to a call from garage owners Jeff and Derrick Hirning, who had trapped the animal in a cage at the T & H Service Centre on the busy Warrego Highway in Dalby.
Mr Hobson said something had been setting off the security alarm in the garage at night and the Hirnings thought it was a feral cat that was living in a tree in their yard.
“The garage owners had decided to use food scraps to try to trap the animal when it entered the workshop at night.
“When the rangers arrived at the garage they identified the creature as a mature male northern quoll, a nocturnal species known to live in northern Australia,” Mr Hobson said
“The garage owners are also quite sure that a second animal is around.”
“If a second animal is found, it might be that the first animal wasn’t a ‘stowaway’, and further investigations might be warranted to determine whether the species is in fact extending its range,” he said.
The animal discovered at the garage was assessed to be in good health and has since been released at Braemer State Forest in more suitable quoll habitat.
Northern quolls are about the size of a small domestic cat and have grey or brownish fur with white spots, except on the tail. They often live in or around dwellings and can be quite aggressive.
Photos are available on request.
Media contact: Lisa Gilby 3336 8002 (Minister Nelson-Carr’s office) or Rod Hobson (QPWS) 4699 4319.