Impurest's Guide to Animals #43 - Tiger Quoll

December sucks just as bad as November, looks like the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. One such bad apple was the Shocking Pink Dragon Millipede ands it’s terrible toxic secretions. This week’s animal is a born bruiser of the bush.

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Issue #43 Tiger Quoll

Kingdom – Animalia

Phylum – Chordata

Class – Mammalia

Order – Dasyuromorphia

Family – Dasyuridae

Genus – Dasyurus

Species –maculatus

Related Species - The Tiger Quoll is the largest of the six species of Quoll (1)

Range

Quolled Over

Tiger Quolls are the largest carnivorous marsupials on the Australian mainland, reaching a length of around eighty centimetres and a weight of 3kg. Covered in rusty brown fur, the Tiger Quoll, like its smaller relatives, features a white dappled pattern that acts as camouflage while it stalks prey up in the trees. To aid them in their semi arboreal lifestyle, the Tiger Quoll has five well developed toes on each foot with rigged foot pads which make clambering around tree branches easier. Tiger Quolls may have a home range of over 800 hectares which they will readily mark with olfactory and auditory signals, although these territories may overlap with those of other individuals.

Tiger Quolls are primarily carnivorous and will happily tackle prey ranging in size from insects to animals as big as wombats and small wallabies as well as dangerous prey such as venomous snakes. Quolls will also happily scavenge on dead animals but the majority of their food comes from live prey. Predators mostly consist of pythons, eagles and the Dingo (Canus lupus dingo) on the mainland, while in their Tasmanian range the Quoll comes into conflict with the Tasmanian Devil (Sarcophikus harrisi) with the former species yielding to adults of the later species (3).

Quolls of all kinds are largely solitary, only coming together to breed and to use communal latrines, usually found on the edge of several overlapping territories (4). When they do meet outside these situations Quolls will aggressively posture, displaying the size of their teeth in an attempt to intimidate their rival. Quolls are born fighters, with joeys fighting for a limited number of teats in the females pouch.

Five To Save #4 - Marsupials

Marsupials, due to their unusual way of rearing their young have long been considered inferior to Placental Mammals and observations about species interactions between the native fauna and invasive species brought over by Europeans seems to support this. However it should be noted that introducing any invasive species cause competition and at its most extreme local extinction. Native animals are often keyed into the natural rhythm of an ecosystem while invading species aren’t. Luckily marsupials have the support of one of the most conservation aware movements in the world (global warming attitudes aside) and the halt of invasive species is one of its major environmental policies.

Greater Bilby (Macrotis lagotis) - Vulnerable

Threats: Invasive Species - The Greater Bilby faces a trio of invasive species that threaten it’s survival in the wild. Predation by Red Foxes (Vulpus vulpus) and domestic cats (Felis silvestris catus) and competition from rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) all threaten this species. That said the ‘Easter Bilby’ campaign has greatly improved awareness of this species blight and that of other native wildlife.

Mountain Pygmy Possum (Burramys parvus) - Critically Endangered

Threats: Recreation Activities - Snow and Australia may not be words most think of in the same sentence but the main threat to the Mountain Pygmy Possum is the expansion of the skiing industry in the Australian Alps. The destruction of native plants, through pollution and land clearance, has a knock on effect to the ecosystem, with the possum and its main food source the Bogong Moth (Argotis infusa) supporting rapidly declining populations in these snow covered peaks.

Northern Hairy Nosed Wombat(Lasiorhinus krefftii) - Critically Endangered

Threats: Climate Change - While probably never very common the Hairy Nosed Wombat is fallen victim to the changes made to the environment by the conversion of scrubland to grazing land. In addition to competing with domestic livestock for food the large scale of farming cause changes to the vegetation structure and increases the likelihood and duration of drought conditions that quickly kill off the wombat’s preferred food source.

Numbat (Myremecobis fasciatus) - Endangered

Threats: Land Clearance - The insectivorous Numbat is a species that suffers from the removal of dead wood and dry brush in an attempt to reduce bush fires. In fact it’s theorised that the Numbat actually benefits from controlled fire regimes as it stimulates a boom in termite and ant populations it depends on.

Tasmanian Devil (Sarcophikus harrisi) - Endangered

Threats: Disease - While they possess a formidable reputation Tasmanian Devils suffer from a genetic disorder known as Devil Face Tumour Disorder (DFTF), a painful and often fatal disease that infects the species. Coupled with a long history of persecution and competition with the invasive Red Fox for resources the future looks grim for this carnivorous marsupial.

Bibliography

1 - www.arkive.org

2 - Jones M. E., Rose R. K., Burnett S., (2001) "Dasyurus maculates", Mammalian Species 676:1-9

3 - Jones M. E., (1995) Guild structure of the large carnivores in Tasmania. Ph.D. dissertation, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

4 - Burnett S. (2000) The ecology and endangerment of spotted-tailed quoll, Dasyurus maculates. Ph.D. dissertation, James Cook University of North Queensland, Townville, Australia

Picture References

1 -http://hancockwatch.nfshost.com/images/11dec/19%20tiger%20quoll.JPG

2 - http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/19/Tiger_Quoll_area.png

3 - http://www.survival.org.au/images/mammals/tiger_quoll_wallpaper_3.jpg

4 - http://nedenneden.files.wordpress.com/2007/06/quoll-yawn.jpg

And with that the cuddly yet buff Quoll waddles off out of the spotligh. Next week we bring you the must have for any gentleman this festive season, a weaponized moustache, but until then critic, comment and check out Impurest’s Bestiary of Past Issues

Many Thanks

Impurest Cheese

@cbishop, @laflux, @ostyo, @wildvine,@samimista,@cattlebattle,@xwraith,@cgoodness,@ms-lola, @scorpion2501,@squares,@darthaznable,@scattered316,@bumpyboo,@knightsofdarkness2,@wolverine08,@dboyrules2011,@joshuadbr,@nighthunder, @veitha, @johnjo719, @itsomething,@delphic, @dngn4774, @retconcrisis and @ccraft

Sorry about the lack of images and the early post, going to be in court for the next few days so there won't be much activity, Hope you enjoy and drop me the nominations for issue of the year

Why not write the article, get the pics, and have someone else post it and have them give full credit to you?

*Googles "tiger quoll" to find images*

It's adorable! :D

@cgoodness: Was told my imaging problems would be fixed, they were yesterday just not today. Getting people to sort it out

@xwraith: Thanks, just wish I could get the pictures up

OMG they are Adorbs!!!

@cgoodness: Yes, yes they are

As soon as the image problem is fixed these will be the first uploaded (along with the less adorable map)

I actually thought for a moment that you invented some animal that I never heard of (Until now that is).

The more you know!

Also, I'm also having problems with images. What's going on with all these bugs?

@impurestcheese: Thanks for the comment. Ah well that's the animal kingdom for you, full of things you never knew existed (and many you wished didn't)

@cbishop: Thanks, do you think I should invite the 5th Column Crew to have a look see?

@impurestcheese: Thanks for the tag, I won't be able to read the whole thing until I get home later tonight.

@impurestcheese: Cool that you did a quoll! I wish you well in court, Imp'! Kick ass!

Sorry to hear you're having upload problems! That said, this is still an awesome installment and oh my gosh, these things are beautiful ^___^ I kinda want to steal and protect them all now, poor things :(

@bumpyboo: Good, there is a debate about whether or not Quolls can be kept as domestic pets in lieu of cats. And thanks for the sympathy and the comment,

@ccraft: Cool thanks for the images.

@cbishop: It was on my list anyway and got pushed forward knocking the Plough Snail to next year. And thanks

Wait are you in trouble?

@impurestcheese: Haha, Bumpyboo and Samimista are both gonna want one of these fierce predators!

@ostyo: Who wouldn't one although TBH I'd prefer a Gennet myself

@cgoodness: No I'm not in trouble, at least not legally just have some small claims stuff that I'm pushing against my employer

@impurestcheese: oh, good luck :D

@cgoodness: Thanks may need it.

@impurestcheese: That is cooler looking, and actually can be kept as a pet! I still want a Red Panda though...

I was expecting another bug.......

But the tiger quoll is just as great

@itsomething: Thanks I try and keep things mixed up to surprise people

@ostyo: Hmm you would want one of those

@impurestcheese: Hey, you try watching that video of the Red Panda doing pull ups in a gym. You'll want one too!

Nice issue! It was just as good without the pictures. =)

Ay, look at da lil' bodgie, caught one of those ooglin me jumbucks! Shoe'd him away with a flick while I was in the nuddy. G'day!!

Hmm yes they do like watching sheep and occasionally naked @cattlebattle the marsupial delinquants

@dboyrules2011: Ah cool thanks for that

@ostyo: Nah, too boring.

Don't the males have sex so vigiourusly that kill themselves, or am I thinking of another Animal?

@impurestcheese: My pleasure. ^_^

@foolsgold: You're thinking about the Antechinus a closely related smaller marsupial

@dboyrules2011: Thanks

Yea, Marsupials where never my strong point. Great work (Laflux alt)

Court? Been going around freeing animals from the Zoo? :P

The Quoll resembles a ferret more so than anything else.

@darthaznable: Hmm no not recently

@foolsgold: Ah okay

@impurestcheese: I nominate Salmon Shark for animal of the year.

Great article! The tiger quoll seems like a really cool animal.

Will vote for animal of the year later.

@knightsofdarkness2: Thanks, they are cool indeed

It's always terrible to hear about animals being in danger, whether due to the environment or invasive species but I find it incredible how even something as fire prevention protocols can affect some so badly. It's so sad to hear about the Tasmanian Devil as well.

As for keeping these cuties as domestic pets, what an awesome idea. They don't seem so different from cats except maybe a wee bit too aggressive.

@ms-lola: Thanks for the comment, the question of agression is what stops them being pets already.

@ccraft: It's adorable... And yet fierce looking as well. In short, it's plain awesome.

Finally an animal I've been bitten by!

@wildvine,@samimista,@scorpion2501,@squares,@wolverine08,@joshuadbr, @veitha, @johnjo719, @itsomething,@delphic, @dngn4774 and @retconcrisis

Now with pictures...

@scattered316: Yeah it embodies both those contradictory traits

@black_wreath: One bit you ouch, that must have hurt