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The eastern quolls – a furry carnivore that reaches about the size of a domestic cat – disappeared from the mainland in the 1960s, but clung to the island state of Tasmania. – Photo AFP
The first eastern quolls in 50 years were born in the wild on the Australian mainland, with small grains of rice that give hope to a species of marsupial devastated by foxes
carnivore that reaches the size of a domestic cat – disappeared from the mainland in the 1960s but hung in the island of Tasmania
Twenty of them were returned to their native environment in Booderee National Park, south of Sydney. in March, to see if they could survive and thrive.
It is the first time in Australia that a carnivore extinct on the mainland has been reintroduced into the wild and has followed a 15-year project to bring predators
The director of natural resources of the Booderee National Park, Nick Dexter, said on Monday that babies had been confirmed in three of the female pouches
"There are still challenges ahead to establish a sustainable population, but 30 percent of female quolls produce young pouches of this pilot project is a step in the right direction. "
Quoll babies stay in the shelter in the pocket for about three months while they gain weight and fur.
"We followed all the animals in this project with a GPS collar, and unlike other translocation projects, we were able to quickly discover and manage the threats," adds Dexter,
. on the continent for thousands of years. But a large number of them were killed in the early 1900s by a mysterious epidemic, and their population was devastated as foxes spread in southeastern Australia
. Australian National University researcher Natasha Robinson said the new colony has demonstrated several key points for a successful long-term future.
"We have proven that quolls can find food, shelter, and race, and we have shown an ability to make changes to improve quoll survival," she said. AFP
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