Western quoll have a life span of 5.5 years in captivity and 3-4 years in the wild (Mawson 1996) .
Perception Channels: tactile ; chemical
Much of western quoll's habitat has been destroyed through controlled and frequent burns as well as the use of pesticides by surrounding farmers. The introduction of predator species such as foxes, feral cats, and bird of preys by European settlers has also reduced their numbers. The new predators compete with western quoll for food and also prey upon them. There have been successful attempts to breed D. geoffroii in captivity and release them (Perth Zoo). Research on western quoll and their habitat have been conducted in hopes of finding a way to preserve the species in the wild. Various areas have passed acts in an attempt to conserve these marsupials but there are no statistics on their success. (Mawson 1996, Massicot 2000, Murdoch University 1997)
US Federal List: no special status
CITES: no special status
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: near threatened
In rare instances western quoll may take domestic fowl.
Western quolls are important to the aboriginal people of Australia as a symbol in their mythology, as food, and for ceremonial purposes. Dasyurus geoffroii also serve as natural predators of insects, pests, and rabbits that plague some farmers.
(Johnson et al 1982, Ride 1970)
Their diet is rather diverse, ranging from large insects, to small vertebrates, to carrion. In arid habitats they have been found to eat mammals the size of rabbits, lizards, frogs, and invertebrates. In forested habitats they consume insects, freshwater crustaceans, reptiles, parrot-sized birds, and rabbit-sized mammals. In human-settled areas they will raid chicken coops and rubbish bins. Dasyurus geoffroii kills larger prey by biting the back of the head or neck. This carnivore is primarily a ground forager and nocturnal though it does occasionally climb trees.
(Hume 1999, Menkhorst et al 1995, Hyett et al 1980)
Dasyurus geoffroii are mainly found in the southwest portion of Western Australia in the Jarrah forest, though their range once covered Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia (Johnson et al 1982, Menkhorst et al 1995).
Biogeographic Regions: australian (Native )
The original habitat of western quolls was once quite large, including stretches of desert in the arid part of Central Australia. However due to various causes, D. geoffroii's territory has been reduced to the Jarrah forests in the southwest portion of South Australia. These areas consist of open forest, low open forest, woodland, and open shrub.
(Hyett et al 1980, Mawson 1996, Menkhorst et al 1995)
Terrestrial Biomes: desert or dune ; savanna or grassland ; forest
Average lifespan
Status: captivity: 3.0 years.
Dasyurus geoffroii usually sport a brown or black (rarer) coat with white spots along their lean, short-legged bodies. The face is paler than the rest of the fur while the ears are white-rimmed. Western quolls are roughly the size of a cat and have pointed facial features along with large eyes and rounded ears. They measure roughly 36 cm to 46 cm in body length, tail length ranges from 22 to 30 cm. Females are the smaller of the species.
Range mass: 900 to 1300 g.
Other Physical Features: endothermic ; homoiothermic; bilateral symmetry
Average basal metabolic rate: 2.991 W.
Western quolls are seasonal breeders, mating between the months of May and July with a peak in June. Nnormal litter size ranges from 2 to 6 young per year, there have been cases where females produce more young than can be nurses. After a gestational period of 16 to 23 days, western quolls remain in their mother's shallow pouch for another seven to fifteen weeks until they outgrow the pouch. At this point they are left in the den while the female forages for food. Dasyurus geoffroii are independent at 18 weeks and weaned at 23 to 24 weeks, both the male and female are sexually mature at one year of age.
(Collins 1973, Hyett et al 1980, Massicot 2000, Mawson 1996, Menkhorst et al 1995, Ride 1970)
Key Reproductive Features: gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual
Average birth mass: 0.011 g.
Average gestation period: 16 days.
Average number of offspring: 6.
Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female)
Sex: female: 365 days.
