Northern Quoll (Dasyurus hallucatus) on Koolan Island The Northern Quoll is listed as an ENDANGERED species under the EPBC Act 1999 Population monitored consistently (temporally and spatially) since 2006 MGI has data on: Morphology Home range Diet and parasites Habitat use Life-span Breeding My introduction: Thank you stephen for allowing me to speak today I’m an envrionmental advisor at Koolan island Apologies for Dr. Mitch Ladyman Discalimer – not a subject matter expert, so please be kind with your qestions, also we’re not in the pilbara, however we’ve done some things worth sharing and are hopeful of continuing to contribute and learn more ourselves As everyone knows, the northern quoll is listed as endangered. Operating since 2006 and during this time we have been monitoring the population

Koolan Island is located approximately one kilometre from the mainland and 130 kilometres north of Derby Koolan Island has an area of 2, 580 hectares and is approximately 13 km long and up to 4 km wide Demonstrating our location, some distance from the pilbara Right up in the west kimberleys or buccaneer archipelago. 1km off shore, island is about 2500 hectares

Northern Quoll Distribution Formerly occurred across northern Australia from the Pilbara to southeast Queensland. NOW restricted to several highly disjunct areas within its former range. Found here on Koolan Island in a secure and healthy population Again as many of you probably know – formerly occurred across northern australia, pilbara to southeast qld. Figure also illustrates our koolan island population. Which what we believe to be a secure and healthy population

Threats to the Koolan Island Northern Quoll Habitat loss through clearing and secondary impacts on vegetation health Dust Weed impacts on native vegetation Vehicle strike Cane toad spread (poisoning from ingestion) – if they should ever reach Koolan Island. Koolan Island has a very strict Quarantine Management Plan. This should reduce the likelihood of Cane Toad ever reaching the island. These are the threats identified within the quoll management plan Like most surface mining operations we disturb the land to progress the mine and build waste dumps Habitat loss is in the form or clearing. Also passiflora or passion vine Quarantine high on our agenda

A Very Large Trapping Data Set Began in 2006 and has been completed every year since Elliot traps are set up along nine transects throughout the island Each transect has 25 or 50 trap locations set at 25m intervals. 1500 trap nights annually Trapping is undertaken to monitor and assess each year: - Popln. via Individual Quoll Capture - Trap Success Rate - Sex ratio - Mass distribution - Health condition - Reproductive condition and age - Microchipping records To manage our impacts, we’ve undertaken a comprehensive monitoring program Started in 2006, conducted annually Transects of 25 or 50 traps, 25m intervals, 1500 trap nights We monitor and assess…

This aerial photo isnt ideal This aerial photo isnt ideal. Some transects no longer used due to disturbance or access issues Does demonstrate the location of the transects though, which are spread right across the island Includes impact reference sites, those located close to mining and those located away from mining

Female Supremacy and Male Die-Off Koolan Island quoll are smaller than mainland individuals. Koolan males weigh an average of 548grms Mainland males weigh an average of 760grms (Oakwood, 2002) BUT , as with the mainland populations, males are bigger than females. Numbers of females captured throughout the year varies little Number of males caught varies dramatically due to die off after breeding (crash) and the male-bias sex ratio leading to more males born (boom). Males live for only approximately 1 year while females can live beyond 2 years Male die-off and the limited capacity for females to have multiple breeding events makes local populations highly vulnerable to extinction. Being on an island makes it that much worse. Touch on some things our monitoring has found Smaller than mainland quolls Koolan Males avg 548gms, mainland males avg 760 gms Males are bigger than females Females captured varies little throughout year Number of males caught varies dramatically – this has been demonstrated through trapping of the west end on a quarterly basis. We’ve been able to obtain data which demonstrates seasonal variance. Island has its advantages but also its disadvantages.

Home Range and Habitat Requirements Koolan quoll home ranges are only 1/10 the size of mainland individuals. Though they are comparable with studies in the Mitchell Plateau (Schmitt, 1989) Movement patterns differ between sexes Individuals move up to 7km Further work with recently acquired GPS enabled collars is scheduled. Koolan quoll almost exclusively use cracks in rocky outcrops for refuge Very infrequent observations of quoll using log hollows Scrap metal and timber piles are frequently used. We’ve conducted home range studies using radio tracking, appear to be 1/10 of the mainland animals, but comparable with mitchell plateau. Intuitively this must be the rugged topography, (mitch tells me) When we’ve trapped on the west end we have found the same animal on the other end of the island 7km away. West end to T2. We’ve got a bunch of GPS collars on site which we are looking at doing some further research, that came at a considerable price. Suitability has been discussed with the DEC. Habitat requirements suggest almost exclusively using cracks and rocky outcrops, not often hollow logs

Research MGI is involved with: Genetic Studies and Demographic Analysis – with Murdoch University Koolan Island quoll are genetically unique and have limited genetic variation compared to mainland quoll Koolan Island population is dense, relative to the mainland Diet Studies – with Deakin University Koolan Island quolls eat vertebrates, invertebrates, plant seeds and berries The dominant foods are seeds, invertebrates and skinks. Genetic studies completed in the past. Tissue samples sent to peter spencer at murdoch and thus far we’ve determined that there is limited genetic variation compared to the mainland. So there is inter mixing on the island, but because it is an island there is little actual variation within the whole population Also had a research student come over from deakin in melbourne and collected scats etc.