1. 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

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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 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…

6. 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

7. 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.

8. 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

9. 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.