The tiger quoll (Dasyurus maculatus), also known as the spotted-tailed quoll, spotted quoll, spotted-tailed dasyure, or tiger cat, is a carnivorous marsupial of the quoll genus Dasyurus native to Australia. With males and females weighing around 3.5 and 1.8 kg (7.7 and 4.0 lb), respectively, it is the world's second-largest extant carnivorous marsupial, behind the Tasmanian devil. Two subspecies are recognised; the nominate is found in wet forests of southeastern Australia and Tasmania, and a northern subspecies, D. m. gracilis, is found in a small area of northern Queensland and is endangered. The tiger quoll commonly preys on small mammals, insects, birds, domestic poultry and large marsupials such as wombats. It mostly hunts live prey but occasionally scavenges when the opportunity arises. The tiger quoll kills its prey by executing a killing bite to the base of the skull or top of the neck, depending on the size of the prey. The species is listed as near-threatened on the IUCN Red List, and is primarily threatened by habitat loss caused by human activities.
Description
The tiger quoll is the largest of the quolls. Adult females of the northern subspecies are generally smaller and weigh 1.5 times less than their male counterparts. Males and females of D. m. maculatus weigh on average 3.5 and 1.8 kg (7.7 and 4.0 lb), respectively, and males and females of D. m. gracilis weigh on average 1.60 and 1.15 kg (3.5 and 2.5 lb), respectively. The biggest male individuals may weigh 8.85 kg (19.5 lb), while the largest females can tip in at over 4.0 kg (8.8 lb). The tiger quoll has relatively short legs, but its tail is as long as its body and head combined. It has a thick head and neck and a slightly rounded and elongated snout. It has five toes on each foot, both front and hind, and the hind feet have well-developed halluces. Its long pink foot pads are ridged, an adaptation for its arboreal lifestyle. This makes up for the fact that its tail is not prehensile. The tiger quoll usually has a reddish-brown pelage (a minority have black fur) with white spots, and colourations do not change seasonally. It is the only quoll species with spots on its tail in addition to its body. Its fur and skin are covered in orange-brown-coloured oil. The underside is typically greyish or creamy white. The average length of D. m. maculatus is 930 mm (37 in) for males and 811 mm (31.9 in) for females. For D. m. gracilis, males have an average length of 801 mm (31.5 in), while females average 742 mm (29.2 in) in length. The tail is on average 285 to 550 mm (11.2 to 21.7 in) long in both subspecies. The tiger quoll has the second-most powerful bite relative to body size of any living mammalian carnivore, exerting a force of 153 N (34 lbf).
Range and ecology
The tiger quoll is found in eastern Australia where more than 600 mm (24 in) of rain falls per year. Most sightings occur in elevations of at least 600 m (2,000 ft). Historically, the quoll was present throughout southeastern Queensland, through eastern New South Wales, Victoria, southeastern South Australia, and Tasmania. European settlement has severely impacted and fragmented the quoll's mainland distribution. Tiger quolls are rare in southeastern Queensland and mainly restricted to national parks. In Victoria, quoll populations have declined by nearly 50%. The range decline was not as severe in New South Wales, but they are still rare. The quoll was probably never very numerous in South Australia, but although considered locally extinct for 130 years, one was captured in the state's south-east in 2023. In Tasmania, the tiger quoll frequents the northern and western areas where rains are seasonal. Tiger quolls were once native to Flinders Island and King Island, but are locally extinct (extirpated) since the 20th century, so are not present on Tasmanian offshore islands. Tiger quolls live in a variety of habitats, but seem to prefer humid forests such as rainforests and closed eucalypt forest. They are moderately arboreal, as 11% of their travelling is done above ground. When they do take to the trees, they may hunt arboreal prey such as possum, leaping between trees if need be. When descending, they usually go head first. Prey items eaten by quolls include insects, crayfish, lizards, snakes, birds, domestic poultry, smaller mammals including platypus, rabbits, arboreal possums such as cuscuses and greater gliders, bandicoots, pademelons, small wallabies, and wombats. When hunting, a quoll stalks its prey, stopping only when its head is up. It then launches its attack, executing a killing bite to the base of the skull or top of the neck, depending on the size of the prey. The quoll will pin small prey down with its forepaws and then deliver the bite. With large prey, it jumps and latches on its back and bites the neck. They can also climb into trees to hunt for possums and birds during nighttime. They may scavenge the carrion of larger animals such as kangaroos, feral pigs, cattle, and dingoes. However, the tiger quoll does not scavenge as much as the Tasmanian devil. In one study, feral rabbits made up 76% of the diet on the mainland. The flexibility of their diets suggests their prey base is not detrimentally affected by bushfires. Quolls, in turn, may be preyed on by Tasmanian devils and masked owls in Tasmania and dingos and dogs in mainland Australia. It may also be preyed on by wedge-tailed eagles and large pythons (such as Australian scrub pythons and carpet pythons). Tiger quolls yield to adult devils, but will chase subadults away from carcasses. Quolls also probably compete with introduced carnivores, such as foxes, cats, and feral dogs. Tiger quolls are also hosts to numerous species of endoparasites.
Life history
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