Home range of the spotted-tailed quoll (Dasyurus maculatus), a marsupial carnivore, in a rainshadow woodland

Abstract

The home ranges, movement patterns and spatial organisation of spotted-tailed quolls (Dasyurus maculatus maculatus) were studied in rainshadow woodland in southern New South Wales, Australia. Fourteen individuals were radio-collared and simultaneously tracked. Home-range size estimates ranged from 621 ha to at least 2561 ha for males, and 88 ha to at least 653 ha for females. Mean home-range size was significantly greater for males (992 ± 276 ha) than females (244 ± 72 ha). The maximum straight-line distances between successive fixes for males over 24-h and 48-h periods were 2529 and 4430 m, respectively, while for females these distances were 1865 and 3085 m. Mean maximum straight-line distances between successive fixes for males over a 24-h period were not significantly different from mean maximum straight-line distances of females (1493 ± 918 v. 1034 ± 540 m). However, over 48 h, the mean maximum distances between successive fixes for males was greater than that of females (2911 ± 934 v. 1680 ± 918 m). The home ranges of males mostly overlapped with those of other individuals, regardless of sex. In contrast, home ranges of females tended not to overlap with those of other females, suggesting some form of spatial separation. Home-range estimates derived for spotted-tailed quolls in our rainshadow woodland study site are comparable to those obtained for the species in wetter vegetation types. From a conservation perspective, it seems that habitat structure and the availability of prey is more important than rainfall or vegetation type in determining spatial requirements of the species. Until more advanced telemetry systems are developed, caution should be applied when using current home-range data on the species to infer breeding systems and patterns of spatial organisation, particularly the issue of territoriality among female quolls.

Home range, denning behaviour and microhabitat use of the carnivorous marsupial Dasyurus maculatus in eastern Australia

“…As females appear to be territorial, persistence of a population is likely to require very large areas of suitable habitat, which can accommodate large numbers of non‐overlapping female ranges. The home ranges of female quolls in Marengo appear to be much smaller than those in southern New South Wales and Victoria (Belcher & Darrant, 2004; Claridge et al , 2005). This difference may contribute to the relatively high abundance of quolls recorded in north‐eastern New South Wales (Körtner et al , 2004; this study).…”

“…We mapped location data using the animal movement extension to ArcView (Hooge & Eichenlaub, 1997), and calculated home ranges for each individual quoll using both the 100% MCP method and the 95% kernel method. For consistency with Claridge et al (2005), we considered that a home range was adequately defined when the last five location records increased the MCP area estimate by less than 5%. Diurnal and nocturnal home ranges were estimated for each radio‐collared quoll by calculating the 100% MCP area for all location data obtained during daylight and darkness, respectively.…”

“…Western ( Dasyurus geoffroii ), northern ( Dasyurus hallucatus ) and spotted‐tailed quolls all exhibit a pattern in which males occupy large home ranges, overlapping with a number of other males and females, whereas females occupy comparatively small, exclusive territories (Serena & Soderquist, 1989; Oakwood, 2002; Belcher & Darrant, 2004; Claridge et al , 2005). A similar pattern is also found in the carnivorous marsupial Phascogale tapoatafa (Soderquist, 1995).…”

Diet of a native carnivore, the spotted-tailed quoll (Dasyurus maculatus), before and after an intense wildfire

“…1). The 4000-ha study area, which has previously been described by Claridge et al (2004Claridge et al ( , 2005, has an elevation range from ~300 m along the Snowy River up to 900 m in the north-east. The Byadbo Wilderness Area is in a rain-shadow created by its proximity to the Great Dividing Range that rises directly to the west.…”

Aerial baiting for wild dogs has no observable impact on spotted-tailed quolls (Dasyurus maculatus) in a rainshadow woodland

“…1). General features of the 7000-ha study area, including topography, climate, vegetation and fire history, have been previously described in a series of related papers (Claridge et al 2004(Claridge et al , 2005(Claridge et al , 2006.…”