Discovery of spotted-tail quoll thought extinct in SA sparks hopes of 'small population' in south-ea

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A mammal expert suspects a population of endangered marsupials long believed to be extinct in South Australia may have survived in the state's south-east after being unexpectedly captured by a local farmer. Highlights A spotted-tailed bird captured in Beachport has been released back into the wild. Spotted-tailed bird caught in Beachport released back into the wild Cowboys were persecuted throughout the 19th century after becoming widespread in eastern Australia Once common across eastern Australia, quolls were persecuted throughout the 19th century. Conservation efforts for another quoll species were underway on the Victorian border. He hoped to catch a wild cat or fox. Instead, on Tuesday, he discovered a species of animal last seen in the area 130 years ago; This surprised scientists and environmentalists, but raised hope that he might not be alone. The animal was turned over to the National Parks and Wildlife Service and treated for mange by a veterinarian before being released Thursday at an undisclosed location. NPWS Limestone Coast district ranger Ross Anderson said "He was a little reluctant to come out of the cage at first but once he did he took off very quickly." Quoll was microchipped and hair and skin samples were taken for DNA testing. A satellite or radio tracking device was not fitted because it would have meant keeping the animal in captivity for an extra day. The quoll caught in Beachport was treated for scabies. There are many theories about the origin of animals Biodiversity Council member and Charles Darwin University Professor John Woinarski said the discovery offered "some hope" that a small population had survived without being reported. "I suspect he didn't walk the full distance from Victoria to Beachport," he said. “Instead, I suspect there is a really small population that has survived happily and fortunately for decades without anyone noticing. “It's really good news despite the typical sea of ​​bad news about biodiversity, so it's a great record and really inspiring.” Professor Woinarski said people rarely see nocturnal marsupials. "Because they have a very diverse diet, they can survive in many environments and change their feeding habits a little bit," he said. “People don't search for them intensively, and perhaps their numbers are so small that they never show up.” But Mr Anderson said a remnant population in south-east a "very remote possibility" and said it was more likely the animal had come from across border or escaped from captivity, although there no animal known to be kept nearby. “Because they are a top predator, they cover many countries,” he said. "They need large areas for their habitat; we are talking about 1,500 hectares of forestland or forest. “We don't have many reserves of this size the Southeast... so if they still exist, they will probably be in very low numbers, which may not be viable the long term anyway. "Given tha