PARKS Victoria rangers have captured new footage of a Spotted-tail Quoll, otherwise known as the Tiger Quoll.
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The mysterious quoll was first sighted in September 2013, after the species was thought to be extinct in the area for over 140 years.
The quoll was first 'caught' on remote sensor cameras which had been set up to monitor the park's re-introduced Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby population.
Images captured of the quoll were a huge surprise to Parks Victoria rangers. Quolls have never been recorded in the Grampians National Park before and there had been no documented sightings in the local area for over 140 years.
Parks Victoria Chief Executive Dr Bill Jackson said that the interest and excitement around the quoll sightings was great for the park, with the animal now caught on remote sensor cameras on 15 separate occasions.
"Quoll experts and our rangers have been able to confirm that this is the same individual photographed by the clear arrangement of spots down both flanks," Dr Jackson said.
"Using this great monitoring technology helps with the ongoing management of the park, but also helps to tell some great environmental stories and connect people with Victoria's wonderful parks that play such a critical role parks play in conserving Victoria's unique biodiversity."
Parks Victoria have used a variety of monitoring techniques to gain a better understanding of the Spotted-tail Quoll's movements in the Grampians National Park following several unconfirmed sightings over the years. Staff and volunteers continue to investigate the origins and movements of the Spotted-tail Quoll by trying to collect a genetic sample, including attempts to gather a hair sample using hair-tubes, searching for scats using conservation sniffer dogs and volunteers from the Otway Conservation Centre, and even setting up a fake Quoll latrine (Quolls are known to mark their territory in a set location).
"The survival of the quoll is a great sign for the overall health of the park and a symbol of resilience. It is also testimony to decades of conservation and fox control programs," Dr Jackson said.
Dr Jackson said everyone involved with the monitoring program was hoping that the quoll is able to locate a mate.
"It would be great to see a love connection for our friend in the Grampians," Dr Jackson said.
Spotted-tail Quoll are endangered in Victoria, with the south-east Australian population endangered nationally and listed as 'near threatened' on the International Union for Conservation of Nature red list.
If you would like to support environmental programs in Victoria's parks with a donation, please visit the People and Parks Foundation website www.peopleandparks.org