A new furry friend will soon be joining the animals at Alexandra Park Zoo.
A male spotted-tail quoll, also known as a tiger quoll or spot-tailed quoll, is currently travelling from Tasmania to take up residency in the Bundaberg Region.
Mayor Jack Dempsey met the endangered marsupial on a recent trip to the Apple Isle and said the quoll was an exciting and interesting animal.
“I was able to catch up with these wise little creatures and I was in awe of how intelligent they are,” he said.
“I am looking forward to all of our families and community members getting down to our fantastic zoo and making the quoll welcome!”
The quoll is coming
Environmental and Natural Resources portfolio spokesperson Cr Wayne Honor said it wasn’t the first time Alexandra Park Zoo had become home to quolls.
“In the history of the zoo we have had the pleasure of homing a few quolls and we are very much looking forward to welcoming the newest addition in the coming weeks,” he said.
“This particular quoll is coming from Devils @ Cradle, a unique Tasmanian conservation sanctuary located at the entrance to the World Heritage listed Cradle Mountain National Park.
“Initially the quoll will be restricted to one side of the enclosure with limited public viewing while he undergoes a quarantine period of 30 days, after which he will be provided with the full enclosure space.”
Quolls endangered in Bundaberg Region
Cr Honor said the quoll was native along Eastern Australia and could even be spotted locally.
“This species can be found in the Bundaberg Region but they are endangered due to habitat fragmentation so consider yourself very lucky if you see one in the wild,” he said.
“I was fortunate to spot one in the wild near South Kolan last year.”
Cr Honor said the spotted-tail quoll was the largest of the quoll species, reaching an average of 3.5kg to 4kg for males, and 1.8kg for females.
“They are also the longest marsupial carnivore, with males reaching lengths of up to 1.3 metres,” he said.
The spotted-tail quoll will arrive in Bundaberg within the coming weeks and will be available for full public viewing next month.
- Other news: Council staff fundraising for tree kangaroos
- Supporting people with a disability
