Damage to human remains attributed to scavenging by quolls (Marsupialia: Dasyuridae)

Abstract

Australian quolls are known to scavenge, but little direct data support their propensity to scavenge a corpse. A review of 861 newspapers on the Australian newspaper digitisation website Trove found one hundred and eleven accounts from between 1831 and 1916 where the scavenging of a corpse was attributed partly or entirely to scavenging by quolls. In 105 cases, including the 1831 aboriginal spearing of Captain Thomas and the 1878 shooting of Sergeant Kennedy by the infamous Ned Kelly Gang, the cause of the disfigurement was assumed based on contemporary knowledge. However, an 1862 corpse near Sale (Vic) was observed by a police officer being scavenged by seven quolls, two quolls were seen feeding on an infant corpse in 1895 at Araluen (NSW) and ‘several’ in 1897 on an infant corpse at Middle Harbour (Sydney, NSW). Disfigurement of corpses (85% male) was reported as fast as within a few hours of death, with the most common disfigurement (36.5%) being loss of facial features. A regression found more accounts were at lower elevations (R² = 0.846). Results support the propensity of quolls to scavenge a corpse, appearing to be more likely in winter with loss of the person’s facial features.