A trial reintroduction of the western quoll to a fenced conservation reserve: implications of returning native predators

Abstract

While fenced reserves provide sanctuary for many threatened prey species, few projects have reintroduced native threatened predators, despite their potential role in regulating prey, addressing prey naivety, trophic regulation, and predator conservation. We aimed to investigate a set of issues unique to predator reintroduction into fenced reserves: how to contain predators that are naturally wide roaming, how to estimate carrying capacity, and will native predators impact resident threatened species? We conducted a trial reintroduction of four western quolls (Dasyurus geoffroii) (two males, two females) into a fenced reserve where four threatened prey species had been reintroduced and feral cats and foxes excluded. We monitored quoll survival, diet, movement and reproduction. Nocturnal foraging ranges measured over a fortnight were 3–17km2, favouring burrows in dune habitat for shelter. Dietary analysis indicated a preference for reintroduced bettongs and western barred bandicoots, and resident hopping mice. Successful breeding was recorded but the two male quolls eventually escaped the reserve by climbing over the external fence and did not return. Results suggest that quoll reintroductions to fenced reserves will require fence designs that enable quolls to climb back into the reserve, threat management outside the reserve, and close monitoring of prey species.