Australiana 6! The Quoll. Nasty & Nice all in one I reckon!

Spotted Quoll - The Spotted Quoll is a ferocious and powerful member of the Australian 'bush'. With its strong canine teeth it is one of the largest of the marsupial carnivores.
@James72 (26790)
Australia
November 28, 2008 9:13am CST
This one's for Mimpi! The Quoll is a carnivorous marsupial like the Tasmanian Devil, but is not as large. They are also loosely referred to as "Native Cats" and are native to Australia and New Guinea. They are meat eaters and have really powerful jaws and teeth! They especially like to munch on birds, rats, reptiles and other smaller marsupials. These guys are unfortunately under threat due to land clearing, habitat destruction and attacks on them by dogs and foxes etc so moves are being made to try to build up their numbers. The picture I have provided is a Spotted Quoll and they look quite beautiful! They are however quite vicious as well so definitely the "nasty and nice" tag I provided in the title is applicable here! These dudes are most active at night, but they do like to lay around in the sun during daylight hours as well. This one LOOKS like it could be a good candidate for a cuddle, but I would seriously think twice myself before giving it a go! lol.
3 people like this
7 responses
mimpi
@mimpi1911 (25464)
• India
28 Nov 08
That's really 'nasty and nice'! Quite scary actually, when you do not know when and how it will get back to you! This is certainly i would not want to befriend. I have always loved transparency. Thanks for the disc James. I heard about it some time back. It was actually quite alarming as to how quickly its losing its habitat. Thanks once again.
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James72
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
28 Nov 08
You are most welcome mimpi and I am actually glad you brought this guy up! I want to cover the more unique and unusual animals from Australia as everyone already knows of kangaroos, emus and koalas; and I just didn't even think of this guy until you mentioned him! The habitat loss is a serious issue for many species unfortunately. Not just Australian ones either! I remember reading a reference a long time back that said that some 20+ species of animals, plants and other life froms are becoming extinct EVERY DAY. Every DAY mimpi! It's unforgiveable really. I actually posted a discussion on it at the time too but this was at least a year or so ago..... Thanks for the response and if we had to choose between crossing this dude and the Tassie Devil, I think we had better choose this dude!
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mimpi
@mimpi1911 (25464)
• India
28 Nov 08
In that case this N & N creature is certainly a better choice than Tassie devil! lol.. But seriously, the facts are stranger than fiction and we have no idea what legacy we leaving behind for the children! How irresponsible of us!
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James72
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
28 Nov 08
Self preservation and greed seems to over-ride any strong desire to maintain sustainable development strategies it seems mimpi. Especially in an environmental sense. A day will unfortunately come when we will be explaining to our Grandchildren how many of the animals we take for granted today, USED to look and this is heartbreaking.
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sharra1
@sharra1 (6340)
• Australia
29 Nov 08
Very interesting James but they do not look a bit like cats. They have faces like rodents instead. I have never seen one of these before. Well we really do have some interesting critters. Until I saw the picture I kept thinking you meant the little wallabies until I remember that I was mistaking the name quoll for a quokka.I met them on holiday once and they are really cute.
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James72
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
29 Nov 08
I don't think they look like cats that much either sharra, but many of the references I have read refer to them colloquially as "Native Cats" so this seems to be a common term used to describe them. We certainly do have some amazing animals in Australia and such a diverse cross section too. I have responded to you in the quokka discussion but I reckon these quolls would eat quite a few of those quokkas if given half the chance, so thank God they don't co-habitate anywhere! lol. Thanks for the response.
James72
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
30 Nov 08
They look quite pretty actually; and especially with those spots! Maybe it would be best to give one a hug very, very carefully while it's sleeping though!
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sharra1
@sharra1 (6340)
• Australia
30 Nov 08
Oooh they do sound more ferocious than they look.
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alokn99
@alokn99 (5717)
• India
29 Nov 08
Thanks for sharing the quoll . The little that i had known about this species was that it was an endangered one. And that there are four main different species of them the spotted one being one of them and the tiger quoll if i am not mistaken being the other. But cuddle a quoll , ? No.No see and admire. A few more of these and i might just enroll myself in the WWF. Nothing to do with wrestling may i add. I want the Koala James, I know its not an endangered species but spell my name in the reverse order and see what it rhymes with
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alokn99
@alokn99 (5717)
• India
29 Nov 08
Long lost relatives . You enlighten me about him one day and who knows what we will we discover And thanks for letting me know that there were six species of quall's. Now it seems the very little i thought i knew.....
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James72
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
29 Nov 08
I put the Wiki link for riya just below..... I have only ever seen one of these guys at a zoo but would love to see one in the wild! I hope to one day.
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James72
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
29 Nov 08
From what I have read about these guys, I think the Tiger Quoll and Spotted Quoll may be one and the same actually. Even though they are spots and not stripes! There are six types in total and yes, they are under threat unfortunately. If the WWF had the same popularity as the WWE then we may all be in a much more positive place with many animals throughout the world I reckon! lol. The koala can come in due course mate and your name ALMOST spells it! Hahaha. "Kola" is pretty close! LOng lost relatives are they? Thanks for the response and good call in opting to just look at one of these guys instead of cuddling one!
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Daffodil20
@Daffodil20 (1754)
• India
1 Dec 08
Another one ? Do I see snow flakes on its body? Looks like white spots instead of black ones we have on Dalmations.
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James72
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
1 Dec 08
Yes, another one! lol. If I were to share all the possible unique animals of Australia I think I could do one a day for several months! They do look a little like snow flakes, I agree. This one is a Spotted Quoll but they also call it a Tiger Quoll, which is interesting really when you see they are spots and not stripes! Thanks for the response Daffodil.
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James72
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
1 Dec 08
I only intended to do 3 examples actually! lol. There are many more I could do, but I don't want people to end up bored with the whole concept and unfortunately time can be an issue too at the moment. I might give it a few days and then try a new one. If it goes well I may do a couple a week or something until I stop getting responses to them! Then I'll stop myself. It has been fun to share my country's animals though, I must admit!
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Daffodil20
@Daffodil20 (1754)
• India
1 Dec 08
So how many more ready to pop out from your pocket? I am curious.lol
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colinoz
@colinoz (3)
• Australia
1 Dec 08
They are a fine looking animal & definitely deserve the tag of nasty & nice! As they are not well known, large or visible they do not get much funding for research or protection. A friend of mine was employed by Taronga Zoo to assist an American woman in the capture, study, tag & release of quolls a few years ago & can vouch that they should not be cuddled. I know of a few areas in NSW where these & other carnivorous native animals still live but they becoming more restricted to virtual wilderness.
2 people like this
James72
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
1 Dec 08
Welcome to mylot colinoz. They are definitely a fine looking creature and especially with the spots. Every rose has its thorns though! lol. It is very sad that their habitats are being affected so heavily and it must have been an amazing experience for your friend to be able to work with quolls like this. All we can hope is that funding etc is increased and the government start to take preservation strategies far more seriously. It would be heartbreaking to lose not just this little dude, but many of the other animals and flora that are threatened also. Thanks for the response.
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grandpa_lash
@grandpa_lash (5225)
• Australia
29 Nov 08
Mark up another one for James. It looks like a cross between a rat and a possum, and probably has the temperament of both, which makes it decidely un-huggable. You don't mention what parts of Australia this one inhabits (and I'm too lazy at the moment to check). Isn't nature wonderful? Even though Australian animals have their very own idiosyncracies, the same ecological niches are filled here as anywhere else in the world. Carnivores, herbivores, scavengers, onmivores, insectivores. We could find equivalents for these animals on any continent. Lash
2 people like this
riyasam
@riyasam (16556)
• India
29 Nov 08
i think it is a mix of spotted kangaroo and a rat?????you really scarred me with the description but i think it would be better than a tasmanian devil.you know ,ignorance is real bliss, as my kids can not read but you are slowly convincing me to visit austrailia.everything of there seems to be good xcept for those giant spiders.and by the way why are you picking on my friend??????
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riyasam
@riyasam (16556)
• India
29 Nov 08
actually ,they are now busy with their father.he was out for many days on some work.thanks for the link.my hubby will clearly explain it to them.i dont have much patience with kids.
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James72
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
29 Nov 08
Hahaha. Well thank goodness for that then! lol. It's always great to have a back-up plan for when the kids get too feisty and inquisitive.
James72
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
29 Nov 08
Actually there is an animal called a Tree Kangaroo which shares a similar shape! I think it is better than a Tasmanian Devil too and certainly more attractive. I have not come across many giant spiders back home either so don't be too concerned about those. I hope your kids like this one as much as some of the others and just in case they do see it and have many questions again, here is a link for you that will help: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quoll Thanks for the response riya. Which friend are you talking about by the way? I am not sure what you mean by this one?
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