Using camera traps to estimate spotted-tailed quoll densities

Abstract

<p>The spotted-tailed quoll (<i>Dasyurus maculatus</i>) is an endangered Australian mesopredator that is often associated with structurally complex contiguous forest, which have an abundance of suitable den sites and support high densities of prey. While recent studies have shown that quolls are known to occur in some fragmented forested landscapes, it is unclear whether these areas represent sub-optimal habitat where quolls merely persist, or whether quolls can still thrive at densities similar to those observed in intact forested landscapes. In the Hunter Valley lowlands of New South Wales, quolls have been frequently recorded in landscapes that have been fragmented by mining, agriculture and urban development.</p>