https://www.mulligansflat.org.au/make-a-donation daily 0.75 2025-07-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60932cab2b1fbc5b7ec8fca1/1629696198769-PVDC11MZPGVTGSAKJ1LC/new.png Make a Donation - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.mulligansflat.org.au/contact-us daily 0.75 2023-04-14 https://www.mulligansflat.org.au/visit daily 0.75 2026-02-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60932cab2b1fbc5b7ec8fca1/e30c4650-b122-48a6-80b0-e759d4ec613f/Map+to+centre.jpg Visit https://www.mulligansflat.org.au/volunteer daily 0.75 2023-09-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60932cab2b1fbc5b7ec8fca1/1629694698490-DGUHVMM38I2IB4I6409B/IMG_8929.JPG Volunteer - Become a Volunteer with us We have a range of opportunities at our sites: Mulligans Flat Woodland Sanctuary, Wildbark and Jerrabomberra Wetlands Nature Reserve. Our volunteers help with a wide range of tasks and activities. Opportunities are often seasonal and require varying levels and types of skill, experience, availability and fitness. Please register your interest on our volunteer database. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60932cab2b1fbc5b7ec8fca1/1629694451368-ZVMZGUU33ILVZWE2UL59/BettongMonitoring+copy57.jpg Volunteer - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60932cab2b1fbc5b7ec8fca1/1622679755300-CLZCZ6VIAKBCAICHREP7/tours+and+education+vollie+thing.jpg Volunteer - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60932cab2b1fbc5b7ec8fca1/1629694503511-UUGLTJ3PEHU9LBACXIDE/volunteers%25252Bfor%25252Bwebsite%25252Bphoto.jpg Volunteer https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60932cab2b1fbc5b7ec8fca1/1629694616672-9TWPAGXSXKAG99KOLCIC/IMAG0084.JPG Volunteer - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60932cab2b1fbc5b7ec8fca1/1621566216678-RP6P39VZGWU0RNU2IKEB/corporate03.jpg Volunteer - Make it stand out Team Building & Corporate Volunteering https://www.mulligansflat.org.au/school-visits daily 0.75 2023-12-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60932cab2b1fbc5b7ec8fca1/1622690494036-BBP1L8YDKQ9FMXSFLT6M/school+visits.jpg School Visits https://www.mulligansflat.org.au/who-we-are daily 0.75 2025-07-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60932cab2b1fbc5b7ec8fca1/1626155377326-4RN2XFFV32TZ020ATAZ2/IMG_6101.jpg Who We Are https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60932cab2b1fbc5b7ec8fca1/1620257977479-MM4E13GW80TDM6O1SMA4/NightWalk004.jpg Who We Are https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60932cab2b1fbc5b7ec8fca1/cfe39162-30f4-4c0f-8adb-34675b9f8a7b/80025838_1234616003389827_1243124175829204992_n.jpg Who We Are https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60932cab2b1fbc5b7ec8fca1/2d8d23bc-7caf-4157-9413-20db2608c2f1/_CDP2324.jpg Who We Are https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60932cab2b1fbc5b7ec8fca1/b33e38f3-d83d-43c5-aa88-a7ddd6a29b89/PC110038.JPG Who We Are https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60932cab2b1fbc5b7ec8fca1/3178f19b-14eb-40a5-939b-ad8f31ca6d46/T.T.+by+Jimmy+Walsh+from+ANU+Comms+Team+1.jpg Who We Are https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60932cab2b1fbc5b7ec8fca1/f0852f2f-b74e-46da-9c16-0c1339f5bbe7/Photo+by+Pat+Ross-Magee.jpg Who We Are https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60932cab2b1fbc5b7ec8fca1/3d079e7c-2c96-4f2e-a077-4186a37683a5/qrJF582A.jpeg Who We Are https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60932cab2b1fbc5b7ec8fca1/7b890406-7ce1-46c2-9c6d-6bcb7ce1d480/IMG_9751.JPG Who We Are https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60932cab2b1fbc5b7ec8fca1/4d17f8a1-b095-4fce-bb87-f538fa2a20e0/AH1P3455.jpg Who We Are https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60932cab2b1fbc5b7ec8fca1/c946484c-ae3f-4ef3-90a4-e9a3eb727ba1/1674_mulligansflat_LOWRES_046.jpg Who We Are https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60932cab2b1fbc5b7ec8fca1/08958785-175e-4772-9297-401b480f3b15/M.+pavonis.jpg Who We Are https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60932cab2b1fbc5b7ec8fca1/1626155766851-BWPJBST3IAR2301IEP7E/Twilight+tour+-+Milou+Hoffman.jpg Who We Are https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60932cab2b1fbc5b7ec8fca1/1626155693271-6U5I6KCZG4D721DXU6DQ/Jerrabomberra+wetlands+supper+%2833+of+36%29.jpg Who We Are https://www.mulligansflat.org.au/home daily 1.0 2025-06-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60932cab2b1fbc5b7ec8fca1/1621484284021-ESZS4DUR8FSYFSHZ28BF/Golden+Sun+Moth.png Home - What’s On https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60932cab2b1fbc5b7ec8fca1/1627526852563-GNDLN7NFUTYEU67SOZ15/Bettong+2.png Home - Donate https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60932cab2b1fbc5b7ec8fca1/1621484521189-LHG6Z5B09ZOBVYOCUQHD/Eastern+Quoll.png Home - Volunteer https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60932cab2b1fbc5b7ec8fca1/1621484767002-WBISQXBD8KD0OFEZHLKZ/Shingleback+Lizard.png Home - Help From Home https://www.mulligansflat.org.au/help-from-home daily 0.75 2021-08-23 https://www.mulligansflat.org.au/wildlife-we-protect daily 0.75 2021-07-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60932cab2b1fbc5b7ec8fca1/18ee2992-dca3-4002-beb2-d84d6b402794/eastern+bettong.jpg Wildlife Eastern Bettong https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60932cab2b1fbc5b7ec8fca1/ac8caff7-099e-4c64-b12a-d06933e93923/curlew.jpg Wildlife Bush Stone-curlew https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60932cab2b1fbc5b7ec8fca1/65ca1580-7b05-44c8-a5b5-325bc920625b/1093_quoll_010.jpg Wildlife Eastern Quoll https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60932cab2b1fbc5b7ec8fca1/96b04335-4653-4f9f-9015-0c2b354268b5/shingleback.JPG Wildlife Shingleback Lizard https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60932cab2b1fbc5b7ec8fca1/3abbee33-5383-4cca-ae28-90206f78b457/new+holland+mouse.jpg Wildlife New Holland Mouse https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60932cab2b1fbc5b7ec8fca1/1639023589552-L8URFAPWTHKIP5YUEB0W/_21K7096.jpg Wildlife Spotted-tail Quoll https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60932cab2b1fbc5b7ec8fca1/20a25aa1-63de-4882-a1ae-c7840c4b5bd9/superb+parrot.jpg Wildlife Superb Parrot https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60932cab2b1fbc5b7ec8fca1/fe898fae-8609-4482-aab5-498fa3efb062/Echidna+portrait+by+WWT%3AElsie+Percival.JPG Wildlife Short-beaked Echidna https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60932cab2b1fbc5b7ec8fca1/1626400396761-V7B5Z97H19ASOVRPGMKX/agile+antechinus.jpg Wildlife Agile Antechinus https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60932cab2b1fbc5b7ec8fca1/6d9ac12d-a397-4046-ae31-d4203740b792/23658607_1494457920591561_440976245409529601_n.jpg Wildlife Golden Sun Moth https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60932cab2b1fbc5b7ec8fca1/6bf2452f-dc43-4a54-8809-0f9fea66fad9/59485159_2151569941547019_1938982003894386688_n.jpg Wildlife Striped Legless Lizard https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60932cab2b1fbc5b7ec8fca1/e658c0e2-f965-4660-9bfe-38d38478d7fd/common+dunnart.jpg Wildlife Common Dunnart https://www.mulligansflat.org.au/common-dunnart daily 0.75 2021-07-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60932cab2b1fbc5b7ec8fca1/e658c0e2-f965-4660-9bfe-38d38478d7fd/common+dunnart.jpg Common Dunnart - Common Dunnart Sminthopsis murina Habitat Dry bushland and heathland, leaf litter and plentiful ground cover. IUCN Status Least Concern, decreasing in numbers Also known as the common marsupial mouse and slender-tailed dunnart. This small mouse-like marsupial lives in and under logs and feeds on a variety of invertebrates including moths, spiders, beetles and roaches. Since it evolved to live in very dry environments and gets enough hydration from its diet, common dunnarts do not need to drink. Despite its name, little is known about the population abundance of this carnivorous marsupial. A decline has been noticed in recent years, likely due to factors such as habitat clearing, inappropriate fire regimes and predation by cats and foxes. Photograph by B G Thomson https://www.mulligansflat.org.au/superb-parrot daily 0.75 2021-07-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60932cab2b1fbc5b7ec8fca1/20a25aa1-63de-4882-a1ae-c7840c4b5bd9/superb+parrot.jpg Superb Parrot - Superb Parrot Polytelis swainsonii Habitat Red gum forest and woodland IUCN Status Least Concern, previously Vulnerable The superb parrot nests and forages in the riparian forests of Victoria and New South Wales. You may have heard that the recovery of a species is often closely tied to its surrounding environment. The superb parrot is a good example. Superb parrots rely on tree hollows to build their nests. The types of hollows they use are typically found in large dead or ageing gum trees, meaning when those trees are cut down, these birds lose habitat that is very difficult to replace. A projected decline in suitable nest hollows over the next two decades means that this recovering species could once again become at risk. It also means that protected places such as Mulligans Flat will only become more precious and essential to the survival of species such as these beautiful parrots. Photograph by Julie Clarke https://www.mulligansflat.org.au/eastern-quoll daily 0.75 2021-07-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60932cab2b1fbc5b7ec8fca1/65ca1580-7b05-44c8-a5b5-325bc920625b/1093_quoll_010.jpg Eastern Quoll - Eastern Quoll Dasyurus viverrinus Habitat Forest, alpine, shrub land and grassland IUCN Status Endangered The eastern quoll is a medium-sized nocturnal carnivorous marsupial. It is the only one out of all the four quoll species to come in two colours; fawn and dark, both with white spots. They have a varied diet which can include small mammals, birds, reptiles, and insects. The eastern quoll became extinct on mainland Australia in 1963 due to predation by foxes and feral cats, but continues to survive in Tasmania where those predators are absent. Tasmania has since helped to reintroduce eastern quolls to several mainland locations including Mulligans Flat in 2016 and Booderee National Park in 2018. The Tasmanian quoll population is currently in decline, making dedicated support and protection for this species essential for its ongoing survival. Photograph by Adam McGrath https://www.mulligansflat.org.au/bushstone-curlew daily 0.75 2021-07-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60932cab2b1fbc5b7ec8fca1/ac8caff7-099e-4c64-b12a-d06933e93923/curlew.jpg Bush Stone-Curlew - Bush Stone-Curlew Burhinus grallarius Habitat Woodland, scrub lands and grass lands near water courses IUCN Status Least Concern, listed as Endangered in New South Wales Also known as the Bush Thick-knee, and more colloquially, murderbird. This nickname comes from their haunting call, which sounds like a human scream. The Bush Stone-curlew is a terrestrial forager. It runs or walks about on long legs, digging in soft soil, leaf litter and rotting wood at night for frogs, lizards, insects, and spiders. Birds living on the coast will also eat molluscs. Nests are made on the ground and the parents take turns incubating and caring for their young. Bush Stone-curlews are cryptic, which means that when threatened, they will adopt an odd pose or lay perfectly still and rely on their plumage for camouflage. Between 2014 and 2016, this bird was reintroduced into Mulligans Flat and can once again be heard nightly making their mysterious cries. Photograph by Julie Clarke https://www.mulligansflat.org.au/new-holland-mouse daily 0.75 2021-07-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60932cab2b1fbc5b7ec8fca1/3abbee33-5383-4cca-ae28-90206f78b457/new+holland+mouse.jpg New Holland Mouse - New Holland Mouse Pseudomys novaehollandiae Habitat Open heathland, vegetated sand dunes, forest and woodland understoreys IUCN Status Vulnerable At first glance, the New Holland Mouse looks just like a common European house mouse. However, on closer inspection, they don’t have the musky ammonia smell of pest mice, their eyes and ears are larger, and their tails are dark on top and longer than their body. Once spread throughout the continent, New Holland Mice are now exclusively found in Australia’s south-east. This mouse lives communally in burrows underground and comes out at night to explore at ground level, looking for berries, seeds, leaves, and flowers to eat. They also have been known to feed on fungi and invertebrates. Research on this critter is currently underway at ANU and Mulligans Flat. One technique ecologists use to see if New Holland Mice are in a location involves placing bait in small tubes with either a floor of sand or ink pads and paper, and then examining the footprints left behind. Photograph by Doug Beckers https://www.mulligansflat.org.au/striped-legless-lizard daily 0.75 2021-07-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60932cab2b1fbc5b7ec8fca1/1627624362422-9U99Q5STRJK5QFW1QIN5/59485159_2151569941547019_1938982003894386688_n.jpg Striped Legless Lizard - Striped Legless Lizard Delma impar Habitat Grassland, grassy and volcanic plains IUCN Status Endangered Striped legless lizards are small, burrowing reptiles that like to live in kangaroo grass and spear grass. They hide from predators by blending in with their surroundings. They are known to eat moths, crickets and spiders. Not much else is known about their diets except that they are insectivores. Unlike snakes, legless lizards have visible ears and their tongues are not forked. They can also detach their tails to confuse and escape from predators. Due to massive reduction of their native grassland habitat, this lizard’s numbers have dropped and dedicated conservation techniques are needed to protect and revive remaining populations. https://www.mulligansflat.org.au/golden-sun-moth daily 0.75 2021-07-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60932cab2b1fbc5b7ec8fca1/1627624326819-FF55BKJEYTI1YFAMVTJ3/23658607_1494457920591561_440976245409529601_n.jpg Golden Sun Moth - Golden Sun Moth Synemon plana Habitat Grassy box-gum woodlands and temperate grassland IUCN Status N/A, Commonwealth Status is critically endangered This small moth has a male wingspan of 3.4 cm and a female wingspan of 3.1 cm. Synemon is the only moth genus in which the female has a smaller wingspan than the male. They live among dense wallaby grass, and lay their eggs at the base of a plant whose roots the larvae then eat. Adult Golden Sun Moths do not have functional mouth parts. Golden Sun Moth numbers are in decline due to loss of habitat. Since it is reluctant to fly except during the warmest part of the day, and only has a flight period of a few days, the ability of this moth to find a new place to live when their habitat is destroyed is very limited. https://www.mulligansflat.org.au/shingleback daily 0.75 2021-07-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60932cab2b1fbc5b7ec8fca1/96b04335-4653-4f9f-9015-0c2b354268b5/shingleback.JPG Shingleback - Shingleback Tiliqua rugosa Habitat Woodland, arid to dry areas, open country with plenty of ground cover IUCN Status Least concern Shinglebacks are one of three species of blue-tongue found in the ACT and of eight overall species of blue-tongue found in Australia and Indonesia. Shinglebacks respond to threats by opening their mouth and sticking out their tongue. They also may hiss and flatten out their body, and can bite if cornered. Their diverse diet consists of insects, small mammals and reptiles, and a wide variety of plants. They have also been reported to snack on eggs. Unlike other reptiles, Shinglebacks do not lay eggs and instead give birth to live young. Shinglebacks are sometimes kept as pets. Although their numbers are stable, Shingleback populations are highly fragmented and face pressure from trapping and hunting in some areas including Rottnest. Photograph by Elsie Percival https://www.mulligansflat.org.au/eastern-bettong daily 0.75 2022-10-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60932cab2b1fbc5b7ec8fca1/18ee2992-dca3-4002-beb2-d84d6b402794/eastern+bettong.jpg Eastern Bettong - Eastern Bettong Bettongia giamardi Habitat Dry forest and grasslands IUCN Status Near Threatened Named Balbo or Ngaluda in Ngunnawal language, the Eastern Bettong is a remarkable little macropod and ecosystem engineer. Through daily habits of existence, they impact their surrounding environment by dispersing the spores of the truffles that they eat, turning and renewing soil, and leaving diggings in which native plants can germinate and grow. Being nocturnal, bettongs like to sleep during the day in round nests built with grasses and dead bark. They collect and transport nesting material by bundling it up in their semi-prehensile tail. The Eastern Bettong was driven to extinction on the mainland for almost 100 years by foxes, feral cats, and bounties placed on them by angry farmers, whose potatoes they would dig up and eat. Starting in 2012 they have been successfully reintroduced into Mulligans Flat, where their population has exploded to well over 100 individuals. Photograph by Raw Shorty https://www.mulligansflat.org.au/agile-antechinus daily 0.75 2021-07-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60932cab2b1fbc5b7ec8fca1/1626400396761-V7B5Z97H19ASOVRPGMKX/agile+antechinus.jpg Agile Antechinus - Agile Antechinus Antechinus agilis Habitat Forest and woodlands IUCN Status Least Concern, listed as endangered in South Australia The agile antechinus is a carnivorous nocturnal marsupial in the family dasyuridae, much like the Eastern Quoll. They are the smallest of four species of antechinus. Their habitat includes tree hollows, dead logs and leaf litter. Their preferred diet includes insects and other invertebrates, though they have also been known to eat small lizards and soft berries. The agile antechinus is “semelparous”. “Semelparity” refers to a mating behaviour that is brief, violent and ultimately fatal. The breeding season of the agile antechinus ends with the death of the males, with females giving birth to between six and ten young after 27 days of gestation. Photograph by David Paul https://www.mulligansflat.org.au/painted-honeyeater daily 0.75 2021-07-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60932cab2b1fbc5b7ec8fca1/1626322354778-PYC05D4H3GNEENJ23YW8/painted+honeyeater+david+cook.jpg Painted Honeyeater - Painted Honeyeater Grantiella picta Habitat Savanna, mistletoe and eucalypt forests IUCN Status Vulnerable For birdwatchers it is uncommon to catch a glimpse of a Painted Honeyeater. This elusive bird tends not to travel in flocks and their numbers are in decline due to habitat loss and conversion. However, due to their migratory behaviour and the fragmented nature of their populations, this bird has been spotted in a wide range of locations from southern Victoria to far north Queensland. Painted Honeyeaters build their nests in different types of eucalyptus, pine, and acacia tree. The presence of parasitic grey mistletoe can indicate the likelihood of these birds appearing in an area: despite their name, the bulk of this honeyeater’s diet is made up of mistletoe berries. Photograph by David Cook https://www.mulligansflat.org.au/short-beaked-echidna daily 0.75 2021-07-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60932cab2b1fbc5b7ec8fca1/fe898fae-8609-4482-aab5-498fa3efb062/Echidna+portrait+by+WWT%3AElsie+Percival.JPG Short-beaked Echidna - Short-beaked Echidna Tachyglossus aculeatus Habitat Grassland, shrubland, rainforest, woodland, desert IUCN Status Least Concern Like platypuses, echidnas are egg-laying mammals known as “monotremes”. Echidnas use their snout and claws to dig into termite nests and ant nests before scooping up the insects with their long tongue. Males follow a female around in a chain called an Echidna Train. At the end of breeding season, females lay a single egg. Echidna young are called “puggles” and are carried in the mother’s pouch for between two and three months, or until they grow too prickly, after which the mother builds a nursery burrow and stores the puggle until it is weaned. While echidnas are considered an iconic Aussie species, the Short-beaked echidna is the only species of echidna actually found in Australia and is the sole member of the genus Tachyglossus. The other four species of echidna are found in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea and belong to the genus Zaglossus. Every year, volunteers and staff at the Woodlands and Wetlands Trust undertake an Echidna Count at Mulligans Flat. We use a capture - release - recapture method, marking the captured echidnas with nail polish on one of their quills. This helps ensure that no echidna is counted twice. Photograph by Elsie Percival https://www.mulligansflat.org.au/research daily 0.75 2022-04-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60932cab2b1fbc5b7ec8fca1/1631246454557-554H4G3Y867XJNR88AFW/0798_bettong_LOWRES_003.jpg Research https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60932cab2b1fbc5b7ec8fca1/1631246612853-HAMLH34RQN6074D00N92/Elsie+4.jpg Research https://www.mulligansflat.org.au/app daily 0.75 2023-01-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60932cab2b1fbc5b7ec8fca1/1631685212712-U76ZOODRTH8XSNGHWHPQ/app+and+audio+tour.jpg Apps - Let us take you for a walk Your very own in-situ guided tour around Mulligans Flat with audio story-telling and visual cues. Explore our three guided walks on our free app: Woodland Walk - Uncover the secrets hidden in the woodlands Wetlands Walk - Discover the place where birds play and animals quench their thirst Ground to Sky Walk - Venture up for views of Mulligans Flat and the Bush Capital https://www.mulligansflat.org.au/history daily 0.75 2021-09-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60932cab2b1fbc5b7ec8fca1/1632806288808-G0QLTEGUZ7OYJNCL6U3Q/MF_Strategy_Document_2020_PROOF_9_A27473858_Page_05.jpg History - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.mulligansflat.org.au/privacy-policy daily 0.75 2021-10-18 https://www.mulligansflat.org.au/spottedtailquoll daily 0.75 2021-12-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60932cab2b1fbc5b7ec8fca1/36207268-9156-4e6e-a241-6d26c83e85c9/Wollemi+NP+quoll.jpg Spotted-tail Quoll - FAQs - Spotted-tail Quoll pilot reintroduction to Mulligans Flat Dasyurus maculatus Habitat Woodlands, wet and dry sclerophyll forests, rainforests, alpine woodlands, coastal heathland, swamps and occasionally grasslands. IUCN Status Near threatened (population decreasing) Frequently Asked Questions What is a Spotted-tail Quoll? One of four quoll species, the Spotted-tail Quoll (STQ) is the largest reaching up to 8 kilograms. They are found across the eastern seaboard and in Tasmania occupying a range of ecosystems including coastal rainforest to the high country. A marsupial carnivore, they are in the same family as Tasmanian Devils, Antechinus, Phascogales and the Eastern Quoll. Since European settlement, they have been greatly impacted by landscape fragmentation, introduction of feral species, road mortality and persecution by humans. It is due to this they are nationally listed as endangered under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act. Why reintroduce them to the Sanctuary? This is a pilot project to explore whether we can have STQs as part of a healthy woodland ecosystem in the Sanctuary. They are very wide-ranging animals and excellent climbers and its likely to be a challenge to keep them in the Sanctuary for a long period of time. The previously published draft Sanctuary Strategy highlighted the future pipeline of species we are planning to introduce as we re-build the woodland food web. Spotted-tailed Quolls are a top-order or apex predator. Like sharks in the sea, we need apex predators to have a healthy ecosystem that is self-regulating. Building a food web, exposing Bettongs and other important species to predation so that they develop to be more predator-savvy. This will enhance the population characteristics to make our Bettongs more useful as a source population for other re-introductions elsewhere around the country (to Sanctuaries, islands, or areas where foxes and cats are otherwise controlled). Part of a healthy and functional ecosystem is to have predation as part of the system. Other existing predators in the Sanctuary include Eastern Quolls, Brown Snakes and various birds of prey. Here is a great paper explaining the importance of predators in safe haven contexts. What will they eat? When introduced to Mt Rothwell, their diet primarily consisted of Brushtail Possums and Rabbits. It appears they are rather lazy predators and will preference a carcass over hunting, and if they do need to hunt, they will seek out the easiest prey option. While they will eat insects, birds and reptiles, STQs have a preference for mammals. They are an arboreal predator so will likely focus their efforts on catching possums, but they could also take bettongs (especially old or sick ones), young wallabies and the carcasses of dead animals. These first releases are individuals sourced from captive displays around the country. Due to this, we are unsure whether they can be transitioned from being provided with daily food to chasing and capturing their own prey. This is another aspect we want to understand from this pilot project. We will be collecting their scats and analysing any carcasses found near den sites to determine what they’re eating. Ultimately, we are hopeful they can play an important ecosystem engineering role, placing predation pressure on possum, sugar glider and other species’ populations, and picking off any rabbits that might sneak into the Sanctuary. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60932cab2b1fbc5b7ec8fca1/f6a62321-e80c-4487-bff8-0d68d8bdde84/Spotted-tail+quoll+by+David+Cunningham Spotted-tail Quoll - FAQs Spotted-tail quoll by David Cunningham https://www.mulligansflat.org.au/strategy daily 0.75 2023-06-23 https://www.mulligansflat.org.au/sanctuary-faqs daily 0.75 2022-12-01