There are four species of quolls in Australia. Quolls are marsupials like kangaroos and look like a cross between a cat and an opossum. They eat small mammals, birds, insects, lizards and fruit and nuts when available. They are called native cats, but are related to Tasmanian devils, and are nocturnal. Quolls used to roam all of Australia but are now relegated to small pockets mostly around the coast.
The northern quoll is the smallest of the group and only weighs two pounds at most.
Source: Wikipedia
The Western quoll, also known as a chudditch, is medium sized and only found in a small portion of southwestern Australia.
Source: Australian Fauna
The tiger quoll is the largest and also known as the spotted quoll or the spot-tailed quoll. It seems a bit misnamed since tigers have stripes and the tiger quoll does indeed have spots, even on its tail. It is mostly found in southeastern Australia.
Photo by Sean McClean Source: Oz Animals
The Eastern quoll is now considered extinct on the Australian mainland, but can still be found in Tasmania.
Source: Wikipedia
All the quolls are endangered or threatened. One of the main reasons is that these unusual animals are being poisoned by cane toads they hunt and eat. Cane toads are not native to Australia and were introduced as a natural pest control. However, the cane toads are now an invasive pest and a serious threat to many of Australia's native species.
Stayed tuned for more animals from Australia that you've probably never heard of!
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