Experimental Quoll killing
After the success of Japans scientific whaling, WAs scientific ringtail possum logging (see p.6) and Victorias scientific potoroo logging, NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service is planning to drop poison baits in the Byadbo and Pilot Wilderness Areas in the Kosciuszko National Park to see if it kills the known Quoll colony there, while targeting wild dogs.
Aerial baiting has previously been proved by scientists to kill or reduce colonies of the endangered Spot-tailed Quolls. But they just want to check to make sure. After all, Quolls are an endangered species, and you cant be too careful.
The poison is sodium fluoroacetate (1080). The plan has been referred to the Feds under the EPBC Act to decide if it needs an Environmental Impact Study. But as its not a dunny on the Hume Highway (see p.6), we doubt it.
Jill/ Network Item, WWF.
UPDATE
We’ve just heard that the plan for “scientific Tiger Quoll poisoning” in Kosciusko (as reported in the most recent Potoroo Review) didn’t go ahead. Apparently this was due to the controversy, as well as the fact that some trapped quolls had young in their pouches. Apparently someone decided that mothers and pouched young should not be killed. Unlike those selfish feminist career quolls.
This is great news, although its still potentially on the agenda for the future (ie. next winter).
Apart from that, seems that a lot of data was collected from the trapped quolls, and lots of latrine sites identified.