Eastern Quoll (native cat)

Viewing season: young emerge in October and November.

The eastern quoll (or native cat, as it is sometimes called) has two colour phases - ginger-brown (common) or black (rare), both with white spots on the back but not on the tail.

Males are about the size of a small domestic cat, averaging 60 centimetres (23.5 inches) in length and 1.3 kilograms (2.86 pounds) in weight; females are slightly smaller. Compared to the related spotted-tail quoll, the eastern quoll is slightly built with a pointed muzzle.

Eastern quolls once roamed mainland Australia, with the last sighting in the Sydney suburb of Vaucluse in the early 1960s. They are now considered extinct on the mainland.

They are widespread in Tasmania, and are found in rainforest, heathland, alpine areas and scrub. However, they prefer dry grassland and forest mosaics, bounded by agricultural land, particularly where pasture grubs are common.

The eastern quoll is a solitary animal and feeds mostly on insects. They are nocturnal but occasionally forage at dusk or during daylight. During the day they sleep in nests under rocks in underground burrows or fallen logs.

Eastern quolls are common in Mount Field National Park.

The eastern quoll is classed as vulnerable under federal legislation but is not listed under Tasmanian state legislation. The species is wholly protected by law.

• Find out more about Tasmania’s unique wildlife.
• Where to find them.