In an exciting breakthrough for wildlife conservation, ecologists at Mt. Gibson Wildlife Sanctuary in Australia recently made a remarkable discovery: the first-ever baby western quolls have been born at the sanctuary. This unexpected find occurred during a routine survey when researchers spotted several female quolls with tiny, wriggling infants nestled in their pouches.
Western quolls, also known as chuditch, are fascinating marsupials that grow to roughly the size of a domestic cat. These adorable creatures play a crucial role in their ecosystems by controlling populations of small invertebrates, reptiles, and birds. Nonetheless, their population has sharply decreased in recent years. According to the Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC), western quolls once thrived in various habitats across the Australian mainland, but their range has dramatically decreased since European settlement.