Susceptibility of the tiger quoll, Dasyurus maculatus, and the eastern quoll, D. viverrinus, to 1080-poisoned baits in control programmes for vertebrate pests in eastern Australia

Abstract

Captive trials were undertaken to determine whether tiger quolls and eastern quolls could detect baits that were either buried or covered with soil following the methods employed in normal buried-poisoned-bait programmes. Both tiger quolls and eastern quolls detected, dug up and consumed buried FOXOFF baits. Consumption trials showed that tiger quolls were capable of consuming 2–3 FOXOFF baits in a single meal and more than three baits overnight. Eastern quolls could consume up to 1.5 baits in a single meal. Field trials were undertaken to investigate whether tiger quolls in the wild could also detect and consume buried baits. Trials with both fresh meat and FOXOFF baits were undertaken at a site near a tiger quoll latrine, using a remote camera to record visits to the site and bait uptake. The results confirmed that tiger quolls in the wild can detect and consume both fresh meat and FOXOFF baits that have been buried or placed on the surface and covered with soil to a depth of 5–8 cm. The results indicate that the buried-bait technique is not specific for introduced predators, and free- feeding may not preclude non-target species from taking buried baits. Reliance on the identification of the species visiting bait stations from tracks may also be unreliable as foxes dug up bait stations searching for baits, even after the bait had been removed, potentially obliterating other tracks.