A young male Spotted-tailed Quoll has been successfully released into Blue Mountains National Park following a nine-week rehabilitation at Taronga Wildlife Hospital, coinciding with World Endangered Species Day.
Discovered unconscious in Faulconbridge in March, the quoll was first taken to Blaxland Vets before being transferred to Taronga Zoo Sydney. Diagnosed with a fractured skull and jaw, the animal received intensive care and was hand-fed by veterinary staff until it regained strength and returned to a carnivorous diet.
Dr Kimberly Vinette Herrin, Taronga’s Senior Veterinarian, said, “The quoll came into our care unresponsive, extremely emaciated, and with a serious head injury. We didn’t think it was going to survive overnight, but we were determined that intensive care and treatment would get it back to where it belonged.”
Spotted-tailed Quolls (Dasyurus maculatus), Australia’s largest mainland carnivorous marsupials, are listed as vulnerable in NSW and endangered nationally. Their numbers have declined due to habitat loss, predation, and road strikes.
The quoll’s recovery highlights the importance of wildlife rescue efforts and the critical work of conservation programmes in protecting Australia’s threatened species. Taronga’s release aligns with its broader conservation goals for endangered native fauna.
