There is renewed optimism for a native Australian species that was once close to disappearing entirely. Conservation researchers are celebrating a major milestone after evidence showed that their long-term efforts to protect and restore the animal have begun to pay off. At the heart of this success is the discovery of newborn western quolls at the Mt Gibson Wildlife Sanctuary, a protected area managed to support threatened wildlife. For scientists and conservationists, the sight of these tiny, spiky infants represents far more than an adorable moment—it signals real progress in reversing decades of population decline.
Western quolls, also known as chuditchs, are carnivorous marsupials roughly the size of a domestic cat. Once widespread across much of Australia, their numbers declined sharply following European settlement due to habitat loss, introduced predators, and changes to land use. Today, they are found only in small, fragmented populations in the southwestern corner of the country. Despite their reduced range, western quolls play an important ecological role by helping regulate populations of insects, small reptiles, and birds. Their absence from many ecosystems has left a noticeable imbalance, making their recovery a priority for conservation programs.
