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.
In recent months, ecologists have been carefully reintroducing western quolls into Mt Gibson Wildlife Sanctuary, an area where the species had previously vanished. The goal was not only to release the animals but also to ensure the habitat could sustain them long term. The recent discovery of pouch young confirms that the quolls are not only surviving but also reproducing successfully in their new environment. This outcome suggests the sanctuary offers the right balance of food, shelter, and safety for the species to establish a stable population once again.
According to Georgina Anderson, Senior Field Ecologist with the Australian Wildlife Conservancy, regular monitoring has shown encouraging signs of adaptation and resilience. Motion-activated cameras have captured frequent sightings of healthy quolls exploring their surroundings, including one particularly well-known individual named Aang. This quoll has become a familiar presence at monitoring sites, often appearing on camera traps and interacting with bait stations set up by researchers. These observations provide valuable insight into quoll behavior and confirm that the animals are settling in confidently. As conservationists continue their work, the successful breeding at Mt Gibson stands as a powerful example of how dedicated habitat protection and science-based reintroduction efforts can give endangered species a second chance to thrive.