In this paper we report on the application of infrared digital cameras to investigate aspects of the breeding biology of the spotted-tailed quoll, an endangered marsupial carnivore. Technical details are provided about the cameras, which were deployed remotely at two ‘latrine’ sites used by the target species within Kosciuszko National Park in southern New South Wales, Australia. Examples of images captured by the cameras are presented, with notes on possible application of the same technology to better understand the social behaviour of rare and cryptic species.

The heat of formation of four organic fluorine compounds, including three completely fluorinated aliphatic compounds, was determined by a rota ting-bomb method of combustion calorimetry. An earlier technique that used sealed, fusedquartz ampoules for containing samples of volatile fluorine compounds was replaced by an improved technique that used sealed bags of a polyester film. For three of the compounds vapor pressure measurements were made by an improved method of comparative ebulliometry. The following values, in kcal. mole-1, are reported for the standard heat of formation, /fjf°298• 6, of these compounds from graphite and gaseous fluorine and hydrogen: ro-fluorobenzotrifluoride(g), -184.17; perfluoromethylcyclohexane(g), -675.3; perfluoroethylcyclohexane(g), -769.7; and perfluoro-ra-heptane(g), -789.0. These values were used with other thermochemical data to obtain a direct comparison of the C-F and C-H thermochemical bond energies in aliphatic compounds.

The home ranges, movement patterns and spatial organisation of spotted-tailed quolls (Dasyurus maculatus maculatus) were studied in rainshadow woodland in southern New South Wales, Australia. Fourteen individuals were radio-collared and simultaneously tracked. Home-range size estimates ranged from 621 ha to at least 2561 ha for males, and 88 ha to at least 653 ha for females. Mean home-range size was significantly greater for males (992 ± 276 ha) than females (244 ± 72 ha). The maximum straight-line distances between successive fixes for males over 24-h and 48-h periods were 2529 and 4430 m, respectively, while for females these distances were 1865 and 3085 m. Mean maximum straight-line distances between successive fixes for males over a 24-h period were not significantly different from mean maximum straight-line distances of females (1493 ± 918 v. 1034 ± 540 m). However, over 48 h, the mean maximum distances between successive fixes for males was greater than that of females (2911 ± 934 v. 1680 ± 918 m). The home ranges of males mostly overlapped with those of other individuals, regardless of sex. In contrast, home ranges of females tended not to overlap with those of other females, suggesting some form of spatial separation. Home-range estimates derived for spotted-tailed quolls in our rainshadow woodland study site are comparable to those obtained for the species in wetter vegetation types. From a conservation perspective, it seems that habitat structure and the availability of prey is more important than rainfall or vegetation type in determining spatial requirements of the species. Until more advanced telemetry systems are developed, caution should be applied when using current home-range data on the species to infer breeding systems and patterns of spatial organisation, particularly the issue of territoriality among female quolls.

Using a biomarker, we assessed the propensity of spotted-tailed quolls (Dasyurus maculatus) to encounter and consume non-toxic meat baits, ordinarily laced with the poison 1080 (sodium monofluoroacetate) and deployed for control of wild dogs (Canis lupus dingo, Canis familiaris and hybrids of the two) in southern Australia. In the first experiment, 60 unpoisoned meat baits injected with Rhodamine B were placed on the surface of the ground at 250-m intervals along two separate transects crossing an open woodland study area. One week after placement, a range of animals, including quolls, had removed all baits. Microscopic assay of whisker samples collected from live-captured quolls later revealed that 6 of 10 (60%) animals were positive for the biomarker, indicating that they had encountered and consumed baits. In the second experiment, conducted at the same site one year later, 150 similarly prepared meat baits were delivered aerially from a helicopter along the same transects, at a rate of one bait every 100 m. Eight of 17 quolls (47%) were found to have encountered and consumed at least one and up to five baits. Combined with previous studies, our results reaffirm that surface or aerial baiting operations for wild dogs may place local quoll populations at risk. However, further research is necessary to establish the relationship between this risk and actual mortality levels during such baiting operations since there are a number of factors that may influence the toxicity of baits for spotted-tailed quolls in a field situation as well as the danger those baits may pose.

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