Residents near Coffs Harbour reported a rare spotted‑tail quoll by the marina, prompting New South Wales wildlife officials to monitor the animal. The tiger quoll is Australia’s second‑largest carnivorous marsupial and has a powerful bite capable of taking prey twice its size. Quolls travel widely at night—males may roam territories up to 3,000 hectares—and serve as predators and scavengers in their ecosystems. Declines from habitat loss and introduced predators make sightings and footage important for conservation and possible reintroduction efforts.
Rare spotted‑tail quoll seen near Coffs Harbour marina — "It's definitely odd"
Residents near Coffs Harbour reported a rare spotted‑tail quoll by the marina, prompting New South Wales wildlife officials to monitor the animal. The tiger quoll is Australia’s second‑largest carnivorous marsupial and has a powerful bite capable of taking prey twice its size. Quolls travel widely at night—males may roam territories up to 3,000 hectares—and serve as predators and scavengers in their ecosystems. Declines from habitat loss and introduced predators make sightings and footage important for conservation and possible reintroduction efforts.
07:26 AM, 11/15/2025Environment
Rare spotted‑tail quoll spotted by marina prompts wildlife watch
Wildlife authorities in New South Wales are monitoring an uncommon visitor after residents reported a spotted‑tail quoll near the marina at Coffs Harbour. The species is typically found in forested areas, so the sighting by the water caught locals' attention and prompted calls for help to keep the animal safe.
"It's definitely odd … for [the quoll] to travel from the bush, across dangerous roads, running down the breakwall there,"— wildlife carer Michael Sallustio told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
Also known as the tiger quoll, the spotted‑tail quoll (Dasyurus maculatus) is Australia’s second‑largest carnivorous marsupial after the Tasmanian devil. Despite the "tiger" nickname, it is covered in spots rather than stripes; these markings help conceal the mostly nocturnal animal under moonlight.
The tiger quoll has an exceptionally powerful bite and can take prey up to twice its own weight. Pound for pound, it is reported to have one of the strongest bites among predatory mammals.
Ecological role and conservation concerns
Tiger quolls are both predators and scavengers: they help control populations of bandicoots, possums and wallabies, and they remove carrion that could spread disease. According to the Great Eastern Ranges organisation, quolls can travel several kilometres in a single night while foraging, and males may range across territories of up to 3,000 hectares.
Populations have declined markedly from habitat loss caused by land clearance and logging, and from predation by introduced species, the World Wildlife Fund Australia says. Sightings, footage and local reports of rare animals like this quoll are therefore valuable for informing conservation measures and potential reintroduction work.
Urban green spaces as wildlife corridors
Some residents suggested the animal may have moved between Coffs Creek and the harbour using the city’s botanical gardens as a green corridor. "This is not only a celebration of having a quoll, but also having natural areas right in the middle of the city," Glen Storrie of the New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service told ABC.
If you spot wildlife in an urban area, contact local wildlife authorities rather than attempting to approach or handle the animal. Observations and clear footage can be useful for conservationists working to protect and, where possible, reintroduce threatened species.