WIKIMEDIA, WILDLIFE EXPLORER
The endangered northern quoll (Dasyurus hallucatus), the smallest of six species in Australia and Papua New Guinea, strikes a balance between maneuverability and speed when escaping from predators, according to a study published this week (February 4) in the Journal of Experimental Biology.
The quoll, a carnivorous marsupial, faces habitat loss, poisoning by invasive cane toads, and predation by feral cats, dogs, and foxes. Interested in how northern quolls might escape predators, a team of researchers from the University of Queensland captured 66 animals from an island off the coast of northeastern Australia, and tested the marsupials’ moves on an adjustable racetrack, made of two pieces connected at angles of 45, 90, or 135 degrees. The scientists filmed the quolls from above while chasing them ...
