Otways Conservation Dogs find evidence of endangered tiger quoll in Great Otway National Park

Ted is a member of the Otways Conservation Dogs, a team on a special mission to help protect the endangered Tiger Quoll from extinction. This week the former rescue dog made a very important discovery when he detected a wild quoll scat in the Cumberland Valley of the Great Otway National Park.

The Otways Conservation Dogs was initiated by the Conservation Ecology Centre after the organisation rediscovered Tiger Quolls in the Otways in 2012. The program involves a team of community volunteers working with their own dogs across a wide range of breeds, trained to work with minimal environmental impact to detect scats (droppings) of the endangered species. These scats have the potential to provide vital information to ecologists, significantly assisting conservation efforts.

Finding this evidence of tiger quolls presence is very challenging, however. Since the species’ rediscovery only four confirmations have been made and this evidence has been discovered far and wide across the region.

Conservation & Research Manager, Dr Jack Pascoe, said “The fact that the evidence collected over the last few years is so wide spread is encouraging as it suggests this is not just one or two individuals but a small population.

“However, sightings of quolls are rare, confirmed evidence is scarce and the species’ future is precarious. We need to gather data as quickly as possible to understand where quolls are surviving and how viable their population is. This information is crucial for effectively managing the Otways for their conservation.”

Parks Victoria Ranger Katrina Lovett said, “Parks Victoria needs good data to plan and manage for species preservation and habitat management in parks. Partnering with community organisations and citizen science volunteers can really assist in this. The Otways Conservation Dogs program is a truly inspiring example of partnership in action.”

Luke Edwards of Canidae Development has instructed the Otways Conservation Dogs since the program’s inception. He says “Dogs make an incredible contribution to our society; they can help us gather information in ways which we could never manage without them.

“Effective conservation detection dogs must have a wide range of skills – they must be fit enough to work long days in challenging environments, be confident to think and problem solve independently, and they need to be able to communicate effectively with their handlers. The dogs are highly trained and must pass rigorous assessments before they are deployed to work under Research Permits in the National Park.”

What is most surprising about this story is that its hero was once a lost dog. Found wandering the streets of Geelong in very poor condition in 2013, he was rescued by the Geelong Animal Welfare Society and then adopted into a new life at Cape Otway by Lizzie Corke and Shayne Neal, founders of the Conservation Ecology Centre. He was named Ted and since then has become a much loved member of the family and, clearly, an outstanding detection dog.

Jack Pascoe says “Ted loves his life and his job – he works tirelessly in difficult terrain and is absolutely dedicated to the search – he knows he has a very important job and our ecologists feel very privileged to work alongside him and the rest of the Otways Conservation Dogs teams.”

We’ll all be having a Prickly Moses Spotted Ale to celebrate!

Learn more about the Otways Conservation Dogs.

Learn more about the Endangered Species Surveillance Network Program.

At The Age Harvest Picnic this weekend at Hanging Rock the endangered Tiger Quoll has reason to celebrate!

Otway Brewing have partnered with the Conservation Ecology Centre to help create a brighter future for the species. A new beer named ‘Spotted Ale’ will be launched at this weekend’s festival.

Janine Rose, General Manager of Otway Brewing, said the partnership was a natural step for the company. “We are committed to the region, our beautiful natural environment and our community. Through the creation of this premium boutique beer, ‘Spotted Ale’, we are making a meaningful contribution to keeping Tiger Quolls safe in the Otways and beyond.”

Tiger Quolls are the largest remaining marsupial predators on the Australian mainland but their numbers are in serious decline. Though the Otways was traditionally a stronghold for these animals, there was no confirmed evidence of Tiger Quolls in the region for nearly a decade. That was until last year when scientists at the Conservation Ecology Centre rediscovered the elusive species through DNA analysis of scats (droppings) in collaboration with CESAR, a genetics laboratory in Melbourne.

Conservation Ecology Centre Founder and CEO, Lizzie Corke, couldn’t be happier. “The Otway region holds incredible potential for the future of our native wildlife. We need innovative approaches to ensure the future of these precious species and this partnership shows just how our community can work together for very exciting outcomes. The beer has been created by Otway Brewing and the branding by Grant Day James – the contribution of our corporate partners to the conservation of Australia’s precious wildlife is outstanding.”

The Conservation Ecology Centre is working on a number of projects to safeguard the future of these spotted marsupials, including training a team of community volunteers and their dogs to detect Tiger Quoll scats. Captive breeding projects, habitat restoration and fox reduction projects are also key activities of the program.

Get involved in conservation this weekend and pop down to the Harvest Picnic or come and stay at the Great Ocean Ecolodge to be among the first to enjoy a great beer for a great cause.