Quolls are small carnivorous marsupials critically threatened by invasive species and habitat loss. Zoo conservation breeding programs play a vital role in preventing their extinction.
Quolls in zoo conservation programs face welfare challenges related to their territorial, nocturnal nature and specialized dietary needs. As carnivores requiring live or fresh prey items, feeding enrichment must replicate natural hunting behavior. Territorial aggression between individuals — particularly males — requires careful housing design with adequate separation and complexity. As nocturnal marsupials, appropriate light cycles are essential; exposure to daytime bright light stresses animals adapted to darkness. The conservation breeding context adds complexity: quolls destined for reintroduction must maintain fear responses to predators and hunting skills that zoo life tends to reduce. Predator aversion training programs — exposing quolls to cues associated with cats and foxes before release — improve post-release survival and represent a welfare-informed conservation approach.