Quoll

A marsupial threatened by poisonous toads

My illustration for Animal Alphabets, letter #Q - Quoll.
Quolls (Dasyurus) are small marsupials native to Australia and New Guinea. They use a wide range of habitats and each of the six species of this genus inhabits distinct geographical areas. Quolls are nocturnal and carnivorous animals and one matter on their conservation is related to their feeding. They are threatened by toxic cane toads, an American species introduced to Australia after the European colonisation of the country. In particular the Northern quoll population has been decimated by such poisonous toads; a conservation project is now teaching to quolls to avoid eating these amphibians (source Bush Heritage Australia). By the way all the species of quolls have drastically declined after the European colonisation due to habitat loss and fragmentation, which still are primary threats.
In my illustration a teacher quoll is teaching to a pup to stay away from cane toads. [2017]