There is renewed hope for the western quoll, a native Australian species that once came close to disappearing entirely. Conservation researchers are celebrating a major milestone after newborn quolls were discovered at Mt Gibson Wildlife Sanctuary, marking a significant step forward in long-term recovery efforts. For scientists, the sight of these tiny, spiky infants represents more than a heartwarming moment—it confirms that restoration work is producing real results.

Western quolls, also known as chuditchs, are carnivorous marsupials about the size of a domestic cat. Once widespread across much of Australia, their numbers fell dramatically after European settlement due to habitat loss, introduced predators, and land-use changes.