Latest news with #EasternQuolls
The Irish Sun
17-07-2025
- Science
- The Irish Sun
Remarkable glow in the dark creature captured on camera in the wild ‘for first time' as it lights up in a neon blue
THE endangered Eastern Quoll has been caught on camera glowing a neon blue in its natural habitat for the first time. The creature might look unassuming at first, but Tasmanian photographer Ben Alldridge has captured it glowing in the bush. Advertisement 2 Tasmanian photographer Ben Alldridge Credit: Instagram/benjaminalldridge The blue glowing effect is due to the animal's fur absorbing ultraviolet (UV) light and re-emitting visible colours, according to Alldridge. But because the effect is invisible to the human eye, it has barely been studied. It's a phenomenon known to occur in various mammals, including the Tasmanian devil and wombats. Although it has not been widely documented in the wild. Advertisement READ MORE ON ANIMALS "Where their fur is normally fawn or black, under certain wavelengths of light, they exhibit a process referred to as biofluorescence - like nature's version of a white shirt glowing at a disco," Alldridge told the The snaps were taken on a camping trip last year, when Alldridge travelled to a remote area of Southwest Tasmania and was able to get close to a family of Eastern Quolls. Alldridge, a former marine biologist, has been studying biofluorescence for years, so he happened to have the right UV equipment to capture their biofluorescence. Why exactly some animals exhibit biofluorescence - or bioluminescence - is not fully understood. Advertisement Most read in Tech Breaking Breaking Although experts believe it's biological purpose is likely related to communication, camouflage, or mating - especially in low-light conditions. Many nocturnal animals can see UV light or have vision sensitive to blue and green wavelengths, so fluorescence might be a visual signal they can use while remaining less visible to predators. Watch as terrifying Devil Fish normally found in total darkness 6,000ft deep is filmed for FIRST time near hols island "I'd say it's likely a messaging or identifying system similar to our fingerprints, but that is wild speculation at best," he said. "For now we will just say they like to party." Advertisement The remarkable photo is one of 12 finalists for the 2025 Beaker Street Science Photography Prize. Alldridge captured the image using specialised UV-sensitive techniques to see the Eastern Quoll turn from grey to a neon blue. He had previously captured images of the glowing marsupials at Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary, but never in the wild. "This year's finalists really capture what Beaker Street is all about. Making science visible, beautiful and emotionally resonant," festival founder and executive director, Dr Margo Adler, said. Advertisement "These photographs let us see the world differently, and in some cases, quite literally reveal things we've never seen before." 2 The blue glowing effect is due to the animal's fur absorbing ultraviolet (UV) light and re-emitting visible colours, according to Alldridge Credit: SWNS
Scottish Sun
17-07-2025
- Science
- Scottish Sun
Remarkable glow in the dark creature captured on camera in the wild ‘for first time' as it lights up in a neon blue
Because the effect is invisible to the human eye, it has barely been studied. GLOWING REVIEW Remarkable glow in the dark creature captured on camera in the wild 'for first time' as it lights up in a neon blue Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE endangered Eastern Quoll has been caught on camera glowing a neon blue in its natural habitat for the first time. The creature might look unassuming at first, but Tasmanian photographer Ben Alldridge has captured it glowing in the bush. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 Tasmanian photographer Ben Alldridge Credit: Instagram/benjaminalldridge The blue glowing effect is due to the animal's fur absorbing ultraviolet (UV) light and re-emitting visible colours, according to Alldridge. But because the effect is invisible to the human eye, it has barely been studied. It's a phenomenon known to occur in various mammals, including the Tasmanian devil and wombats. Although it has not been widely documented in the wild. "Where their fur is normally fawn or black, under certain wavelengths of light, they exhibit a process referred to as biofluorescence - like nature's version of a white shirt glowing at a disco," Alldridge told the Daily Mail. The snaps were taken on a camping trip last year, when Alldridge travelled to a remote area of Southwest Tasmania and was able to get close to a family of Eastern Quolls. Alldridge, a former marine biologist, has been studying biofluorescence for years, so he happened to have the right UV equipment to capture their biofluorescence. Why exactly some animals exhibit biofluorescence - or bioluminescence - is not fully understood. Although experts believe it's biological purpose is likely related to communication, camouflage, or mating - especially in low-light conditions. Many nocturnal animals can see UV light or have vision sensitive to blue and green wavelengths, so fluorescence might be a visual signal they can use while remaining less visible to predators. Watch as terrifying Devil Fish normally found in total darkness 6,000ft deep is filmed for FIRST time near hols island "I'd say it's likely a messaging or identifying system similar to our fingerprints, but that is wild speculation at best," he said. "For now we will just say they like to party." The remarkable photo is one of 12 finalists for the 2025 Beaker Street Science Photography Prize. Alldridge captured the image using specialised UV-sensitive techniques to see the Eastern Quoll turn from grey to a neon blue. He had previously captured images of the glowing marsupials at Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary, but never in the wild. "This year's finalists really capture what Beaker Street is all about. Making science visible, beautiful and emotionally resonant," festival founder and executive director, Dr Margo Adler, said. "These photographs let us see the world differently, and in some cases, quite literally reveal things we've never seen before."
Sky News AU
24-04-2025
- Science
- Sky News AU
Boosts for effort to save endangered Eastern Quoll
Over a dozen endangered Eastern Quolls have been released into a sanctuary in New South Wales in a huge boost to rewilding efforts. Experts consider the animal extinct in mainland Australia after predators ravaged the Eastern Quoll population. The historic release, the site is now one of a handful on the mainland hosting the species.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Watch endangered marsupials return to Australian bushland after 62 years
The University of Sydney and conservation organization Aussie Ark recently released 15 endangered eastern quolls (Dasyurus viverrinus) into a controlled bushland environment. The medium-sized, bushy-tailed, white-spotted nocturnal marsupials were set off into a preserve on the Scots College's Bannockburn property near Nowra on along the southern coast of New South Wales, Australia. Jerrinja tribal leader Ron Carberry conducted a Welcome to Country as the animals examined their new home. A Welcome to Country is delivered by Traditional Owners or Indigenous peoples who have been given permission from Traditional Owners as a way to welcome visitors to their Country. Carberry reflected on a time not so long ago when his ancestors roamed with this 'magic little animal.' Carberry added: 'What is happening today is a magnificent moment. It's about healing Country.' The release marked a first step in rewilding a species that disappeared from Australia's mainland more than 60 years ago. Today, eastern quolls are primarily found in the eastern part of the island of Tasmania, and in farmlands, open grasslands, dry forests, woodlands, coastal scrub, and alpine heathland. Quolls are 'opportunistic hunters that take live prey such as insects, small mammals, birds and reptiles, and scavenge,' according to Australia's Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment, and Water. They are considered extinct on the Australian mainland primarily due to disease, poisoning, and predation by foxes. Reintroduced populations like this one are being established at sites where introduced predators are managed. Aussie Ark has already established the 400-hectare Barrington Wildlife Sanctuary. Ten of the eastern quolls released at this new site at Bannockburn were born and bred at the sanctuary. Thomas Newsome from the University of Sydney's Global Ecology Lab said that the team will prioritize long-term scientific research to better understand how to successfully rewild the species. They plan on using very-high frequency (VHF) radio and global positioning system (GPS) tail transmitters, a camera observation network of 54 camera traps, and quarterly cage trapping to collect data and monitor the quolls. 'This long-term research project provides us with a wonderful opportunity not only to establish a meta-population of eastern quolls on mainland Australia but also deep-dive into the ecology of the species,' Newsome said in a statement. 'We need to better understand the quolls' role in an ecosystem from which it has been absent from for almost 70 years.' 'The release is another powerful step toward one day rewilding the eastern quoll to the mainland of Australia,' Aussie Ark Operations Manager Dean Reid added. 'It follows last year's historic release of our Eastern Quolls into Booderee Botanical Gardens, when Federal Minister for the Environment Tanya Plibersek personally released one of our quolls.' The site will join the SE NSW Eastern Quoll Hub. This network of sanctuaries is participating in a genetic metapopulation management plan. The goal of this plan is to ensure the long-term genetic and demographic health of eastern quoll populations in areas where they are protected from predators.
