Cheeky Cave Chuditch

Chuditch (also known as Western Quolls or native cats) are a rare and unusual sight in the wheatbelt, but thanks to Wheatbelt NRM's Healthy Bushland project, we are starting to uncover some of the secrets of where and when chuditch are active in the Wheatbelt.

This footage above was captured by Mike Griffiths, who placed a remote camera in a rocky cave near Boyagin Nature Reserve in the Shire of Beverley.

Remote cameras are digital video cameras inside a waterproof case, connected to a motion sensing device. When animals pass by the senor, the camera is triggered and the video begins recording. The black and white movie is produced by the infra-red lights used by the cameras during the evening hours.

Remote cameras have been placed in bushland all across the wheatbelt to assist with understanding which animals are found where.

In this case, a chuditch was recorded using this rocky cave to forage for food such as insects and small animals.

Chuditch's use caves, hollow logs and other shelter (even rooves of houses!) as a den, emerging in the evening to look for food.

Litters are born between May and September, and stay in the mothers pouch for about nine weeks.

Home ranges in WA can be between 55 - 120 hectres in size and are vigorously defended.

Chuditch are threatened by injury from vecicles, predation by foxes and raptors and illegal shooting (chudich are particularly keen on eating chickens - if they can get them!).

Because of these threats, Chuditch are listed on the EPBC Act (1999) as Vulnerable - which means they are a protected species.

If you think you have seen a chuditch or want to know how you can encourage them in your area, contact Wheatbelt NRM on info@wheatbeltnrm.org.au or leave a post.