UTAS Quoll/Cat Research
Jeroen Jansen is post doctorate researcher from University of Tasmania (UTAS) - he actually comes from Germany originally so is perhaps an unlikely person to find in the remoteness of the Flinders Ranges. For six months of the year, however, the Flinders Ranges is his home.
Jeroen's Story
In his own words:
'Feral cats have contributed to the extinction of 27 endemic animals in Australia and threaten another 200 nationally listed and 37 migratory species. To be able to preserve the remaining biodiversity of Australia from this threat, we cannot rely on islands or fenced-off areas but need to find effective strategies for conservation in big, open landscapes. I therefore use an array of methods including GPS collars to investigate how re-introduced western quolls and feral cats use the landscape in the Flinders Ranges in South Australia. By analysing their movement patterns we can use this knowledge to target conservation management in key areas between patches of preferred quoll habitat with the aim to create a corridor of reduced threat of predation by feral cats between Arkaba, Arkaboola and beyond.'
Arkaba Environmental Projects is supporting Jeroen's work through the purchase of radio collars and the provision of feral cat trapping equipment and access to Arkaba in conducting his research.