By Charlie Gore

Topic: Animals

Friday, 26 June 2026, 5:29 pm

There are about 200 eastern quolls at a place called Mulligans Flat Woodland Sanctuary in Canberra.

In short:

People are worried that a type of bird flu might hurt the quolls because they eat sick or dead birds.

To keep the quolls safe, workers are building special pens where some quolls can stay if the bird flu comes.

These pens are like insurance to help the quolls if many of them get sick.

A group of quolls lives in a safe place in Canberra, but the bird flu might still be a problem.

Eastern quolls are in danger and have not lived in mainland Australia for over 60 years.

Some quolls have been brought back to live in safe places in Australia, including about 200 in Canberra.

The safe place in Canberra is getting ready in case the bird flu comes by building special pens for the quolls.

Eastern quolls eat birds that are sick or dead.

The boss of the place where the quolls live, Jason Cummings, said the bird flu could hurt many quolls.

Dr. Cummings said that because there are not many quolls, the bird flu could be very bad for them.

Dr. Cummings said the special pens are like insurance to keep some quolls safe so they can have more quolls later.

Dr. Cummings said the quolls in the special pens will be used to help the group of quolls if the bird flu hurts them.

The plan is to keep some quolls separate from the bird flu and then let them go when it is safe.

Other animals like black swans and Tasmanian devils might also be in danger from the bird flu.

It is hard to keep quolls together because they fight each other, especially when they are having babies.

Dr. Cummings said it is hard to keep quolls together because of how they behave at different times.

A man named Dean Maxworthy said people will check on the quolls in the special pens every day.

Dean Maxworthy said the pens had to be built in a special way so the quolls cannot escape.

The pens have a special bottom so the quolls cannot dig out.

The team will make sure the quolls do not get bored while they are in the special pens.

The quolls are wild, so the team needs to watch them and make sure they do not get too upset.

The quolls will have places to hide and feel safe in the pens.

The team is getting food ready for the quolls in case the bird flu affects the food they usually eat.

The team is storing food like chicken and rabbit meat to feed the quolls.

The team will start putting quolls in the special pens if the bird flu gets closer to Canberra.

There are certain signs that will tell the team when to put the quolls in the special pens.

Dr. Cummings said the bird flu will not come to Canberra overnight, so they are waiting and watching.

If the bird flu gets to New South Wales or the coast, the team will get ready to bring some quolls to the special pens.

The team will watch and learn as the bird flu situation changes and then take action.

Practice Listening