Northern quoll numbers have collapsed across their historic range. They were once abundant in Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia, but now they are rare in those areas.

John Kanowski, chief science officer with the Australian Wildlife Conservancy, said the species had "collapsed from most of its range" because of feral cats. He added that the new refuge would be the only mainland site where feral cats are absent.

Another major threat comes from invasive cane toads. The toads release a poison that is deadly to quolls when they try to eat them, further driving the decline.

To create an insurance population, about 20 female northern quolls with young are being moved to a 950‑hectare fenced refuge near Townsville. The refuge is designed to keep out feral cats, giving the quolls a chance to breed safely.

Senior field ecologist Felicity L'Hotellier explained that females with joeys were chosen because they are more likely to stay and raise their young. Each translocated quoll has been fitted with a radio collar so researchers can monitor its movements.

If the quolls establish a stable group, they may eventually spread back into surrounding habitats, helping to restore the ecological balance that their decline has upset.