The high sex drive of an endangered Australian male quoll could be leading to its premature death, according to a Queensland-led study.
Northern quolls, a carnivorous marsupial the size of a small cat, are found in eastern parts of Queensland as well as in the Northern Territory and Western Australia.
A study by researchers at the University of the Sunshine Coast and University of Queensland has found prioritising sex over sleep could be causing male quolls to die four times faster than their female counterparts.
Animal ecophysiologist Christofer Clemente said quolls covered large distances to mate as often as possible.
"It seems that their drive is so strong that they forgo sleeping to spend more time searching for females," Dr Clemente said.
"The dangers of a lack of sleep are well documented in rodents, and many of the traits associated with sleep deprivation we see in male quolls, and not in females."
The study also found males were more susceptible to parasites during the breeding season as they "let themselves go" and spent more time looking for females than grooming.
A deadly behaviour
University of the Sunshine Coast PhD candidate Joshua Gaschk, who was lead author of the study, monitored the behaviour through "backpack" like trackers attached to the northern quolls on Groote Eylandt in the Gulf of Carpentaria.
"Two males, who we named Moimoi and Cayless, moved for 10.4 kilometres and 9.4km in one night respectively," Mr Gaschk said.
"An equivalent human distance, based on average stride length, would be around 35 to 40km."
He said male northern quolls bred for one season, while females could breed for up to four.
"What they do is they just invest heavily into one breeding season because there's less chance of them surviving to a second," he said.
"Males were resting for only 7 per cent of the time where females are resting for roughly 24 per cent.
"Males were less vigilant then females and males were also walking more than females."
Mr Gaschk said researchers had proved other marsupials, such as phascogales, died due to genetic factors after mating season.
But he said research indicated endangered northern quolls were dying because of their behaviour.
"We can't change what they're doing or I don't think it would be easy because they've been doing this for tens of thousands of years," he said.
While the research wouldn't help rebuild the northern quoll populations, he said it could lead to better understanding other animals.
