A tiger quoll has been sighted in the Grampians National Park in western Victoria for the first time in more than 140 years.
The elusive marsupial was caught on film by a remote camera set up to monitor wallabies in a very remote area deep inside the park on September 25.
The last record of a sighting of a live tiger quoll in the region was in 1872.
There have been a few unconfirmed sightings, but it was largely presumed to be extinct in the Grampians.
Parks Victoria ranger Ryan Duffy says scientists had to verify the photo.
"When I first saw it I was incredibly excited," he said.
"We've always thought that this animal could occur within the park, but we've never had any evidence to prove that."
Another Parks Victoria official, Ben Holmes, says he could not believe his eyes.
"There is no mistaking the spotted body colour, which can only be a quoll," he said.
The tiger quoll, which is also known as the spotted-tail quoll, is a carnivorous marsupial, which can grow up to one metre in length and is listed as an endangered species in Victoria.
Parks Victoria will now "refine" the use of the cameras to hopefully build a better picture of how widespread the population is across the national park, following several unconfirmed sightings over the past few years.
Parks Victoria chief executive Dr Bill Jackson says it is an extremely exciting rediscovery and highlights the critical role parks play in conserving unique biodiversity.
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