Dying for sex: endangered male quolls may be mating themselves to death instead of sleeping, scientists say
by Donna Lu from on (#68DD6)
Data suggests male northern quolls rest less than females and spend much more time on the move, leading to their death after a single breeding season
- Follow our Australia news live blog for the latest updates
- Get our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcast
Male northern quolls seem to sacrifice sleep in favour of having sex, behaviour that might be responsible for their early deaths, suggests new research into the endangered marsupials.
Australian scientists have investigated why male northern quolls usually mate themselves to death after one season, while females of the species reproduce once but live up to four years.
Continue reading...