3,000 Years Later, Tasmanian Devils are back on the Mainland of Australia
Aussie Ark, along with a coalition of other conservation groups, revealed on Monday that they had released 26 of the carnivorous mammals into a 400-hectare (1,000-acre) sanctuary at Barrington Tops, just north of Sydney.
Tim Faulkner, president of Aussie Ark, said the "historic" releases in July and September were the first steps in a project akin to the successful move to return wolves to Yellowstone National Park in the United States in the 1990s.
After 16 years of work, including the establishment of mainland Australia's largest Tasmanian devil breeding programme, Faulkner said it was "incredible and surreal" to have reached the goal.
Having not been on the mainland for so long fingers are crossed that the Devils will be able to adapt quickly to the unfamiliar environment and thrive in the conservation so that the breeding programme can begin.
What is the Tasmanian Devil?
Tasmanian devils are strictly carnivorous, surviving on small prey such as frogs, birds, fish, and insects. They prefer scavenging to hunting and frequently feast communally on carrion. They are at their most rowdy when jockeying for position on a large carcass. Like other marsupials, when they are well-fed, their tails swell with stored fat.
Devils are solitary and nocturnal, spending their days alone in hollow logs, caves or burrows and emerging at night to feed. They use their long whiskers and excellent sense of smell and sight to avoid predators and locate prey and carrion. They'll eat pretty much anything they can get their teeth on, and when they do find food, they are voracious, consuming everything—including hair, organs, and bones.
To many of us, when we think of a Tasmanian devil this is the image that comes to mind.
Much like their cartoon counterpart, the Devils have a very short temper. They have a reputation for flying into a rage when threatened by a predator, fighting for a mate, or defending a meal. Early European settlers dubbed them “devils” after witnessing displays such as teeth-baring, lunging, and an array of spine-chilling guttural growls.
Danger to the Animals
It is estimated that fewer than 25,000 Tasmanian Devils still live in the wild, down from as many as 150,000 before the mysterious, fatal disease, Devil facial tumour disease, first struck in the mid-1990s.
On Australia's mainland, they are believed to have been wiped out by packs of dingoes - wild dogs native to the vast continent - an estimated 3,000 years ago.
Faulkner said it was hoped the project would create an "insurance population" against the face-tumour disease, which has so far proved untreatable, and help restore the native environment.
"Devils present one of the only natural solutions to the control of fox and the cat, and the fox and cat are responsible for nearly all of our 40 mammal extinctions (in Australia)," he added.
"So there's more than the Devil at stake here."
Aussie Ark selected the reintroduced devils for their breeding suitability, placing them in the sprawling, fenced area in the hopes of warding off threats to their survival including feral pests, noxious weeds and cars.
"We've put young, healthy Devils in, we put them in now which gives them the best part of six months to settle, find their territory (and) prepare for breeding" which usually occurs in February, Faulkner said.
Another 40 are set to be released over the next two years into the sanctuary, which is on land bought by Aussie Ark for its habitat suitability, high number of herbivores and location near a national park.
As part of the "ambitious" rewilding scheme, Aussie Ark plans to eventually introduce more of the animals to unfenced areas, where they will contend with a much greater range of new threats including the country's notorious bushfires.
The Tasmanian Devil is one of seven cornerstone species critical to Australia's ecosystem that Aussie Ark plans to reintroduce to the wild sanctuary in the coming years, along with quolls, bandicoots and rock wallabies.
Understanding the importance of ecosystems is clearly vitally important to the survival of many species on our planet. It is great that it is featured so heavily in our education curriculum and there are personalities such as David Attenborough fighting for the survival of the environment as we know it. To make sure you are able to pass your GCSE Biology exams check out our science tutors at Sherpa in order to get a rounded education about all necessary topics.
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