WILD FUTURES - Tasmanian Devil

The iconic Tasmanian Devil (Sarcophilus harrsii ) has sustained a lot of pressure since European settlement.  Once common throughout Tasmania and an important part of the natural ecosystem, this fearless carnivore is sadly diminishing in numbers.  With the recent mounting threat of deadly facial tumors, road-kill casualties and competition from other predators – the future has started to look bleak for the Tasmanian Devil. 

Sometimes it's amazing how quicly our widlife can find itself in need of our help.  When Devil Facial Tumour Disease (DFTD) caused a rapid crash in Tasmanian Devil populations in 2001, the conservation world scrambled to find a cause and way to reverse the impacts of this awful disease.  That urgent research is still ongoing.

As the disease is spread through contact, separating Tasmanian Devil populations and setting up important quarantine areas is of utmost importance.  Conservation Volunteers is working with the Tasmanian government and Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary to create secure quarantine sites as part of the urgent response to DFTD, providing hope for the future of this iconic Tasmanian.

You can volunteer on a Conservation Volunteers project at Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary to assist with these conservation initiatives, or donate to our Wild Futures program and ensure a devilish future for Tassie Devils!

News from the Field  

Things have been busy for the Conservation Volunteers Tassie Devil team!  In Tasmania, our work at Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary and teams of enthusiastic volunteers have finished the new enclosures as part of the 'Nurturing the Tasmanian Devil' project, providing Tasmanian Devils involved in the breeding program more space and shelter.  

A sense of smell is really important for Tasmanian Devils, scent provides a main way of individuals to communicate with each other and is one of their most important senses for their survival.  To maintain good enrichment for the Devils at Bonorong, the teams have built a number of crucial structures in the enclosures, including digging mounds and sniffing platforms so that they can utilise their natural characteristics and communicate with each other.  Check out the photos to see what the new Devil Digs look like!  What a wonderful place for Devils to retire after the breeding program!

The prognosis for wild Devils is sadly not so rosy, with scientists estimating a possible wild population extinction within the next decade.  Creating and managing these captive breeding and insurance populations of Tasmanian Devils is paramount to enable to species to survive should the wild population completely succumb to the deadly Devil Facial Tumour Disease (DFTD) and disappear from the forests of Tasmania altogether.  

Your generous support has made these enclosures possible - a crucial part of the expanding captive breeding programs to ensure that this species survives well into the future.  More collaborative talks are underway with other wildlife parks on mainland Australia as part of the Tasmanian Devil Program for Conservation Volunteers, giving this species an even greater chance of survival and a Wild Future!

Want to get involved?  Click on the links below to help on our Tasmanian Devil projects or to financially assist our work for the species.

Our collaborative work to help save the Tasmanian Devil is supported by the following organisation:

Bonorong Wildlife Centre