Denmark gets behind Tasmanian Devil preservation

Denmark's Copenhagen Zoo hopes to become a centre of excellence in Tasmanian devil handling.

The zoo celebrated the first successful breeding of the endangered animals outside Australia last year when two female devils gave birth to a total of seven joeys.

Now the zoo is planning to open a dedicated devil handling school, where staff from other European zoos can receive the training that will be necessary to take part in Tasmania's overseas Ambassador Devils initiative.

Copenhagen zoo curator Flemming Neilsen, who received his training at Tasmania's Trowunna Wildlife Park, has become the first so-called devils' advocate outside Australia, which also supplied the zoo's devils.

Read more at: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/denmarks-copenhagen-zoo-plans-to-lead-way-in-tasmanian-devil-care/story-fnjj6013-1226795010612

Tassie devils breeding on Maria Island

Tasmanian devils are busily breeding on Maria Island in a special colony free of the facial tumour disease decimating the species.

Fifteen healthy devils were released on Maria Island, off Tasmania's east coast, five months ago and that population is set to double with the group already breeding.

Pouch young have been found in five females trapped as part of the Save the Tasmanian Devil Program's monitoring of the population.

Fifteen baby devils, now resembling finger-nail sized pink blobs, are expected to also be running around the island by September.

"To see them breeding now is a really big boost to our morale," wildlife biologist Phil Wise told reporters. "They've established well, they appear to be slotting into a normal devil life."

Concert fundraiser for endangered devils

Tasmanians will be rocking for the Devils during April and May in a bid to raise funds to support research into the facial tumour disease decimating Tasmanian Devil populations.

Country and western band Vanessa and the Boys and hard rock band Buck Nasty will liven up Campbell Town on Saturday 27 April, when they perform at the local football ground.

A swinging blues extravaganza is also being organised for Scottsdale on Saturday 18 May, with all money raised from both events going to the Save the Tasmanian Devil Appeal.

The two Tasmanian Devils Awareness Shows are part of a program run by NEWS Promotions for the Save the Tasmanian Devil Appeal and they will be working hard to create awareness about the Devil Facial Tumour Disease affecting the State's iconic native animal and at the same time raise much-needed research dollars, while giving regional towns a great night out.

At Campbell Town a barbecue and spit roast will be available before the concert.

“The Appeal is delighted that NEWS Promotions is organising these events in regional Tasmania as a chance for locals to have a great family evening out as well as support the Save the Tasmanian Devil Appeal,” said Appeal manager Rebecca Cuthill.

"This is a great way for rural areas to come together and support our iconic Tasmanian devil, be informed and have an enjoyable time with their neighbours.”

The Save the Tasmanian Devil Appeal is an initiative of the Save the Tasmanian Devil Program coordinated by the UTAS Foundation. Find out more information here.

For more information, please contact Rebecca Cuthill on 6324 3314.

Shrinking Devil gene pool not settlers' fault

European settlers were not responsible for thinning the gene pool of the Tasmanian devil, new research discussed over at The Conversation has found.

Tasmanian devils are currently under threat due to the spread of an aggressive facial tumour, one of only three recorded types of contagious cancer. The disease spreads so readily because genetic diversity in devils' immune systems is low. It is passed from devil to devil through biting.

It had previously been assumed that this lack of diversity was due to population decline that occurred as a result of European settlement.

'Princess Mary' adds her rare Devil genes to the pool

This two-year-old Tasmanian devil, nicknamed Princess Mary by keepers, arrived recently at the Devil Ark - a breeding site established in the NSW Barrington Tops in 2010 to protect the species from extinction.

Supervisor Adrian Good said Princess Mary was important because she was genetically diverse to the 120 devils already thriving at the site.

Read more at the Herald Sun.

Devil-proof fence for Tasmania?

Van Diemen's Land Company is looking to build a devil-proof fence around its massive Woolnorth property to protect one of the last pockets of healthy Tasmanian devils in the state, according to the Tasmanian newspaper The Hobart Mercury.

The company is in the process of converting beef pasture, clearing bush and increasing its dairy herd as part of a $180 million expansion.

Conservationists have raised concerns that endangered devils would be put at further risk as native vegetation was cleared to make more room for dairy pasture. Woolnorth, on the state's North-West Coast, is home about 600 devils.

The Tasmanian Conservation Trust has criticised the company for electing to clear almost 2000ha of bush in line with its expansion plans, saying loss of habitat will cause devil and quoll numbers to drop.

But VDL chief executive Michael Guerin said Woolnorth boasted some of the biggest and healthiest devils in Tasmania and he was confident they could continue to co-exist with farming.

Mainland devils discovery in Portland - 1962

Over at the Nature Glenelg Trust they've published this fascinating snippet, something from the archives detailing the discovery of a skeleton of a mainland Tasmanian Devil.

Nice one guys, thanks for sharing!

Baby boom for Tasmanian Devils

The Tasmanian Devil population is dwindling in its native home of Tasmania, an island state located just off the coast of Australia. Experts say it is possible the species could become extinct within the next decade if action is not taken to preserve the existing healthy population. Programs to restore the population are working so well there have been a reported 40 births this year!

Maria Island Tasmanian devil ark approved

A proposal to establish a healthy population of Tasmanian devils on Maria Island has been approved.

The Environment, Parks and Heritage Minister, Brian Wightman, said the Parks and Wildlife Service has completed a comprehensive assessment of the project. The Development Proposal and Environmental Management Plan have also been approved by the Tasmanian and Australian Government's Save the Tasmanian Devil Program.

"For 18 months, the Save the Tasmanian Devil Program has been monitoring wildlife in the Maria Island National Park," Mr Wightman said.

"Members have been carefully researching how to release and manage a population of devils. They've been considering potential impacts, and developing mitigating measures, if required.

"They've also completed formal assessments and applications under State and Commonwealth requirements.

"This project has been researched and analysed - and it stacks up. It'll now become a valuable part of our strategy to save the iconic and much-loved Tasmanian Devil from Devil Facial Tumour Disease," he said. The Parks and Wildlife Service has imposed conditions on the approval, to protect the island's natural and cultural heritage values.

"Despite all the work done so far, the program recognises the potential for some unforeseen impacts from introducing Tasmanian devils to Maria Island," Mr Wightman said. "That's why the introduction will be staged over time, with the devils and other species under constant monitoring.

"This project will be slowly and carefully introduced, to ensure it's done safely and effectively," he said.    

With Devil Facial Tumour Disease continuing to spread to new populations, Mr Wightman said establishing secure insurance populations is increasingly vital.

"This project helps add to a healthy population of Tasmanian devils, that can be used to re-build wild populations, if needed, in future," he said.

Mr Wightman said the proposal involves releasing up to 50 Tasmanian devils on Maria Island, in stages, over the next two years. The next stage is working with the Zoo and Aquaria Association to identify the most suitable animals for release.

For the initial release, about 10 animals will be chosen from the overall insurance population of more than 500, which meet genetic and behavioural criteria. That process will happen in coming months, with the initial release planned for later this year.

Is Devil cancer a parasite?

Scientists say strong evidence is emerging that the catastrophic Tasmanian devil facial tumour disease should be regarded as a parasite.

The disease, which has wiped out 80 per cent of the devil population in the wild, has been treated as a transmissible cancer.

But immunologist Greg Woods from the Menzies Institute says it also shows many classic parasitical characteristics.

"It's a cancer and a parasite," he told AAP before delivering his findings to the Australian Society for Parasitology's conference in Launceston.

"It goes from host to host and using each host to survive, and it will damage its host and move on to the next host so it's behaving like what we classically regard as being a parasite."

Also like a bona fide parasite, it uses the host's natural behaviour to spread itself, in this case the devil's insatiable appetite for violence.

"You drink water so you pick up a parasite," Associate Professor Woods said.

"With the devil, the tumour gets on the teeth and devils bite each other."

There is other evidence too - the disease avoids the immune response of the devil by covering itself in its host's proteins.

The question remains, though, whether it can be considered a "perfect" parasite like malaria because it has not yet managed to survive in more than one species.

But it is its parasitic behaviour that makes the tumour disease fundamentally different from the form of cancer that humans contract, Prof Woods said.

"The question is: Are cancers parasites because they live off the host?" he said.

"The thing about the cancer that us humans get is that once the human dies or recovers the cancer dies as well, whereas this tumour goes from host to host."

The origin of the disease has been traced to a single cell in a single female devil in the 1990s but it is unknown how she contracted it.

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/breaking-news/devils-disease-could-be-a-parasite/story-e6frea7l-1226415006284

Scientists are in a race against the clock to find a cure, with some estimates suggesting devils in the wild could be extinct in 25 years, and there have been few breakthroughs.

Maria Island considered for 'insurance' Devil colony

Tasmania’s Parks and Wildlife Service is considering a proposal to set-up a healthy population of Tasmanian Devils on Maria Island.

The PWS is seeking community comment on the translocation proposal, put forward by the Save the Tasmanian Devil Program.

The Minister for Environment, Parks and Heritage, Brian Wightman, said the proposal would initially release up to 50 devils into Maria Island National Park, to establish a wild, free-ranging, disease-free population.

“Our scientists are thinking creative and working extremely hard to help save this precious iconic species,” Mr Wightman said.

“The Save the Tasmanian Devil Program has identified Maria Island as a potential site because of its size, appropriate habitat, and a large suite of prey species for the Tasmanian devil.

“Other benefits include full-time Parks and Wildlife Service staff, and the fact that the only vehicles on the island are PWS ones – reducing the threat of road-kill,” he said.

The Maria Island National Park Plan of Management requires a comprehensive assessment before introducing a new animal to the island - to examine possible environmental, social and economic impacts, along with possible mitigation efforts.

A Development Proposal and Environmental Management Plan will be advertised on Saturday 24 March. It examines the possible impacts of introducing Tasmanian Devils to the Island, and provides an opportunity for community comment on the proposal.

The Save the Tasmanian Devil Program has been carrying out extensive wildlife monitoring and impact assessments, as well as seeking required approvals under State and Commonwealth legislation.

As the land manager of Maria Island, the PWS also has requirements to follow as part of assessing these type of proposals.

“We make these decisions cautiously, and with extensive research, to ensure it’s the right decision for both the Tasmanian Devils and the environment of Maria Island,” Mr Wightman said.

The Save the Tasmanian Devil Program Manager, Andrew Sharman, said the assessment process being undertaken by the Parks and Wildlife Service is the next step in the assessment and approvals process.

“We have been undertaking wildlife monitoring on the island over the last 18 months to ensure we have the best information available for monitoring long-term impacts on the island’s species,” Mr Sharman said.

“An extensive planning process has been also undertaken which has provided scientific and wildlife expert input. The translocation proposal has also been assessed under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and has been approved to proceed,” he said.

Mr Sharman said the proposal is another measure for securing the ongoing survival of the Tasmanian devil in the wild.

“Tasmanian devils are facing a major threat to their long term survival in the wild, with the Devil Facial Tumour Disease (DFTD) resulting in a population decline of more than 80 per cent since the disease was first recorded in 1996,” Mr Sharman said.

“Despite major advances in knowledge about this disease, the only tool currently available to break the transmission cycle of the disease is to place healthy devils in situations where they will not encounter diseased individuals.

“The aim of translocating Tasmanian devils to Maria Island is to establish a wild, breeding, DFTD-free population to preserve important traits that may be required for future introductions of devils back to the Tasmanian mainland.

“Island translocations such as this one could provide an ecologically and economically sustainable solution to managing insurance populations,” he said.

The Development Proposal and Environmental Management Plan is available at the PWS website at www.parks.tas.gov.au.

Hard copies are available at Service Tasmania shops.

The public comment period closes on 27 April, 2012.

Jesus Christ and the (Tasmanian) Devil

Australian singer and actor Jon English, who is an ambassador for the Save the Tasmanian Devil program, is performing with the Tasmanian Encore Theatre Company in Jesus Christ Superstar 40 years after the show debuted.

All proceeds from the recent preview of the production in Launceston will go towards the Save the Tasmanian Devil fund. The show has raised about $10,000 so far.

English, who played Judas in the original 1972 production, is now performing the role of Pilate and said he was excited to be combining two of his passions, the stage and the Save the Tasmanian Devil program.

English's enthusiasm for his role as ambassador has been invaluable, Save the Devil program manager Andrew Sharman said.

"Not only has he raised significant funds already through his rock show and now Jesus Christ Superstar, his profile, energy and enthusiasm for the cause makes him a fantastic ambassador," Mr Sharman said.

"He genuinely cares about the devils too."

Awwww, what a guy - go Jon!

Drivers urged to slow down, save a devil

Tasmanian drivers are being urged to reduce speed between dusk and dawn to reduce the number of Tasmanian devils killed on the State’s roads.

The Minister for Environment, Parks and Heritage, Brian Wightman, said the Save the Tasmanian Devil Program is stepping-up its campaign to ease pressure on the already endangered species.

“The Tasmanian Devil is much-loved and iconic to our community,” Mr Wightman said.

“As well as supporting the scientific fight against Facial Tumour Disease, we all need to work together as a community to help this precious species survive.

“We’re asking drivers to slow down at night to avoid hitting wildlife, as well as reporting any sightings of road-killed Tasmanian devils.

“I would urge everyone to keep a roadkill report form in the glovebox of their car, as a reminder of the devil’s vulnerability.

“Reporting sightings helps us track the extent and geographic patterns of roadkill across Tasmania.

“It also helps us monitor the spread of Devil Facial Tumour Disease,” he said.

Mr Wightman said the “slow down” warning to motorists is very timely because devils are on the move from November to March.

“Around this time of year, juvenile devils start to leave home to find a den of their own, so the mobile population swells considerably,” he said.

The Save the Tasmanian Devil Program Manager, Andrew Sharman, said safety was a priority, and road-killed devils should not be touched.

“Help from the community is greatly appreciated, and road safety measures should be observed when they stop to investigate a roadkill event,” Mr Sharman said.

“Photos taken with a mobile phone are very useful, but on no account should the devils be handled,” he said.

Mr Sharman said 370 reports from across the State were received in 2010-11 via reply paid forms, the www.tassiedevil.com.au website, and telephone and sms messages.

Roadkill report forms are available from outlets around Tasmania, including Service Tasmania and visitor information centres. A list of outlets and more information is available at www.tassiedevil.com.au.

Zoo expecting influx of quoll and devil joeys

WA's Peel Zoo is looking forward to the pitter-patter of tiny tasmanian devil and eastern and spotted tailed tiger quoll feet.

The zoo’s three female tasmanian devils – Prada, Gnasher and Fang – are carrying young in their pouch and marketing manager David Cobbold said the arrivals were big news for the zoo.

Peel Zoo’s tasmanian devils are kept quarantined to keep them safe from the Devil Facial Tumour Disease (DFTD), which has devastated the Tasmanian population.

DFTD restricts the devil’s ability to eat, with some areas reporting a 95 per cent decline in population.

Peel Zoo owner Narelle McPherson said the zoo’s population could expand by up to 20 young if each of the expectant devils and quolls produced four young.

Mainland release mooted for Tasmanian Devils

A leading tasmanian devil expert believes some of the animals in captive breeding programs should be released into the wild on the mainland.

The deadly facial tumour disease wiping out the wild devil populations has led scientists to protect more than 100 of the carnivorous marsupials in interstate captive breeding programs.

But the University of Tasmania's Menna Jones says there is a danger these devils will adapt to become a captive species.

She says international programs with other species have found reintroduction from captive-bred animals has a fairly low success rate.

Dr Jones says it is critically important to have healthy devils living in the wild.

"Animals change when they live in captivity and they adapt to become not a domestic species but a captive species," she said.

"They may be contained but if they're in 50 to 100 square kilometres or an enclosure that's at least 100 square kilometres, they're living as wild animals, they're retaining their natural behaviours and those animals are going to be the most suitable for repopulating the tasmanian devil population."

She says devils could be released in areas where there are no dingoes and fox control measures are in place.

Gene map may pull Devil back from brink

Efforts to save the Tasmanian devil from extinction have been given a boost by the publication of the entire genetic sequence of two devils, the ABC reports.

Tasmanian devils are small carnivorous marsupials, native to Tasmania. The remaining population is in dramatic decline due to a highly contagious cancer called devil facial tumour disease (DFTD).

Thirty scientists from Australia, Denmark and the USA collaborated on the study, which is published in this week's edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Former Australian researcher Professor Vanessa Hayes of the J Craig Venter Institute in San Diego - and one of the study's three lead authors - says DFTD was first spotted in 1996.

Cedric and Spirit's genome sequence joins that of Salem, a female devil whose sequence was completed last year by researchers at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, England.

Virgin Australia gets behind Tasmanian Devil campaign

Virgin Australia has thrown its support behind a campaign to save the beleaguered Tasmanian devil, placing donation sculptures at airports around the country.

The feisty marsupial faces an uncertain future as Devil Facial Tumour Disease (DFTD), an infectious cancer, rips through populations in the wild.

Virgin will put the hand painted sculptures at domestic airports across the country in an effort to raise money for research into the condition.

Save the Tasmanian Devil Appeal manager Jessica Tyler said the funds were badly needed.

"The plight of the Tasmanian devil is pretty serious at the moment, it's an officially endangered species," Ms Tyler said.

"It's in a bit of trouble out there in the wild and we're working very hard to manage healthy devils so we can restock the wild if we need to."

Well done Virgin!

Saving the Tasmanian Devil

European settlers in the 19th century heard the Tasmanian Devil's signature shrieks and saddled the animal with its unsympathetic name. Bounty hunters captured and poisoned the devils, natural scavengers, into near-extinction in the erroneous belief that they were attacking livestock.

Today the seldom seen marsupial is fighting to survive a fatal disease decimating its species. The affliction is straight out of a sci-fi film: Tumours sprout around the devil's mouth, quickly morphing into bulbous red pustules that eventually take over the animal's entire face, leaving it unable to eat or drink.

The disease had all the characteristics of a virus. But last year geneticists made a sobering discovery: Devil facial tumour disease, or DFTD, was no virus but a highly infectious cancer — one of only three communicable cancers known to medicine. That breakthrough piqued the interest of scientists.

In other news, philanthropist Jan Cameron has opened an enclosed sanctuary for Tasmanian devils on Tasmania's East Coast.

Ms Cameron has donated the 24ha site at Flacks Rd, near Coles Bay. The area was home to a big devil population before an outbreak of devil facial tumour disease.

Another enclosed area near Bridport, donated by Scott Bell, has also been officially opened.

Ms Cameron and Dr Bell donated the land to the Save the Tasmanian Devil program so the devils could roam free in enclosed areas that protect them from getting in contact with diseased devils.

Fossilised Devil DNA may save species

News from the front of the facial tumour battle - ancient DNA may hold the key to saving endangered species such as the Tasmanian devil.

For Mike Bunce, the skin, bones and dung of ancient Australian native animals are much more than the sum of their parts - they are a time machine to the past. Bunce, who heads the ancient DNA lab at Murdoch University in Western Australia, searches the remnants of long-dead animals and plants for clues about how to conserve their modern-day descendants.

Known as 'conservation paleobiology', this emerging field of science relies heavily on fossil and ancient pollen analysis together with carbon dating and, importantly, ancient DNA analysis to answer vital questions about the history of endangered species like discovering where an endangered species lived hundreds of years ago, to how it coped with massive changes in the environment.
 
You can read the whole article here at the Discovery News website.

From the archives: Tasmanian Tiger prints found (1953)