In news that’ll make you just bloody AWWW at your screen, Aussie Ark has celebrated the birth of seven Tasmanian devil joeys in the wild, which hasn’t happened on mainland Australia in 3,000 years!
Twenty-six adult Tasmanian devils were released into a 1,000-acre wild sanctuary in Barrington Tops, NSW, late last year, with seven of those being reproductive females.
It was the first time in 3000 years that Tasmania devils were back on the mainland. You may have remembered seeing this in the headlines at the time, or on Chris Hemsworth‘s Instagram.
The huge unit / Thor actor and his family helped release the devils into the wild.
Aussie Ark, a non-profit organisation dedicated to saving the animals from extinction, said the births were “a special kind of baby boom”.
“We have been working tirelessly for the better part of 10 years to return devils to the wild of mainland Australia with the hope that they would establish a sustainable population,” Aussie Ark president Tim Faulkner said.
“Once they were back in the wild, it was up to them, which was nerve wracking. We had been watching them from afar until it was time to step in and confirm the birth of our first wild joeys. And what a moment it was!”
Absolutely stoked, Tim is.
As Tim explained in the video, the baby devils are SMALL – the size of peanuts.
Look at them in the pouch! I’m both kinda grossed out and in awe. Maybe scroll away if you’re a bit squeamish.
SMALL.
According to Aussie Ark, Tasmanian devils became a severely endangered species due to a combination of predator dingoes and a contagious cancer called Devil Facial Tumour Disease, which decimated up to 90 per cent of the wild population of Tasmanian devils.
So, together with fellow conservation organisations Re:wild and WildArk, Aussie Ark has been learning everything there is to know about Tasmanian devils, from reproductive physiology, behaviour, and ecological needs.
If Re:Wild is ringing bells for you, it might be because one of its founding members is actor Leonardo DiCaprio, who pledged $1 million to Aussie Ark early last year following the devastating bushfires.
Over the next two years, the organisation will release two more groups of devils into the wild. The animals will be monitored, giving researchers the opportunity to learn more about what kind of territory the devils claim, what they like to eat, and whether they’re reproducing.
“All of this information will help to inform future releases, including in Tasmania and elsewhere on the mainland, to continually refine the process,” Aussie Ark said in a statement.
The Tasmanian devil is just one of seven species Aussie Ark plans to reintroduce to the wild sanctuary, including the eastern quoll, brush-tail rock wallabies, rufous bettong, long-nosed potoroo, parma wallabies, and the southern brown bandicoots.
