Tasmanian Devils born on Australian mainland after 3,000 years

Reuters Videos
Updated

This is a Tasmanian Devil

Courtesy: Aussie Ark

Seven of them have been born in the wild of Australia's mainland

for the first time in more than 3,000 years

Location: Barrington Tops, Australia

Tasmanian Devils are the world's largest surviving marsupial carnivore

They were wiped out on the mainland after being hunted by dingoes

There are believed to be fewer than 25,000 left in the wild

Aussie Ark has been breeding young devils in a wildlife sanctuary

26 adult devils were released into the wild in late 2020

(SOUNDBITE) (English) PRESIDENT OF AUSSIE ARK, TIM FAULKNER, SAYING:

"Having a population of devils away from a diseased landscape in Tasmania is crucial. But there's so much more at stake than that. By having Devils back in the environment, they help regulate feral introduced pests like the fox and cat. They regulate native herbivores, like possums, wallabies and kangaroos and they give platform and enable our endangered small mammals, like bandicoots and potoroos and bettongs, to survive and thrive."