KEEP CALM and love the (TASSIE) Devil

These animals are the world’s largest surviving carnivorous marsupials. However, In May 2009, the Federal Government up listed the Tasmanian devil to the endangered category under the Commonwealth’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. This national icon is now under threat and steps need to be taken to ensure this species continued existence.

The Tasmanian Devil have had their fair share of adversity throughout the past century. In 1930 they were the targets of bounties. This lasted until they were protected by law in 1941 after their population was largely reduced from these bounties. In 1996 these poor guys where were struck by the Devil Facial Tumour Disease (DFTD). In populations where the DFTD hit, the populations have dropped by as much as 90%! Here is a little more information on DFTD taken from TasieDevil.com

"Devil Facial Tumour Disease (DFTD) is a term used to describe a fatal condition in Tasmanian devils which is characterised by the appearance of obvious facial cancers. The tumours or cancers are first noticed in and around the mouth as small lesions or lumps. These develop into large

tumours around the face and neck and sometimes even in other parts of the body. Adults appear to be most affected by the disease - males the first affected, then females. Badly affected devils have many cancers throughout the body.As the cancers develop in affected devils, they find it hard to ingest food. The animal weakens further making it difficult to compete with other animals for food. Affected animals appear to die within three to five months of the lesions first appearing, from starvation and the breakdown of body functions."

If you want to see these animals in the flesh please visit Healesville Sanctuary so you can understand why it is so important to save these national icon. This organisation has the most successful captive breeding program on mainland Australia.

You can get further information from the following sites:

Parks & Wildlife Service

TassieDevil.com

#Tasmaniandevil #disease #marsupial #nationalicon