Wildlife Conservation Australia Project #10280

Help Save the Tasmanian Devil

by Conservation Volunteers Australia

Project Report | Jan 15, 2015
Taking Care of the Elders

By Steve Bailey | State Manager - Tasmania

Tasmanian Devil

The completed ‘Retirement Village’ now stretches approximately 600m across the hill of Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary. The only remaining task before devils can inhabit their new home is to install water facilities and a range of native vegetation trees and shrubs. Irrigation of fresh drinking water is naturally of prime importance as is the creation of native habitat. Once these vital tasks have been completed we will see devils on the ‘waiting list’ released into this enclosure to begin their lives of leisure. Before this can eventuate however, financial contributions are continuing to be sought - big or small they will all help to bring this project to a close while a new life for the devils will just be beginning.

As we wait for the final stages of the Retirement Village to be completed, we are looking to the next stage of our devil conservation efforts. We will be working with a number of groups to source new programs to support our ongoing devil initiatives, and we look forward to keeping you up-to-date with these in the coming months.

Why do we choose to support the Tasmanian Devil? This iconic species is under threat and in just 18 years its rating has changed from ‘common and stable’ to ‘endangered’. Their dramatic population decline over the last decade is due to a fatal, contagious cancer — devil facial tumour disease. There is currently no known vaccination, treatment or way to detect the disease, before the tumours occur. According to some predictions, the devil facial tumour disease could wipe out wild Tasmanian devils in less than 40 years.

As the facial tumour disease is spread through contact, separating these populations is of utmost importance. Creating the Retirement Village at Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary was a significant first step towards preventing the interaction from diseased populations to clean populations. Colin Jackson, CEO of Conservation Volunteers Australia says, “CVA is committed to making a meaningful contribution to a sustainable future for the Tasmanian Devil and we encourage everyone to do the same.”

Thank you for your continued support of the Tasmanian Devil - your help is needed now more than ever as we move to the next phase of our goal to give the Tasmanian Devil a Wild Future.

Retirement Village - fence complete!

Devil Dens ready & waiting for the new residents

Completed enclosure at Bonorong

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Oct 21, 2014
Devils Retirement Village - First Residents Moving In

By Amy Bailey | Regional Coordinator

Tasmanian Devil relaxing in the sun

Conservation Volunteers Australia in partnership with Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary have spent the last 12 months building a large retirement village for the aging Tasmanian devil population. This enclosure will see up to 25 devils, who previously participated in breeding programs, housed for the remainder of their marsupial days! These senior citizens have contributed towards increasing healthy devil populations and in turn securing a future for their species. We thought it was only fair to provide them with a safe and disease free future.

The enclosure itself is now complete and includes natural and native habitat, isolation/segregation areas, common sniffing platforms, digging mounds and sleeping facilities – everything a devil could want! Steve Bailey, the State Manager of Conservation Volunteers Australia in Hobart, said “What an impressive structure this is, built from such a wide range of materials. It is a fine example of what can be achieved through great leadership and teamwork.”

Conservation Volunteers Australia and Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary would like to thank everyone who has been involved in helping this unique species. There have been significant contributions at various levels such as; over 50 people volunteering their time to assist in the construction of the enclosure, financial donations and material donations for the equipment needed and promotion of this worthy project. A local volunteer who has provided a great deal of assistance said “I am very excited to see the enclosure so close to completion and it will be very heart-warming to see the devils released.”

The next task is to install water facilities. Irrigation systems and drinking facilities are essential for the devils inhabiting the ‘retirement village’. We need your help to implement this utility and see devils on the ‘waiting list’ released into this terrific enclosure to begin their lives of leisure. Financial contributions, big or small, will help to secure irrigation materials for the enclosure. We will also continue maintaining the enclosure to keep predators away, and we are planning more projects to protect Tasmanian Devils with your support.

Our dedicated volunteer team!

The finishing touches

Our hard-working Team Leader Geoffrey!

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Jul 28, 2014
Devil Retirement Village - Final Stages!

By Amy Bailey | Regional Coordinator

Tasmanian Devil Relaxing!

Conservation Volunteers is proud to announce the ‘Taking Care of the Elders’ Program is nearing completion and we are aiming to have the enclosure complete in a months’ time. This year-long program to provide a ‘retirement village’ for ageing Tasmanian devils is now taking shape and will be ready for its residents soon. The enclosure will see up to 25 healthy senior devils housed at one time. The ‘retirement village’ includes natural and native habitat, isolation/segregation areas, common sniffing platforms, digging mounds and sleeping facilities – everything a devil could want!

The exterior fence that stretches approximately 600m across the hill of Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary is now completely established. To complete the fence, 80 fencing post were installed, timber rail was used for stability and hundreds of sheets of second-hand roofing iron was sourced and secured with thousands of special screws to enable completion. The 24 devil dens are also complete and ready to accommodate the ageing carnivorous marsupials. To finalise the ‘retirement village’ community volunteers will secure the remaining wire mesh along the exterior wall of the enclosure to ensure there are no digging devil escapees. (Nobody can get out - nobody can get in!).

Conservation Volunteers would like to express thanks for all donations received for this program, without these generous contributions we would not have been able to purchase all materials for the project and ensure the devils are able to live out the remainder of their days in a disease free environment. “Volunteer contributions towards this worthy project have been outstanding and humbling. It is great to see so many people helping this unique Tasmanian animal”, said Amy Bailey, Regional Coordinator at Conservation Volunteers Tasmania.

If you’re able to donate again we would really appreciate it – every donation will help us to continue achieving these great conservation results and see the devils move into their new, disease free, home. We also need to continue maintaining the enclosure to keep predators away. Stay tuned for the next update, when we hope to report on the Devils being transferred into their Retirement Village!

Thank you again for supporting this project.

Volunteers securing the exterior fence

Retirement Village almost complete!

Volunteer installing wire mesh to prevent escapees

Wire mesh - remaining task before completion

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