By Prue Simmons | Wild Futures National Coordinator
Things have been busy for the Conservation Volunteers Tassie Devil team! In Tasmania, our work at Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary and teams of enthusiastic volunteers have finished the new enclosures as part of the 'Nurturing the Tasmanian Devil' project, providing Tasmanian Devils involved in the breeding program more space and shelter.
A sense of smell is really important for Tasmanian Devils. Scent provides a main way for individuals to communicate with each other and is one of their most important senses for their survival. To maintain good enrichment for the Tassie Devils at Bonorong, the volunteer teams have built a number of crucial structures in the enclosures, including digging mounds and sniffing platforms so that the Devils can utilise their natural behavioral characteristics and communicate with each other. Check out the photos to see what the new Devil Digs look like! What a wonderful place for Devils to retire after the breeding program!
The prognosis for wild Devils is sadly not so rosy, with scientists estimating a possible wild population extinction within the next decade. Creating and managing these captive breeding and insurance populations of Tasmanian Devils is paramount to enable to species to survive should the wild population completely succumb to the deadly Devil Facial Tumour Disease (DFTD) and disappear from the forests of Tasmania altogether.
Your generous support has made these enclosures possible - a crucial part of the expanding captive breeding programs to ensure that this species survives well into the future. More collaborative talks are underway with other wildlife parks on mainland Australia as part of the Tasmanian Devil Program for Conservation Volunteers, giving this species an even greater chance of survival and a Wild Future! Every action counts and every moment counts - so we greatly appreciate your support to save the Tasmanian Devil and look forward to your continued involvement in this fantastic program!
Links:
By Madeline Townsend | Director, Volunteer & Membership
By Prue Simmons | Wild Futures National Coordinator
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