The plight of the Tasmanian Devil

It's not very often you get the chance to stroke a Tasmanian Devil. Having got back from Australia's southern-most island state of Tasmania just over a week ago, I'm still chuffed to bits at the fact that I got up close and personal with one of these endangered and furry little creatures at a conservation project called devils@cradle. My assumptions were that they are somewhat vicious, but with humans, not at all. They are actually very shy and timid, and incredibly cute.

Their plight in Tasmania is a very sad one. For the last 12 years, a rare and contagious facial cancer, particular to the Devils and thought to be linked to the fact that there is little genetic variance in the species (Devil Facial Tumour Disease), has been spreading through the population like wildfire. The cancer cells graft onto the facial region when devils bite or play with each other, and tumours grow which ultimately stop them from being able to feed, so they starve to death.

It is thought that 65% of the Devil population has now died out, and the project devils@cradle, based up in the spectacular Cradle Mountain, is one which is attempting to build up insurance populations of the species to be eventually let back into the wild. However, there is a feeling that this task is almost impossible - especially considering that devils only have one breeding season a year and will rear only 4 babies.

We also visited Something Wild Wildlife Sanctuary - another conservation project close to the Mt Field National Park, which nurtures orphaned or injured animals back to health and prepares them for release back to the wild. They had some young Devils here, and a different approach to their programme than at devils@cradle. It was also great to stroke a wombat and a baby koala here!

If you would like to find out more about Tasmanian Devils or make a donation to the conservation programmes, check out the Devils in Danger Foundation (you can also donate to the work of the individual programmes).

For more information on Tasmania see Discover Tasmania.

If you would like to enquire about holidays to Tasmania, call 0845 475 0342.