LITTLE AUSSIE MATE IN NEED: Devil Ark’s Tim Faulkner with some of the little blokes he wants you to help out. Photo: Peter Rae
ON the back of a very successful breeding program in 2012, Devil Ark in the Barrington Tops is calling for further support.
The Ark’s breeding program resulted in a number of new additions to the devil pack last year and hopes to build on that success again this year.
Devil Ark operations manager Tim Faulkner said while it was shocking, many Australians were still unaware devil facial tumour disease (DFTD) was spreading at a rate that threatened to wipe out one of our iconic native animals.
“The disease is spreading every year across Tasmania with most
of the state now affected,” Mr Faulkner said.
“With over 90 per cent of wild devils now killed by DFTD, it is expected that devils will be extinct in the next 10 years.”
Devil Ark is a conservation project set up as an insurance program for the Tasmanian devil which is listed as endangered.
Devil Ark has been described as “the most important conservation project in Australia today” and houses 120 Tasmanian devils since opening in January 2010.
Mr Faulkner said Devil Ark offered a local solution and hope for the future, breeding disease-free Tasmanian devils to be released into Tasmania after the disease had wiped them out.
“The Devil Ark project is a long- term project requiring continuous development to reach the targeted population of 360 devils by 2016 and 1000 devils by 2021,” he said.
The project relies heavily upon community support and major sponsors to guarantee the necessary ongoing expansion of the
program.
“We have the land, generously donated by the Packer family; we just need further support of sponsors to ensure the Tasmanian devil survives,” he said.
Anyone who may be able to offer help is asked to call Devil Ark on 1300 553 565 or visit www.devilark.com.au