To raise awareness of National Threatened Species Day, Tasmania Zoo has announced its most successful breeding program to date, with at least 24 young baby devils.
Manager Rochelle Penney said the baby devils would make their first public appearance on Saturday as part of a mega awareness weekend.
“People can’t actually see them, no one has seen them yet, so on Saturday and Sunday we are having a special viewing so people can come along and see some of them,” she said.
“People will be able to see them running around and playing.”
The births of the 24 devils, from six mothers, has more than doubled the devil population at the zoo.
Over the weekend the Threatened Species Awareness and Red Panda Day event will raised funds to be donated towards The Red Panda Trust and Red Panda Network.
“Threatened Species Day aims to raise awareness and protect what we have for the future,” Ms Penney said.
“It began in 1963 [when] the last Tassie Tiger named Benjamin died on this day in Hobart Zoo and it was basically two months after the Tasmanian government protected the species.”
A major goal is to ensure the mistakes of the past are not repeated.
Trowunna Wildlife Sanctuary also announced a successful breeding season on National Threatened Species Day, with the birth of 18 Devil, 29 Eastern Quoll and six Spotted-tailed Quoll joeys.
A threatened species is one that is likely to become an endangered species within the foreseeable future and includes plants and waterways.
The Tasmanian Devil is endangered.
Holly Monery
Holly Monery is a journalist for The Examiner newspaper, based in Launceston, Tasmania. Her main area of focus is local government.
Holly Monery is a journalist for The Examiner newspaper, based in Launceston, Tasmania. Her main area of focus is local government.
