Following another bumper breeding season at Devil Ark, we are
delighted with the recent arrival of the most genetically diverse female devil
in the Save the Tasmanian Devil breeding program.
The new devil is wild caught from the East coast of
Tasmania, is two years old and has been affectionately named Princess Mary by
the keepers at Devil Ark. It is hoped that she will have at 2-3 successful
breeding years, producing up to twelve joeys.
Princess Mary is so important because she is not related to
any other devil in the program. She was wild caught in Northeast Tasmania,
which is heavily infected by Devil Facial Tumour Disease. She has never bred
and prior to arriving, she was in quarantine in Tasmania to ensure she was
disease-free. Genetic diversity is crucial to the species’ survival as strong
genes give the devil the best chance of survival in the wild.
The STDP’s stud book is held by the Zoo and Aquarium
Association (ZAA) who are responsible for matching the most genetically diverse
devils for breeding. This means that once a year, devils are transferred in and
out of the 20 participating institutions in the Save the Tasmanian Devil
Program across the country.
Devil Ark is the largest and most successful facility in
Australia. It is recognised that breeding an insurance population is a vital
part in saving the species from extinction in the wild due to the contagious
cancer Devil Facial Tumour Disease. The aggressive disease is always fatal and
kills devils within six months. A shocking way to die, the poor devil succumbs
to dehydration and organ failure.
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| Health check gives "Princes Mary' the all clear |
