Its birth in Australia heralds an exceptional year for the reintroduction of endangered species. In 2023, it is estimated that another 45 will be born, in addition to the 16 already born since 2020.
A baby Tasmanian devil was born after the species was reintroduced to mainland Australia / Credit: Re:Wild
Lisa the Adventurer was born, the first Tasmanian devil to be reintroduced to mainland Australia 3,000 years after the species went extinct in the area. Three adorable dogs. The announcement was made by Aussie Ark, a non-profit organization that protects Australian wildlife with its partners Re:wild, WildArk and Australian Reptile Park, with which it is working to rebuild. The indigenous Australian ecosystemwhich was disrupted by habitat destruction and expansion throughout the dingo mainland causing the complete disappearance of the species.
With these three cubs being born on mainland Australia, 2023 is shaping up to be an exceptional year for the Tasmanian Devil reintroduction programme, the project promoters, who appreciate it, explain. Another 45 specimens will be born during the year in addition to the 16 already born since 2020. “We were in the midst of routine checkups when they were thrilled to discover Lisa had puppies in her pod – explained Tim Faulkner, CEO of Aussie Ark -. These are the first confirmed puppies of 2023 and further proof of the success of our program“.
The only region where these carnivorous marsupials have survived is Tasmania, the Australian island that gives them their name, but even here their existence is in jeopardy, threatened by a painful and deadly transmissible disease called Devilish facial tumor disease (DFTD), the only known form of infectious cancer that has so far wiped out the marsupial population by 90%. Currently, in the Tasmanian wild they are left Only 25,000 copies.
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The return of the Tasmanian Devil to Australia
To save the species, the Aussie Ark has begun breeding hundreds of disease-free Tasmanian Devils over the past decade, learning everything possible about the animals, including their reproductive physiology, behavior and environmental needs, right up to reintroducing them into nature, game in 2020. This first year, 11 adults, including Adventurous Lisa, were released into a 400-hectare wildlife sanctuary located in Barrington Tops National Park, New South Wales.
After reintroduction that year, another 21 Tasmanian devils were released into the wild and a total of 16 pups were born. All are tracked through Regular checks, radio collars equipped with transmitters and trap cameraswhich allows researchers to learn about how marsupials perform, where they are, what challenges they face and what they eat.
“This is a true success story for Tasmanian Devils and we are pleased to see that all the hard work that went into this project has paid off in the birth of these puppiessaid Mark Hutchison, co-founder of WildArk.
The Tasmanian devil, identifies the Assie ship, is one of Seven core species of the Australian ecosystem that the organization plans to reintroduce them into the nature reserve, all of which have been selected to help rebalance the ecosystem: the eastern col, brush-tailed rock wallaby, red betong, long-nosed potoro, parma wallaby and northern brown bandicoot.
The reintroduction of demons also contributes to this Control of wild cats and foxes, whose presence in Australia threatens other endangered and endemic species. “This is a great example of how returning species to their native habitat can revitalize an entire ecosystem said Janice Chanson, senior associate, species conservation at Re:Wild. This is especially important for combat Climate change and biodiversity loss And to improve the overall health of our planet“.
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