Tasmanian Devil Returns to Australia
For the first time in 3,000 years, the Tasmanian devil has returned to mainland Australia. The meat-eating marsupial (pouched mammal) migrated to Tasmania—an island off the continent’s southeastern corner—thousands of years ago, in response to such factors as predators and climate change. In those 3,000 years, the Tasmanian devil has made a name for itself on the famous cartoon series “Looney Tunes.” But the Tasmanian devils released in mainland Australia were not animated. Once released from their white cages, the 11 Tasmanian devils immediately began exploring their new environment—but they probably were not looking for such cartoon friends as Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and Wile E. Coyote!
The Tasmanian devils were not released into just any part of Australia—for instance, they did not have a show at the Sydney Opera House. For one, they produce harsh screeches and snarls, rather than beautiful notes. The animals were released in the Barrington Tops wildlife refuge in New South Wales, about 120 miles (190 kilometers) north of the famous opera house. In this controlled environment, the animals will be monitored by cameras and tracked by Global Positioning System (GPS). They will also be given some food, so they will not have to hunt for all their meals.
Farmers will be happy about these extra meals. Tasmanian devils feed mostly on the remains of dead animals, including such common farm animals as cattle and sheep. The devil’s habit of feeding on dead livestock, however, alarmed farmers that the animal could be a threat to living cattle and sheep. Farmers have thus long trapped and poisoned the Tasmanian devil. As a result, the marsupials became rare. Australia passed laws forbidding the killing of Tasmanian devils in 1941. Trapping and poisoning were not the only threat to Tasmanian devils. In the 1990’s, a kind of contagious cancer called devil facial tumor disease became another threat, killing tens of thousands of the animals.
Tasmanian devils are an important part of the environment, because they can help stop such invasive species as foxes and feral (wild) cats. By eating foxes and feral cats, Tasmanian devils can keep these populations under control. Controlling these predators protects smaller native animals and helps to preserve biodiversity, or the variety that exists among living things and their environments.