Central Coast News

July 2016, marks twenty years since Australia’s Tasmanian Devil was diagnosed with a life threatening cancer - Devil Facial Tumour Disease (DFTD) and today almost the entire state of Tasmania is now infected with 90% of Tasmanian devils gone.

Determined not to let the iconic Australian species become extinct, the board of directors for Devil Ark, the only mainland conservation breeding program in the Barrington Tops of NSW is making a commitment to double their insurance population of healthy Tasmanian Devils by 2020, going from 180 to 360 devils, which they believe will guarantee their survival.

Commenting on the announcement, General Manager of Devil Ark Tim Faulkner, said “The Tasmanian Devil is facing extinction with no cure for DFTD.  More recently a second strain of the disease has been discovered, demonstrating that there is a real risk that this iconic species will be lost forever.  Devil Ark is keeping our promise to save the species and have started plans to double Devil Ark’s population to 360 devils.

“The Devil is not in better shape now than in 2008 and a Tasmanian solution is seemingly about politics rather than the species’ recovery.  Science and research have failed to find a solution and sadly we risk losing the most researched animal in history.

“We at Devil Ark believe the recovery of the devil is a national responsibility.  Bold new plans to double Devil Ark, far from the diseased landscape of Tasmania are due to begin construction in early 2017.  Our successful facility already holds 52% of the mainland insurance population, and aims to repopulate Tasmania once the disease has runs its course.

“Doubling the Ark will guarantee Australia doesn’t see another iconic species become extinct, we have already lost the Tasmanian Tiger and if we don’t act now the Tasmanian Devil could be gone forever. Australia has the worst mammal extinction rate on earth and as the top order predator, the Devil is critical in maintaining balance within the ecosystem.”

As a not for profit organisation, Devil Ark will need to raise $1.5 million in funds to cover the expansion costs to double the Ark to 360. In an every cent counts campaign, Devil Ark has reached out to the Australian public, conservation organisations, businesses and schools to help fund the project.  

Global Wildlife Conservation (GWC) – a Devil Ark partner based in the USA is already on-board committing an impressive $250,000 to kick-start the project. “If an American organisation can see the benefit in saving an iconic Australian species, we’re confident Australians will stand up as well and help us raise the 1.5 million needed for our own species,” added Faulkner.

Devil Ark is a registered environmental organisation and charitable institution under the Australian Charities and Not for Profits Commission. 

For further information or to make a donation see www.devilark.org.au

A Snapshot:

•       July 2016 marks 20 years to the month since the disease was discovered

•       Reducing the disease has not got any better for the devil. In fact worse!

•       There is no proven cure and no proven vaccine

•       90% of devils have disappeared

•       The state of Tasmania is all but infected with a few very small pockets remaining

•       Devil Ark is keeping its promise to save the Tasmanian Devil

•       Devil Ark is proven, cost effective, and can harvest for wild release

•       Devil Ark provides the only ‘silver bullet’ solution to prevent extinction

•       Devil Ark costs $2200 per devil compared to the industry average of 10k.

•       American partners Global Wildlife have committed $250,000 to kick start the expansion

Additional background on Devil Ark and Facial Tumour Disease

Key Facts / Overview

In 2008 Australian Reptile Park directors and Devil Ark Founders John and Robyn Weigel made a commitment to support Save the Devil Program (STDP), to stop the Tasmanian devil becoming extinct in Tasmania due to a cancer known as Facial Tumour Disease identified in Tasmanian devils since 1996.

Tim Faulkner – Devil Ark General Manager, was awarded the 2015 Australian Geographic Australian Conservationist of the Year for his work with and commitment to Tasmanian devil conservation.

This commitment included the development of a $1.2 million dollar conservation breeding facility for Tasmanian Devils at the Barrington Tops (Ellerston Station) NSW that resembles the landscape of Tasmania.  The outcome – Devil Ark!

Commencing with only 44 founding Tasmanian Devils, the facility has successfully bred up to 150 healthy cancer free, genetically robust Tasmanian Devils to date, for eventual release back to the wild in Tasmania.

Devil Ark remains the most cost effective facility within the insurance population of Tasmanian Devils, with an annual operation cost of $2,200 per devil, equating to approximately $330,000 per year for 150 animals.

Initially Devil Ark was fully funded by Australian Reptile Park on the Central Coast at Somersby, however over the years generous financial contributions to sustain daily business operations have come from conservation supporting organisations including:

•       Foundations for Australia’s Most Endangered (FAME)
•       Save The Tasmanian Devil  Program (STDP)
•       Zoo and Aquarium Association (ZAA),
•       NSW Environment Trust
•       Global Wildlife
•       Plus community fundraising activities and donations

Without their support Devil Ark could not continue to be successful to date.

To double the facility Devil Ark will need to build five new exhibits at a cost of 1.5 million dollars.  Costs will cover fencing, machinery, heavy machinery vehicles, 4WD buggies, food, water and wages with intention to commence construction in March 2018. 

Devil Ark aims to reach the 360 target by 2021.