ENDANGERED: Up to 30 Tasmanian devils will be moved to the Barrington Tops Devil Ark property. – Picture by Peter Rae
PROJECT: Building the Devil Ark pens.
Thirty Tasmanian devils will be released into the recently built Barrington Tops Devil Ark today.
The devils, 15 of whom arrived in Sydney from Tasmania last night, will be housed in 10-hectare pens at the 500-hectare ark property.
Up to 1000 devils will eventually live in social and family groups at the ark, a conservation project designed to prevent the extinction of the species through facial tumours.
The property, which is 1300metres above sea level, is physically and climatically similar to the devils’ native Tasmanian habitat.
Australian Reptile Park director and Devil Ark founder John Weigel said funding for the project’s first stage was in place but more money was needed for operational costs and housing for 360 devils expected in 2016.
Matthew Kelly