News and Media Releases

Zoos South Australia has confirmed the success of the first Tasmanian Devil breeding season with the birth of five joeys.
Senior Curator of Zoos South Australia, Peter Clark, said the birth of the five joeys, born from two wild caught Tasmanian Devils is a significant achievement this early on in the program.

“Zoos South Australia is proud to be involved in the mainland breeding program of Tasmanian Devils and is delighted that the first breeding season has seen such a great outcome.”

Director of Conservation programs for Zoos South Australia, Kevin Evans, said the mainland insurance population is part of a joint operation between the Australasian Regional Association of Zoos and Aquaria (ARAZPA), and the Save the Tasmanian Devil Program coordinated by the Tasmanian Government.

“This is a national effort and without the support and expertise from institutions such as Zoos South Australia, the Tasmanian Devil could see extinction.”

The Devil Facial Tumour Disease (DFTD) was first discovered in 1996 and has resulted in a decline of over 50% of the wild Tasmanian Devil population since the emergence of the disease.

The insurance population on the mainland will continue to participate in controlled breeding with the aim to boost Tasmania Devil numbers in the wild once the risk of the disease has diminished.

“Our aim is to continue and grow our involvement with this most urgent survival concern for these iconic Australian marsupials, said Kevin Evans.”

“Tasmanian Devils are at risk of becoming extinct due to the spread of the DFTD and have recently been classified as endangered, he said.”

The Monarto Zoo Tasmanian Devil Program is proudly supported by Suzuki.