The devils set foot in Australia again2 min read

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Remember Taz from the Loony Tunes? He’s the grumpy, furry brown guy who moves like the wind? Well, the animal Taz is based on – the Tasmanian Devil – is in the news for having returned to mainland Australia for the first time in 3,000 years!

Pushed to the island of Tasmania after going extinct in mainland Australia, these Devils are now only 3,000 in number! They went extinct in Australia for a number of reasons – growing human populations, unsuitable weather conditions, and being hunted by dingoes (a type of wild dog).

Then, in 1941, efforts to conserve the species gained momentum, after experts realised the importance of these animals in maintaining a balance in nature.

Recently, the idea of bringing them back to the mainland surfaced but experts also thought that this may lead to a few issues, such as competition with other carnivores like cats and foxes. Also, Devils, at times, feed on cattle and sheep, which could be a problem for farmers.

So, for now, 11 Devils are being released this year from conservation centres and won’t go into the wild just yet. They will be closely monitored via cameras and GPS trackers. This will help experts assess how well the animals are adjusting before releasing more animals.

Did you know that Tasmanian Devils are ‘marsupials’, just like kangaroos, koalas and wombats. Marsupials, a type of mammal, carry their young in a pouch, which is what makes them so unique!

Learn more about marsupials by watching the video below: