Joint media release
2 December 2010
Efforts to establish a healthy Tasmanian
devil insurance population have been bolstered
with $492,000 from the Tasmanian Devil Conservation
Grants scheme.
Federal Environment
Minister, Tony Burke said funding had been
provided through the Save the Tasmanian
Devil Program to three wildlife parks in
Tasmania and NSW.
"The insurance
population provides one of the best possible
chances to ensure the survival of this iconic
species, which is facing a grave threat
from the devil facial tumour disease,"
Mr Burke said.
"Vital to this
program is the contribution of private wildlife
parks and their passionate staff who play
an important role in this project, alongside
research institutions such as the University
of Tasmania.
"This funding will
help these wildlife parks to continue that
work." The Tasmanian Devil Conservation
Grants scheme was established by the Save
the Tasmanian Devil Program and is administered
by the Zoo and Aquarium Association's Wildlife
Conservation Fund.
Funding of $350,000
will go to the Australian Reptile Park's
'Devil Ark' development at Barrington Tops
in NSW.
And $105,000 and $37,000 respectively has
been granted to two Tasmanian institutions;
Trowunna Wildlife Park at Mole Creek, and
Tasmania Zoo in Launceston.
Tasmanian Minister for
Environment, Parks and Heritage, David O'Byrne,
said projects under this grant round would
be completed by the end of 2011.
"The purpose of
the grants is to increase the capacity and
number of Australian institutions participating
in the Insurance Population.
"This represents
an exciting development in securing a long
term insurance population of Tasmanian devils.
The establishment of this grants scheme
reflects the confidence the Save the Tasmanian
Devil Program has in the zoo industry's
commitment and ability to deliver great
conservation outcomes through managed breeding
programs such as the Save the Tasmanian
Devil Program Insurance Population.
"Potential projects
include: Free Range Enclosures, facilities
to expand the insurance population capacity,
and assistance to Tasmanian Wildlife Parks
to become a part of the insurance population,"
Mr O'Byrne said.
Zoo and Aquarium Association's
Executive Director, Martin Phillips said
the Insurance Population is made up of healthy
Tasmanian devils managed in zoos and wildlife
parks across the country.
"Applicants had
to demonstrate direct links with the objectives
and goals of the Save the Tasmanian Devil
Program Strategic Plan," Mr Phillips
said.
"Evaluation criteria
include that the project contribute to the
goal of retention of 95% wild source gene
diversity over 50 years or meeting an effective
population size of 500."
The Australian and Tasmanian
Governments have committed $25 million over
five years to the Save the Tasmanian Devil
Program to secure the long term viability
of the species in the wild.
Further details about
the grant program and other initiatives
of the Save the Tasmanian Devil Program
can be found at www.tassiedevil.com.au
Background:
Devil Ark is an ambitious
large scale project situated in the Barrington
ranges in NSW. The first stage of this project
will see a series of large pens built, each
containing groups of 2-8 healthy Tasmanian
devils for breeding. Work has commenced
on the project in preparation for the arrival
of the first group of devils in early December
2010.
Trowunna Wildlife Park's
involvement will enable their Tasmanian
devils to be incorporated into the Insurance
Population, which is jointly managed by
the Save the Tasmanian Devil Program and
the Zoo and Aquarium Association.
Tasmania Zoo's Devil
Conservation Breeding project will focus
on increasing holding capacity and building
extra breeding pens. This project will also
bring valuable new animals currently held
at Tasmania Zoo into the Insurance Population.
