DEVIL’S ISLAND
Covering an expansive 22 hectares, Devil’s Island is a large fenced preserve of natural habitat on-site, and provides a vital step toward future rewilding, aimed at returning captive born Tasmanian Devils to our island’s unique wilderness to help rebalance the ecosystem. This conservation process is absolutely essential to allow us to return devils to parts of the state where they are now extinct as a result of the deadly Devil Facial Tumour Disease (DFTD).
Due to its vast area, our Devil’s Island has a large holding capacity for Tasmanian Devils allowing for further breeding for this iconic and endangered species. Devils born in captivity that are suitable candidates are released into this large reserve where they are safely managed and monitored.
As part of this process we are able observe the changes in behaviour of the devils as they transition to these semi-wild conditions and adjust to life with less reliance on humans. The protected wilderness offered in Devil’s Island is one where previous devil generations roamed free of disease and immerses them in a natural environment and lifestyle where welfare domains can be well met with access to native habitat, logs, dens, dense bushland and waterholes, opportunities for hunting, mate choice and breeding and importantly, safety from disease.
Excitingly, a DFTD vaccine was approved for testing in 2023. We hope that future success this will allow release and rewilding of devils to resume their critical apex role in the ecosystem of Tasmania.