Happy little devils

Taronga Western Plains Zoo's Tasmanian Devil joeys have grown substantially in the past 10 months and continue to provide hope for the future of the species.

These little Aussie battlers are part of a national insurance population program designed to help save the Tasmanian Devil from becoming extinct as a result of the deadly Devil Facial Tumour Disease. The Devil Facial Tumour Disease is continuing to destory wild populations, with up to a 90% decline in some wild popualtions since the discovery of the disease in 1996.

The joyes, one male and three females, are fighting fit as they continue to develop and mature with their regular checks demonstrating healthy and regular growth. Each of the Tasmanian Devil joeys' diet is quite substantial with the male currently receiving 320 grams per day while the females receive 250 grams per day. The joeys are fed a variety of different meats each day.

Recently the male joey in the group has been separated into a yard on his own while the females remain together for the time being; this is done for future breeding.

The next big step for the Tasmanian Devil joeys will be their health check in the very near future. Keepers remain confident that the joeys will continue to demonstrate positive development and play a key role in the future of this behind-the-scenes breeding program at the Zoo.