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ISSN 1833-4954 December 2007

In this issue: Welcome An immediate priority of the Save the Meanwhile, Australian Air Express and 3 Dunalley’s Tasmanian Devil Program is to trap and Qantas have again generously offered their ‘Golden collect about 90 Tasmanian devils from the wings to fly a further 25 healthy devils to the Gate’ wild to boost our insurance population. mainland, far away from DFTD. They came from western and have been in The devils in the captive insurance quarantine since March 2007. These young population could play an important role, if devils will be transported to Western Plains ever needed, in helping re-establish healthy Zoo, managed by the NSW Zoological wild populations in Tasmania. At present, Parks Board, and to the Australian Reptile the prognosis is that wild devils may be Park in Gosford, extinct within 25-30 years. NSW, which will be the largest What The Save the Tasmanian Devil Program, 3 breeding facility roadkill taking advice from the Australasian Regional for Tasmanian Association of Zoological Parks and Aquaria can tell us devils on the (ARAZPA), has determined that we need mainland. an effective population size of around 500 Devilish breeding devils to maintain the genetic 4 folk In December, 2006, and January this year, diversity of the species over a period of 10 48 devils were sent to mainland wildlife to 20 years. This may mean having as many parks. Happily, the 30 adults of this first as 1,500 devils being intensively managed shipment have produced 14 young. in captivity – a massive task. Dr Steven Smith Monitoring surveys are currently underway Manager, Save the Tasmanian Devil in the far north and north-west of the Program State to prepare for the collection of more insurance animals, planned for early next year. To date, there is very strong Express evidence that the Devil Facial Tumour 6 Disease (DFTD) has not spread further post west than the Cradle Mountain area.

Once collected, these animals will be housed under strict veterinary supervision in purpose-built quarantine enclosures. If all health and quarantine requirements are satisfied, it will be possible to release them to join the insurance population. Gavin Cowell (pictured here with Steve Smith) and Beth Ellingworth from Sargison’s Jewellers in , are donating to the Save the Tasmanian Devil Program part of the proceeds of a new item of silver and gold devil jewellery (see inset picture). 2 www.tassiedevil.com.au DFTD: The story so far • The first signs of the Devil Facial Tumour Disease Tasmanian Governments, co-ordinated by the (DFTD) were observed in 1996. Tasmanian Department of Primary Industries and Water. It focuses on monitoring wild populations • DFTD is a deadly disease, restricted to Tasmanian to determine the spread of the disease, devils. Small lumps in and around the mouth management methods to control the impact of develop into large tumours on the face and neck. DFTD on wild populations, and the implementation Once the cancer becomes visible, death usually of an insurance population strategy (including follows within months. a captive-breeding program). The Save the Tasmanian Devil Program also includes laboratory- • DFTD is a contagious tumour that is spread based investigation of the disease, featuring between individuals through biting. The foreign collaborations with scientists throughout , cells of the tumour aren’t rejected by the animal’s New Zealand, and the United States. immune system because of a lack of genetic diversity among Tasmanian devils.

• There has been a 53 per cent decline in spotlighting sightings since the first report of the disease. DFTD has been confirmed at more than 60 different locations across 59 per cent of the State – the latest being Narawntapu National Park. It is likely to occur across the range of devils within five years although currently, there is strong evidence that the disease has not spread further west than the Cradle Mountain area.

• The program to Save the Tasmanian Devil is a joint strategy of the Australian and

A lack of genetic diversity Collaborative research across Australia has provided “In the case of devils, genetic diversity at the MHC is so further evidence that a lack of genetic diversity among low, and the MHC type of tumour and host are so alike, Tasmanian devils is a key factor in the transmission of that the host does not see the tumour as ‘non-self’.” Devil Facial Tumour Disease (DFTD). The research brought together scientifi c staff from The latest findings, published online in the Proceedings Sydney University, the University of Tasmania’s Menzies of the National Academy of Sciences, built on earlier Research Institute, the Department of Primary Industries research into the immune systems of Tasmanian devils. and Water (Tasmania), the Australian Museum and Macquarie University (NSW). DFTD is extremely rare as it’s only one of three recorded cancers that can spread like a contagious “We now have a tool to measure immune response disease. genes and we are now in search of devils whose MHC might be different from the MHC of the tumour,” said Dr “Devils do not mount an immune response against Greg Woods, Associate Professor Immunology at the DFTD,” said Dr Katherine Belov, from Sydney Menzies Research Institute. University’s School of Veterinary Science. “This knowledge could then be used to alert the devil’s “This is due to a loss of genetic diversity in the most immune system to recognise the cancer cells as foreign. important immune gene region of the genome: the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC). “This will then persuade the devil’s immune system to destroy these cancer cells.”

[email protected] • telephone (03) 6233 6556 • GPO Box 44, Hobart, Tasmania 7001 3 www.tassiedevil.com.au What can roadkill tell us?

At the beginning of October, The Save the Tasmanian Devil Dunalley’s program began training up volunteers to help determine the numbers of ‘Golden Tasmanian devils claimed by roadkill annually, as well as Gate’ thoughts on how to While the Dunalley Bridge may not reduce this figure. enjoy the high profi le of Sydney’s Harbour Bridge, or the Golden Gate in A key aim of this San Francisco, it’s playing a key role in roadkill survey is the fight to save the Tasmanian devil. to monitor for Devil square, but we know that young Facial Tumour Disease (DFTD) animals often leave home and Traffic surveillance equipment has in areas where the evidence travel a larger distance. been adapted and installed on the suggests it hasn’t spread, like Dunalley Bridge – the only land access the north-west. For this reason, “It’s not only the distance that’s to the Tasman Peninsula. Under the there’s a particular interest surprising, but also that this supervision of University of Tasmania in the position of the disease was a female - we had thought Research Fellow, Dr Menna Jones, ‘front’, which is thought to lie it was mostly males that left wildlife staff have been trapping roughly along a line between home - and that she made and removing infected animals from Burnie and Derwent Bridge. the move so late in the year, wild populations on the peninsula to rather than soon after leaving suppress the spread of DFTD. Many devils across the state her mother’s den last summer. are now microchipped thanks Also, although this animal was The Dunalley Bridge now features to the work of the Program, and moving within the disease-free two light beams, set at different so volunteers are equipped with region of Tasmania, there isn’t heights. When the beams are broken microchip scanners that might an obvious reason why young by an animal crossing the bridge, give us some information about animals mightn’t travel such they activate a high-mounted camera the long range movements of distances from diseased areas. to take three pictures to show the devils. Understanding these It raises questions about why direction the animal is traveling. A 400- may help us understand better the disease hasn’t already watt floodlight had also been installed how DFTD spreads. spread more quickly.” to ensure enough light for the camera to capture the images of the entire Within weeks of the first two Volunteers with the survey are crossing zone. volunteers being trained, the given formal training, as well a survey returned information that kit. challenged what’s known about devil movements. Members of the public, however, are reminded that they “The second roadkill devil shouldn’t touch devils, even if that was reported was an 18- the animal is dead. And if you month-old female that had been do see dead or injured animals microchipped in July this year,” on the road, your first priority said Dr Clare Hawkins, Wildlife should be your own safety. Biologist for the Save the Tasmanian Devil Program. If you’d like more information on volunteering, you can contact “The interesting thing about this ‘Save the Tasmanian Devil’ animal is that she’d travelled program on Ph: 6233 2006 or Dydee Mann (right) and Amanda 110km in two and a half months. Email: DevilDisease.Enquiries Barrett trapping devils on the Tasman An adult home range is thought @dpiw.tas.gov.au Peninsula. to be no more than 10-20 km/

[email protected] • telephone (03) 6233 6556 • GPO Box 44, Hobart, Tasmania 7001 4 www.tassiedevil.com.au Devilish folk The diversity of expertise “I have peregrines among members of the nesting in my back Devil Facial Tumour Disease yard. What I’ve Program plays an important learned by simple role in furthering our observation, compared knowledge. Our quarterly to my previous newsletters give us the intensive research, is opportunity to introduce embarrassing”. members of the team. Nick’s passion for Nick Mooney the environment can be traced back to his “Indirectly, the Devil Disease childhood interest in has the potential to have a birds of prey, an interest greater impact on Tasmania’s cemented by the luck of vertebrate wildlife than the last finding mentors such as Ice Age,” said Nick Mooney, a Bernie Mace. It led to an wildlife biologist with the Save honours degree from the the Tasmanian Devil Program. University of Tasmania, lots of volunteer work Nick, who is also a founding with wildlife biologist member of Tasmania’s Fox Nigel Brothers and Eradication Program, said eventually a job with DFTD creates unprecedented the Parks and Wildlife favourable conditions for Service. foxes and cats by reducing predation and leaving vast But Nick can’t really be amounts of food just sitting in defined by a curriculum the landscape. vitae. More revealing is a recent comment by a “Both foxes and DFTD are visiting journalist, who absolutely outstanding issues described the straight- that I wish I didn’t have to Nick Mooney in the fi eld. talking Nick as the Dirty know about in my life time.” Harry of Tasmanian It was in 1996 that wildlife environmental photographer Christo Baars conservation. showed Nick several pictures of devils from the state’s “My career coincided with a burgeoning awareness north-east. The animals had ghastly facial growths, of the need for wildlife conservation,” he said. “I got unlike anything Nick had seen over decades of all sorts of experience as I jumped from project to experience. project, sometimes getting to punch above my weight. “Before it twigged, the Devil Disease had spread across It developed my ability to advocate for native animals a quarter of the State,” he said. “Such an important and diffuse conflicts with land managers. That’s what I animal should have been subject to systematic survey. still do today, although foxes and devils require a bigger scale of operation that can be hard. “We were probably lucky we found it when we did. At the time, devils were regarded as common and it’s only “And the longer I spend in this business, the more threatened, or commercially valuable species, which obvious it becomes that nature has its own momentum, get any real attention or funding. That’s one of my pet regardless of human interest. Society is so self-focussed hates.” that people seem to think that if they’re not interested in a problem, the issue doesn’t exist. Another is a modern fascination with putting technology between us and animals. “But sitting back, hoping issues will go away, is catastrophic – look no further than global warming for “My first boss said you can do an awful lot of good work evidence of that. At the core of every environmental with boots, binoculars, thought and a notebook – and problem is complacency.” he’s right,” Nick said.

[email protected] • telephone (03) 6233 6556 • GPO Box 44, Hobart, Tasmania 7001 5 www.tassiedevil.com.au Threatened Species Day September 7 is National Threatened Species Day, The results from Buckland this year support the but for the members of the Save the Tasmanian devil monitoring team’s general conclusion that, as DFTD monitoring team the work continues throughout the progresses through a population, fewer and fewer devils year. Stewart Huxtable, a wildlife biologist with the team, are surviving beyond their second year into their most spent Threatened Species day trapping in the Buckland reproductive phase of life. The overall number of devils Military Zone. His team trapped 26 Tasmanian devils trapped this year appears to have remained constant at over 10 nights. Two female devils had pouch young 26, compared with 25 in September 2006. However, of and one was lactating, a sure sign that she had joeys the devils trapped in September 2006, four were two- in a den. Two devils had DFTD and another two had year-olds and one a three-year-old, while only two of symptoms that were probably DFTD. this year’s devils were two years old. Recent A little help from our friends Individuals and groups across the community continue to throw their publications welcome support behind the Tasmanian devil: • V8 Supercar drivers John Bowe, Mark Winterbottom and Jack The Senior Scientist’s forum, organised Perkins are helping to get the devil back on track. They donated by the Save the Tasmanian Devil $5,000 to the Save the Tasmanian Devil program on behalf of V8 Program earlier this year, provided Supercars Australia. the opportunity to review progress in managing and understanding the Devil Disease, while encouraging open debate and critical discussion.

As a follow up to the forum, the Devil Disease was the special focus of the September issue of the journal EcoHealth (www.ecohealth.net). The international peer-review journal featured articles that were written by members of the Save the Tasmanian Devil Program and collaborative partners. Topics included: Jack Perkins, John Bowe and Mark Winterbottom with Errol the devil.

• Distribution and Impacts of DFTD. • Racing to the rescue of the devil were the 900 delegates at the Australasian Fire Authorities Council/Bushfi re CRC dinner in • Conservation Management of Hobart, last September. They donated $2,310.70 Tasmanian Devils in the Context of an Emerging, Extinction-threatening • Where the devil are you? That was the theme of the Australian Disease. Association of Practised managers (AAPM), which raised more than $2,622 for the Tasmanian devil at their October conference in • The Immune Response of the Hobart. Tasmanian Devil and DFTD. • The Tasmanian University Union Singapore Students Society • Towards a Case Defi nition for DFTD: donated $1,000 toward the Program. The society explained that What Is It? one of their aims is to give back to the Tasmanian community.

Meanwhile, The Journal of Animal • The four runners from the Hydro Tasmania team, which placed Ecology recently published the fi ndings second overall in the City to Casino 11km run, showed what of a study into the impact of DFTD on winners they truly are when they donated their $500 corporate spot the Freycinet Peninsula devil population. prize winnings to the Save the Tasmanian Devil Program. The study found that the arrival of DFTD triggered an immediate and steady • Our gratitude – as well as our deepest sympathy – also goes out decline in the survival rates of Tasmanian to Maureen Larkins, and her sons Michael and Andrew. Maureen devils, and that there has not been any donated the $95 she found in her late husband’s wallet after he evidence of the epidemic subsiding. recently passed away, explaining that he always loved Tasmania, and all of our wildlife.

[email protected] • telephone (03) 6233 6556 • GPO Box 44, Hobart, Tasmania 7001 6 www.tassiedevil.com.au Round the traps Are you a I believe little devil? I can fly A seven-metre Tasmanian This was the question asked of children devil kite was launched in across the State by nine-year-old Nature the skies above Hobart in Nic (as Nic Bonnitcha prefers to be November. known) – the Hobart schoolboy who raised $10,604 with the inaugural ‘Black Taking 60 hours and and White’ day. thousands of dollars to build, the kite was Nature the inspiration of Orford couple Nic has Genevieve and Allan Parish. They hope it will be a useful released tool in drawing attention to the fi ght against the Devil Facial Tumour a black Disease. and white calendar The kite was designed by one of Australia’s premier kite designers, featuring Phil McConnachie. 14 of the cutest Errol – our newly-named Tasmanian devil character (whose dashing responses from Tassie kids, good looks and suave smile are reminiscent of that other famous including: “I’m a little devil because my Tasmanian, Errol Flynn) – attended the Clarence City Council’s Kite freckles look like whiskers”. Photography Festival to support the launch, and to spread word about the Save the for the calendar was donated by Sarah Tasmanian Devil Program. Ryan. For more information, go to Nic’s website: www.naturenic.com.au. A book to sink your teeth into

A portion of the royalties from the children’s Express Post picture book Ruby Roars, published in November 2007, are being donated to the Save the Upon hearing about the devil in the ‘Roadkill Tasmanian Devil Program. Survey’ that travelled 110km in two and a half months, wildlife biologist This charming romp, written by Margaret Wild Nick Mooney said he knows of a and illustrated young devil that travelled 200km by Kerry in one night. In 2002, a female Argent, is devil snuck onto an Australia a warm and Post truck near Launceston bouncy story (probably scrounging for food), about finding your own voice. and was discovered by surprised staff at the “I had long been aware of this awful disease mail sorting centre in which is threatening to wipe out the Tasmanian Hobart (where devil,” explained Kerry Argent. “I also felt the Nick retrieved devil to be a misunderstood animal. They really it). are all noise and no action. So I suggested the character should be a devil.”

Ruby Roars is published by Allen and Unwin, and has a RRP of $24.95.

SAVE THE TASMANIAN DEVIL newsletter Illustration: Brett Littleton • Written by Janette Kirkman • Designed by Emil Kolbe

[email protected] • telephone (03) 6233 6556 • GPO Box 44, Hobart, Tasmania 7001