DRAFT Recovery Plan for the Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii) Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment This plan should be cited as follows: Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment (2010) Recovery Plan for the Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii). Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment, Hobart. ISBN ? This Recovery Plan was adopted under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 on date © Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment 2010 This publication is copyright. No part may be reproduced by any process except in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968. The Australian Government, in partnership with the Tasmanian Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment, facilitates the publication of Recovery Plans to detail the actions needed for the conservation of threatened Tasmanian native wildlife. This Recovery Plan has been developed with the involvement and cooperation of a range of stakeholders, but individual stakeholders have not necessarily committed to undertaking specific actions. The attainment of objectives and the provision of funds may be subject to budgetary and other constraints affecting the parties involved, and may also be constrained by the need to address other conservation priorities. Recovery actions may be subject to modification due to changes in knowledge and changes in conservation status. Disclaimer This publication may be of assistance to you but the State of Tasmania and its employees do not guarantee that the publication is without flaw of any kind or is wholly appropriate for your particular purposes, and therefore disclaims all liability for any error, loss or other consequence that may arise from you relying on any information in this publication. An electronic version of this document is available on the DPIPWE website: www.tassiedevil.com.au For more information contact the DPIPWE Customer Service Centre: (03) 6233 2006 Cover photograph: Tasmanian devil, DPIPWE CONTENT Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................................ ii Abbreviations and acronyms ............................................................................................................. ii 1 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................................. 1 2 SPECIES INFORMATION ............................................................................................................... 2 2.1 Taxonomy and description ........................................................................................................... 2 2.2 Conservation status ..................................................................................................................... 2 2.3 Ecology and behaviour ................................................................................................................ 2 2.4 Distribution and abundance ......................................................................................................... 4 2.6 Threats ........................................................................................................................................ 7 2.6.1 Primary threat — devil facial tumour disease ....................................................................... 7 2.6.2 Other threats ...................................................................................................................... 10 3 RECOVERY PROGRAM .............................................................................................................. 16 3.1 Strategy for recovery ................................................................................................................ 16 3.2 Previous and existing activities ................................................................................................. 24 3.3 Recovery objectives and performance criteria .......................................................................... 34 3.4 Recovery actions ...................................................................................................................... 35 Action 1: Maintain and manage the insurance population ........................................................... 36 Action 2: Manage devil facial tumour disease in the wild ............................................................. 36 Action 3: Monitor Tasmanian devils ............................................................................................. 37 Action 4: Conduct disease investigations ..................................................................................... 37 Action 5: Manage other threats in the wild ................................................................................... 38 Action 6: Research and measure habitat variables ...................................................................... 38 Action 7: Coordinate recovery program ....................................................................................... 38 Action 8: Communicate with community and stakeholders .......................................................... 39 3.5 Management practices ............................................................................................................. 40 3.6 Implementation ......................................................................................................................... 40 3.7 Benefits/impacts to biodiversity ................................................................................................ 41 3.8 Role and interest of Indigenous groups .................................................................................... 42 3.9 Affected interests ...................................................................................................................... 42 3.10 Social and economic impacts ................................................................................................. 43 3.11 International obligations .......................................................................................................... 44 4 REFERENCES .............................................................................................................................. 45 APPENDIX 1 Organisations involved in research ................................................................... 50 i Acknowledgements This plan was compiled by Susan Wright (DSEWPaC), with information and input from DPIPWE, the Save the Tasmanian Devil Program, the Tasmanian Devil Stakeholder Reference Group and Katrina Jensz (Latitude42). Funding for preparation of this plan was provided by the Australian Government. Important phone numbers Save the Tasmanian Devil Program (STTDP) Hotline (for volunteering to help, reporting roadkills, sightings of diseased devils, advice on nuisance devils or reporting illegal culling) (03) 6233 2006 FOX HOTLINE (for reporting sightings or signs of foxes) 1300 FOX OUT (1300 369 688) Abbreviations and acronyms CBSG IUCN Conservation Breeding Specialist Group CVO Chief Veterinary Officer DSEWPaC Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population, and Communities DFTD Devil facial tumour disease DIER Department of Infrastructure, Energy and Resources DPIPWE Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment EPBC Act Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Commonwealth) FEP Fox Eradication Program for Tasmania MHC Major Histocompatibility Complex (genes that control immune responses) NC Act Nature Conservation Act 2002 (Tasmania) NRM Natural Resource Management STTDP Save the Tasmanian Devil Program TSP Act Threatened Species Act 1995 (Tasmania) Uni Syd University of Sydney UTas University of Tasmania ZAA Zoos Australia Association ii 1 INTRODUCTION The Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii) (Figure 1) is integral to the ecology of Tasmania. It is now the world's largest marsupial carnivore, since the larger species — the thylacine (Thylacinus cynocephalus) — became extinct in 1936. Tasmanian devils are endemic to Tasmania, having disappeared from the Australian mainland around 430 years ago (Archer and Baynes 1972), probably due to the arrival of dingoes. From being considered common and stable 18 years ago, the species is now considered Endangered at both a national level (Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999) and within Tasmania (Threatened Species Protection Act 1995). The Tasmanian devil population has declined dramatically over the last decade, due to a fatal, contagious cancer — devil facial tumour disease (DFTD or the disease). Signs resembling the disease were first reported in 1996 at Mount William National Park (north- east Tasmania), and it has since spread to over three-quarters of the State. Neither the disease nor devils are known to have died out in any locations. In the past, Tasmanian devil numbers were limited by food availability, competition with other devils, cats, quolls (native cats) and eagles, loss and modification of habitat, culling, and collisions with vehicles. Many of these factors may now have a greater relative impact on the remaining Tasmanian devil population, as the number of devils is so low. The absence or even sustained diminishment of devils is likely to drastically change Tasmanian ecosystems, and would also affect ecotourism. There is currently no known vaccination, treatment