Tasmanian devils in the US

Chlidonias

Chlidonias

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so there have been several threads now discussing (or deviating onto the subject of) Tasmanian devils going to the US, and zooman keeps mentioning a news article saying that is now happening. So I thought it best to have an actual dedicated thread, because I finally managed to find the (or a similar) news-piece to which zooman was referring, namely this one: Tasmanian Devil goes schlock horror - ABC Northern Tasmania - Australian Broadcasting Corporation (you need to click on the "audio" link on the right of the story text - but it may not be available to US listeners).

Anyway, the important part of the interview with Rebecca Cuthill says "we're very excited the minister has just agreed in principle to the transport of devils from Tasmania, and we're very hopeful that this year a park or wildlife centre in the US will be taking a few of our devils."

Later in the interview she says "two devils" and stresses that it "is early days at the moment", and is hoping for "progress over [the] next few months....something concrete by the middle of the year."


So, in summary, everyone is jumping the gun (and there are certainly no devils currently at San Diego Zoo as sandiegomaster stated in a thread in the US forum!). Based on that interview, which is the only item I could find, it may or may not even be happening. There is no procedure currently in place to export devils to the US, and it has only been agreed in principle. I'm sure it will happen, and I suspect the recipient will be San Diego, but it isn't happening too soon!
 
I'm pretty sure that San Diego isn't jumping the gun. They've started advertising that Tasmanian devils will be part of the new exhibit opening in May 2013. I guess time will tell.
 
DavidBrown said:
I'm pretty sure that San Diego isn't jumping the gun. They've started advertising that Tasmanian devils will be part of the new exhibit opening in May 2013. I guess time will tell.
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well considering that (if Rebecca Cuthill is properly informed, which she should reasonably be expected to be*) no US zoo has actually been chosen as a recipient then San Diego really is jumping the gun. I do actually think San Diego will get devils as it happens, but it certainly doesn't yet appear to be a done deal. Several keepers from various US zoos have been to Australia to get experience with devil husbandry, so there are presumably several potential recipients. In a few months hopefully some firm decisions will be reported.



*Having said that, she did pretty much state on the interview that any devils going to American zoos would be the first ones ever displayed over there, which is quite plainly wrong.
 
"Save the Tasmanian Devil Appeal" - is that really the body managing all the captive devils in the breeding groups here in Australia?
 
ThylacineAlive said:
Koalafornia Dreamin'

Click on the '+' farthest to the right.

~Thylo:cool:
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I did. I was excited. However, while flipping through the current issue of ZooNooz I noticed that the devil has been omitted from the map. The wombat occupies the same position on the printed map.

I put in a call to the zoo's curators department, but everybody had gone home for the day. Hopefully I'll get a call back indicating whether or not San Diego is actually going to get one or two.
 
The same Zoonooz issue you flipped through has this to say, "While they wont be present for the grand opening, we are working with experts in Australia to bring the little devils to San Diego in the near future."
 
Ituri said:
The same Zoonooz issue you flipped through has this to say, "While they wont be present for the grand opening, we are working with experts in Australia to bring the little devils to San Diego in the near future."
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Great! Now how did I gloss over that sentence?! :o

Thanks! Well, maybe the phone call will result in a more definitive timetable.
 
Buldeo said:
Thanks! Well, maybe the phone call will result in a more definitive timetable.
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I doubt it will be any more definitive than something like "maybe in the next few months" or "hopefully this year". It isn't San Diego's decision as to when the devils arrive.
 
getting closer now!

From the Australian part of Zoochat is this thread: http://www.zoochat.com/24/u-s-new-zealand-zoos-receive-326233/ with the following article linked within it Tasmania hopes foreign zoo breeding program will help save devils | Environment | guardian.co.uk

The article is based on the press release of the Save The Tasmanian Devil Appeal, which can be seen here: Ambassador Devils for Overseas Zoos

A pilot program which will see Tasmanian devils placed in select overseas zoos was announced by the Minister for Parks, Environment and Heritage, Brian Wightman on Sunday 23 June. The 'Ambassador Devils' initiative will raise awareness of the plight of Tasmanian devils (caused by the Devil Facial Tumour Disease) on a world stage and contribute directly to conservation of the endangered species in Tasmania.

The Minister approved a ‘world best practice’ framework for the initiative which specifies strict conditions for overseas zoos and a significant return benefit to devil conservation activities within Australia. He explained that the initiative was only possible now that an insurance population of Tasmanian devils had been established within Australia, providing confidence that the species will not become extinct.
“To date, we have well over 500 healthy Tasmanian devils housed in zoos and wildlife parks throughout Australia, as well as Devil Islands and captive management centres run by the Program like this at Cressy,” said Mr Wightman.

“We’ve been so successful, in fact, that there is now also a need to care for animals that are no longer actively participating in the insurance population, or that are genetically over-represented in it.
“In this regard, I acknowledge the fantastic support given by the Zoo and Aquarium Association of Australia and the participating zoos and wildlife parks, including the assistance of individual zoos here in Tasmania.

"The Zoo and Aquarium Association and its members provide a significant amount of support to the Program in the maintenance of the insurance population, at an estimated cost of over $2.7 million per year.
“The Ambassador Devils initiative will relieve some of this burden which is of great importance given our need to secure long-term support for the insurance population and the extended life of the conservation program.

“The framework will ensure that the animals selected for overseas placement are no longer essential for breeding as part of the insurance population, and that only prominent zoos with a proven commitment to conservation will be considered.
“These placements will benefit devil conservation, not only by providing space and husbandry for these surplus devils, but they will promote significant public interest and awareness for conservation of the species outside Australia.

“The zoos will be selected on the basis of the quality of husbandry and the facilities they can provide, together with the likely level of public exposure the devils will receive.

Mr Wightman explained that the initiative would be undertaken as a pilot project over the following year, involving a limited number of high profile zoos - up to three in New Zealand and two zoos in the United States of America - and a total of about 20 devils to begin with. Following a successful evaluation, the initiative could be extended in coming years to involve up to ten zoos in North America and Europe, three in New Zealand and two in Japan.
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Surprisingly no mention of European zoos allthough the previous most if any overseas captive husbandry experience was in Europe. Any reasoning behind that? I know several zoos in Europe have privately indicated their interest in re-exhibiting / exhibiting the species in a conservation breeding program. :confused:
 
Kifaru Bwana said:
Surprisingly no mention of European zoos allthough the previous most if any overseas captive husbandry experience was in Europe. Any reasoning behind that? I know several zoos in Europe have privately indicated their interest in re-exhibiting / exhibiting the species in a conservation breeding program. :confused:
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the last paragraph of the Save The Tasmanian Devil Appeal's release:
Mr Wightman explained that the initiative would be undertaken as a pilot project over the following year, involving a limited number of high profile zoos - up to three in New Zealand and two zoos in the United States of America - and a total of about 20 devils to begin with. Following a successful evaluation, the initiative could be extended in coming years to involve up to ten zoos in North America and Europe, three in New Zealand and two in Japan.
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much closer now:

from the thread in the Australian section (http://www.zoochat.com/24/u-s-new-zealand-zoos-receive-326233/)

Tassie devils bound for San Diego  | Mudgee Guardian
FOUR Tasmanian devils will head to San Diego Zoo in the US in late October, the first of 20 bound for overseas zoos and parks in the next six months.

Environment Minister Brian Wightman announced the pilot program in June, and yesterday revealed the first of the zoos to receive the devils.

Four will be sent to Albuquerque Biopark in New Mexico, and four each to New Zealand's Wellington Zoo, Orana Park in Christchurch, and Auckland Zoo.

The international program will raise awareness of the devils' plight, and contribute to the $5 million annual cost of maintaining the insurance populations. The chosen devils must be genetically over-represented in their population or at the end of their breeding life.

Wellington Zoo life science manager Elise Kovac was in Launceston this week attending a prerequisite Tasmanian devil husbandry program, before receiving the devils later this year.

We're thrilled to be a part of the Save the Devils program - it's a great opportunity to be directly involved,'' she said.

The program will be expanded to include around 10 zoos in North America and 10 in Europe.

Mr Wightman said he was disappointed by a failed bid for $4 million over four years from the federal government for the Save the Devils program, which is fighting against the deadly devil facial tumour disease, but said he would continue to lobby the Commonwealth for future funding.

There are now 550 healthy devils living in insurance populations in zoos and wildlife parks across Australia
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Very exciting! Though it seems all the devils coming to the U.S. for a bit will be on the opposite side of the country from me...

~Thylo:cool:
 
TeamTapir223 said:
Gotta wonder how long before expansion of the program takes place

Team Tapir223
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Indeed. I was kind of hoping that the new work going on at the Prospect Park Zoo's Australian section of Discovery Trail was going to include the new Tasmanian Devils, though I know that was very unlikely to begin with.

~Thylo:cool:
 
We're counting the eggs before they hatch. Let's see if San Diego and ABQ do these Devils justice. Their short lifespans are a factor. Once they land, the clock is ticking to get them settled, cared for and thriving. And then, breed them successfully to make a viable population in the States. I don't see this going smoothly. The Zoos are beating their drums to let people know they're coming. What if they get here and kick the bucket? Then what? More Devils? I think not. It's not like they're some reptile, bird, fish or invert. where people couldn't care less.
 
That's a very, very good point Gulo gulo. Hopefully these zoo know what they're doing, it seems San Diego does a bit

~Thylo:cool:
 
I hope Toronto Zoo is on that list of 10 zoos in North America getting them. We had them in the past and were successful with breeding them. But realistically its probably best for breeding purposed to keep them all in the US until there is a good population just to avoid all that annoying paper work to get them across the border. Hope it all happens.
 
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