In mid-2023 four adorable Tasmanian devil joeys joined the Australian Reptile Park family and have now taken their place in the Park’s Tasmanian Devil exhibit.
Bred at the Park’s sister conservation organisation Aussie Ark as a part of its breeding program, Sam, Messi, Charlie and Lola are growing in confidence.
Mammals keepers gave each of the joeys a cuddle before releasing them into their new surroundings.
With rising confidence, the joeys wasted no time in exploring their new home, eagerly taking in the unfamiliar sights and smells.
As they explored their new home, the joeys discovered treats such as boiled eggs hidden amongst the leaves, pinecone treats filled with meat and hollow logs also filled with meat.
Seeking out the treats encouraged natural foraging behaviours, replicating what they would experience in the wild.
“It’s heartwarming to see how much they love their new home already, keeper Lauren Hunter said.
“I’ve been able to see these four little joeys grow so quickly and I’ve loved taking part in hand-raising them.
“I know I can still go see them every day here at the Park, but I will miss having their company in my house.”
Keeper Seleena de Gelder said eventually all four Tasmanian devil joeys will make their return to Aussie Ark and be released into a wild protected sanctuary – the largest of its kind for Tasmanian devils.
“There they will be able to join the breeding program and contribute to saving this iconic Aussie animal,” she said.
All four Tasmanian devil joeys will act as ambassadors for the species and Australia’s native wildlife.
With over 90 per cent of the wild population of Tasmanian devils being wiped out by the deadly Devil Facial Tumour Disease (DFTD) since the disease was first discovered in 1996, the species needs all the help it can get.
Together, the Australian Reptile Park and Aussie Ark have established vital conservation breeding projects to help save the threatened species.
Aussie Ark has constructed a 400-hectare sanctuary to build healthy insurance populations and keep them protected from predation.
Aussie Ark, built off the success of Devil Ark, is Australia’s largest mainland breeding facility for the Tasmanian devil, free from DFTD.