Three thousand years after the extinction of the Tasmanian demons, they were reintroduced to the mainland of Australia.

Tasmanian demons who disappeared in Australia three thousand years ago were recently released into the wild on a platform on a large island continent. “Historical” An ambitious project to protect species. Twenty-six of these marsupials were released on Monday, October 5, at the 400-hectare sanctuary in Barrington Tops, three-and-a-half hours north of Sydney, the Aussie Arc Association said.

Aussie Arc leader Tim Faulkner explains that this is a move “Historical”, Carried out in July and September, is the first step in a security plan From the site Aiming to create a protected population, this carnivorous mammal is threatened by a serious infectious cancer on the island of Tasmania.

After sixteen years of work, the largest demon breeding project has been set up on the mainland of Australia, Mr Faulkner judges “Incredible” Should have gotten there. “It’s like a dream”, According to him. “The largest native hunting point-tail marsupial cat on the continent, it weighs more than a kilogram. Bringing back an animal of this size is huge.” The devil, which weighs up to eight kilograms, usually preys on other native animals or feeds on the carcasses of dead animals.

Sarcophilus harisi It is not dangerous to humans or livestock, but defends itself when attacked, which can cause serious injury. This nocturnal marsupial, with black or brown hairs, gives off a strong odor when stressed.

Dangerous species

The species is now endangered. This contagious cancer – cancer is usually spread by bites caused by demons to one another, with the exception of some animal species, by very aggressive and powerful jaws, when they mate or fight. In particular, animals die of starvation when tumors reach the mouth, preventing them from eating.

Compared to the 150,000 that caused the disease, 25,000 demons still live in the wild. On the other hand, on the mainland of Australia, they may have disappeared three thousand years ago, a priory destroyed by dingoes.

The program aims to create one “Reserve Population”, To deal with an incurable disease for now, and to participate in the restoration of the native environment. “Demons are one of the only natural solutions to control the population of foxes and cats, which are responsible for the majority of the forty extinctions of mammal species in Australia.”, Says Faulkner. “The role here is beyond the Tasmanian devil. “

The project is reminiscent of a sign that the wolf was reintroduced into Yellowstone’s American Park in the 1990s, which, according to experts, led to a layer of positive effects: regenerating shrubs in rivers, stabilizing water in courses, returning birds and beavers …

Aussie Arc aims to release more demons to unsafe areas where they face a number of threats, including wildfires destroying Australia each year. One of the seven creatures that Aussie Arc plans to reintroduce to the continent in the next few years is the devil, along with the marsupial cat, the paramelite (or pandigoot) and the petroglyph (or rock volley).