The Tasmanian devil, a carnivorous marsupial native to Tasmania, is an iconic creature holding a significant place in Australia’s natural heritage. Concerns about its declining numbers have grown substantially over recent decades. Understanding its current population and the challenges it faces is crucial for its survival.
Current Population Status
The wild Tasmanian devil population has experienced a substantial decline. In the mid-1990s, estimates suggested a population of 65,000 to 75,000 mature individuals, or up to 150,000 including juveniles. By 2020, the total population was estimated to be as low as 16,900 individuals, representing an 80% reduction in local densities across most of their range. This decrease led to the Tasmanian devil being classified as Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), indicating a high risk of extinction in the wild.
Major Threats to Their Existence
The primary reason for the decline in Tasmanian devil numbers is Devil Facial Tumour Disease (DFTD), a contagious cancer that emerged in the mid-1990s. DFTD is an aggressive disease characterized by tumors around the mouth, face, and neck, which can spread to other parts of the body. These tumors impede the animal’s ability to eat, leading to starvation and death within three to six months of symptoms appearing. The disease transmits primarily through biting during social interactions, such as fighting over food or mates.
Two known strains of this cancer exist: DFT1, widespread across most of Tasmania, and DFT2, confined to a specific peninsula in the southeast. The tumor cells are not rejected by the devil’s immune system, making the disease nearly 100% fatal in most cases. Beyond DFTD, other factors contribute to population decline, including habitat loss due to land clearing and vehicle collisions. Devils are often drawn to roads to scavenge carrion, accounting for many fatalities.
Conservation Initiatives
Efforts are underway to protect and recover the Tasmanian devil population. The Save the Tasmanian Devil Program (STDP), initiated in 2003, represents a collaborative response by Australian and Tasmanian governments and various organizations. A primary initiative involves establishing “insurance populations” through captive breeding programs, such as Devil Ark and Aussie Ark. These programs maintain genetic diversity in disease-free environments and have successfully bred hundreds of devils, creating a genetic safeguard against extinction.
Wild release programs have also introduced disease-free devils from captive populations to secure locations, including Maria Island and Narawntapu National Park in Tasmania, and mainland Australia in New South Wales. These reintroductions mark the first time in approximately 3,000 years that devils have roamed freely on the mainland, with early signs showing successful adaptation, hunting, and reproduction. Research continues into DFTD, focusing on understanding its transmission, the devil’s immune response, and developing a potential vaccine. Experimental vaccines are undergoing testing to stimulate the devil’s immune system against cancer cells. Habitat preservation and measures to reduce road fatalities, such as moving roadkill away from highways, are also part of the broader conservation strategy.