Sympathy for the Devil

The Tasmanian devil is an unusual and fascinating creature in many ways. It is the largest marsupial carnivore in existence today, and is known to viciously protect itself when it or its young is threatened, even by creatures significantly larger than itself. Most importantly of all, Taz is a Tasmanian devil.

The population of Tasmanian devils has been significantly reduced over the past 10 years due to a facial cancer that is plaguing them. The number of devil sightings in Tasmania has decreased by 41%, the cancer sometimes killing every single Tasmanian devil within an area in only 18 months. Although it is unusual for a disease alone to lead to the extinction of a species, scientists are concerned that the fall in devil population may allow introduced predators such as feral cats and foxes to overtake the marsupial's niche. This would not only further threaten the Tasmanian devil's existence, but negatively impact the unique Tasmanian milieu.

If you'd like to help out, or just want to get further educated on the subject, you can visit tassiedevil.com.au. There you can make a donation, volunteer to help, or just read more about the Tassie devils and their plight. You can also help out by spreading the word. Link to this article on your site, or send it along to a friend.

Source: Zooillogix