The Devil is in the Detail

The Tasmanian devil is a marsupial, top predator that disappeared from the Australian mainland between 500 and 5000 years ago. It's demise was possibly related to the introduction of the Dingo, a wild dog that arrived with the first humans to arrive on that continent. Now, much of Australia has been taken over by other alien predators, including cats and foxes that were imported by the later Europeans. Most of mainland Australia would currently be a difficult place for Tasmanian devils(they are less efficient breeders than their Eutherian rivals). Devils have, however, been successfully bred by the Aussie Ark organisation at a cool, elevated location (not unlike the weather conditions in Tasmania) called Barrington Tops. There is now a plan (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/oct/05/tasmanian-devils-released-into-sanctuary-north-of-sydney-in-step-towards-rewilding) to release 30 devils into a substantial, fenced, 'predator-free' (ie. minus Dingos, cats and foxes) sanctuary, just north of Sydney. The tagged animals will be monitored and, if they thrive and breed, a second predator-free sanctuary will be set up for Tasmanian devils on the mainland. It will, of course, be necessary to evaluate the viability of the animal populations (both predators and prey) in the sanctuaries. If all goes well, this will be the start of the rewilding of this unique animal in mainland Australia.