Zoo Tasmanian Devils from Australia - Biosecurity New Zealand

1 Purpose
The purpose of this document is to:
• present the risks associated with the importation of Tasmanian devils from Australia;
• outline options considered for managing those risks;
• show how these options have been assessed; and
• provide recommendations for import requirements to be included in the import health standard
(IHS).
The import health standard (IHS) is developed under Section 24 of the Biosecurity Act 1993.
For a detailed risk assessment of the identified hazards, refer to the Import Risk Analysis: Tasmanian
devils (Sarcophilus harrisii/Sarcophilus laniarius) from Australia. A copy can be viewed at the following
link: http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/files/regs/imports/risk/tasmanian-devils-aus-ra.pdf
2 Background
In 2006 the Zoo and Aquarium Association submitted a request for the development of an import health
standard for the importation of Tasmanian devils into New Zealand zoos. This matter has since become
a high priority for the zoo industry.
In August 2009, the Ministry for Primary Industries issued an import risk analysis (IRA) for Tasmanian
devils from Australia with the objective of mitigating risks associated with importing this commodity. The
IRA is the basis for Tasmanian devil risk management measures discussed in this document.
The IHS for Tasmanian devils from Australia will be based on risk decisions from the IRA.
Tasmanian devils are the world’s largest carnivorous marsupial and native to Tasmania in Australia.
They are facing almost certain extinction in the wild due to an infectious cancer, the devil facial tumour
disease (DFTD). In less than two decades, DFTD has caused a more than 85% overall population
decline.
Conservation efforts aim for the establishment of a large, genetically diverse insurance population of
captive Tasmanian devils in zoos and wildlife institutions around Australia.
The insurance population held by zoos in Australia is vital for the future of the species. The insurance
population is managed by the Zoo and Aquarium Association. The IHS will enable New Zealand
members of the Zoo and Aquarium Association to take part in this conservation programme to assist the
Australian insurance population by giving vital additional spaces to help protect the species into the
future. To date, three New Zealand zoos have been approved by the Tasmanian Government to join the
programme.
The Department of the Environment in Australia has prescribed conditions under which Tasmanian
devils may be transferred overseas. Any animal imported to New Zealand would undergo these preexport
conditions. The conditions can be found in the Import Risk Analysis: Tasmanian devils from
Australia at the following link http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/files/regs/imports/risk/tasmanian-devils-ausra.pdf.
[Note: the conditions were previously issued under the Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and
the Arts (DEWHA)].
Ministry for Primary Industries Risk Management Proposal for Zoo Tasmanian Devils from Australia • 1