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DEVILISH FOLKScientific research into the DevilFacial Tumour Disease (DFTD)is being carried out across the globe,exploring topics such as behaviouralecology, genetic diversity, theepidemiology of the disease, cancertreatments, and chromosomes. Yes—it’s enough to make your head spin!That’s why Dr Chris Boland, the ScienceManager of the Save the TasmanianDevil Program, is such a welcomeaddition to the team.“Scientists are often publishing articlesthat only other scientists get to read,”Chris said. “People in the field aresometimes so committed to theirwork that they simply don’t have timeto learn about these great scientificbreakthroughs.“My role is to cherry-pick, from all thatresearch, the work that is relevant towhat the Program needs to achieve andfacilitate its use in the field.”Chris’s experience ranges fromconservation work with snub-nosedmonkeys in the jungles of northernVietnam, to studying the evolutionaryecology of rainbow bee-eaters aroundFraser Island (for which he obtainedhis PhD). More recently he’s workedon a million-acre cattle property inthe Kimberleys (helping to recoverGouldian finches and other grasslandspecies), before moving to the CocosIslands and Christmas Island asmanager of the Invasive Species team(where he and his team eliminatedmore than 99.5% of introduced yellowcrazy ants that had been devastating theisland’s ecosystem for more than15 years).The diversity of expertise among members of theSave the Tasmanian Devil Program plays an importantrole in furthering our knowledge. Our quarterly newslettergives us the opportunity to introduce members of the team.This experience has given Chris a tasteof the various broad areas that are beingresearched for Tasmanian devils.“The great leaps forward in scienceoften come from the synergy ofdivergent groups of people comingtogether,” he said.“We’ve got incredible scientists workingin many different fields, and what theyhave in common is that they’re allfocussing on the Tassie devil. If we canget a cross-pollination of ideas, it couldlead to some really great breakthroughsfor the species.”Prior to joining the team late lastyear, Chris was in the United States.Nearly everyone he met had heard ofthe Tasmanian devil (probably becauseof the Warner Bros cartoon), and atleast half of those people were aware ofDFTD. It helped Chris realise that devilsare significant not just to Australians,but to many around the world.“I feel privileged to be part of the effortsto save such an important animal. And Ithink I might have some skills that canhelp.”Saving devils, in plain English“The Tassie devil is an indigenous,unique and iconic animal that need notbecome extinct.” Jon EnglishJon English, the Program’s favouriterocker, and one of our communityambassadors, was back in Tassie oversummer for his national The RockShow tour.As part of his ongoing support fordevils, Jon donated $1 per ticket sold tohis Tasmanian shows (and that totalledseveral thousand bucks!).“When I heard that devils could becomeextinct, my first thought was that wejust can’t let this happen,” Jon said.While he was in the State recently, Jongot up close and personal with Mollette,Rocker and community ambassador Jon Englishmet Mollette, from Androo Kelly’s TrowunnaWildlife Park, during his summer tour toTasmania. Photo courtesy of Androo Kelly.from Trowunna Wildlife Park. Molletteis one of the ‘homozygous AC5’ animalsthat’s been bred by Trowunna owner,Androo Kelly. These slight differencesin Mollette’s chromosomes might helpto unravel the mystery of why thespecies is so susceptible to the DevilFacial Tumour Disease.“The fact that the devil seems to havea genetic disposition to tumours, andthat they don’t recognise the cancercells as foreign, and that the diseasekeeps mutating in the wild—well, Ithink that once you cure DFTD, it willlead to a whole bunch of possibilities,”said Jon.“We’re not just saving the devil. Wemight be saving ourselves here as well.”www.therockshow.com.au4 SAVE THE TASMANIAN DEVIL PROGRAM NEWSLETTERMARCH 2011
THE DEVIL INSIDELying in bed one night in hernorth-west Tasmanian home, CindyQuarrell thought she heard a possumin her kitchen. When she got up tohave a look, Cindy noticed her dogMadge standing in front of a cupboard– barking and barking.“It’s just a possum,” Cindy told the dogas she shone a torch on some darkcolouredfur. But just as she said this,the furry animal turned towards Cindy.It released a devilish shriek that sentthe dog bolting through the kitchen,knocking Cindy flat on her back.“How lucky am I that thislittle man came to visit—an absolute privilege!”This young devil did wellto choose Cindy’s kitchenfor the visit—Cindy hasrescued animals all of herlife. But Cindy’s story isa timely reminder thatMarch is the beginningof the mating season for Tasmaniandevils, and that occasionally they willtake up residence and breed underfarmhouses.Cindy Quarrell, pictured with her dog Madge, got the surprise ofher life when she heard a wild animal in her kitchen cupboard.Photo courtesy of Katie McDougall, The Advocate.Occasionally landholders are temptedto trap and relocate devils. It is illegalto do so, and could further spread theDevil Facial Tumour Disease.“I knew the poordevil was morefrightened than me,so we left it alone,”Cindy said. “ButI peeked in on ita couple of hourslater and the dearthing was hidingunder some cushions. I could just seeits little nose poking out.Cindy said it was an ‘absolute privilege’ tomeet her surprise visitor.Photo courtesy of Cindy Quarrell.Nearby stock arerarely harmed asmost predatorsseem reluctant tohunt near their‘home’. But whiledevil imps can beamusing, the noiseand mess may, forthose of us who aren’t as tolerant asCindy, be a bit hard to handle.If you have any concerns, or ifyou want advice about how to sealentrances under your home withoutputting devils at risk, contact the Savethe Tasmanian Devil Program on6233 2006.Visit the ‘Devil tales’ page of ourwebsite for more face-to-tace storieswww.tassiedevil.com.auCRIKEY! It’s a veterinary vehicleAustralia Zoo Wildlife Warriors hasprovided funding of around $10,000towards a purpose-fitted veterinaryvehicle for the Save the TasmanianDevil Program’s veterinary team.The vehicle accommodates all theveterinary equipment needed forthe various tasks performed by theveterinary team. This means theycan respond quickly to emergencies,whether they arise in captive or wildpopulations.Murray Munro, appeals manager forthe Australia Zoo Wildlife Warriors,said they decided to provide fundingto this project as it supports both theProgram’s Insurance Population, aswell as wild devils affected by the fatalDevil Facial Tumour Disease (DFTD).“Funds were raised through Blackand White Week at Australia Zoo, withmerchandise sales, donations andraffles helping to raise much-neededfunds,” he said.“The week involved keeper talks aboutTasmanian devils so the general publiccould be educated about these amazinganimals and the issues facing them—most importantly, how to save them.”Sarah Peck, a veterinary officer withthe Save the Tasmanian Devil Program,said the dedicated veterinary vehicle isa welcome addition to the team“Captive breeding populations are heldat several sites across the State,” shesaid, “so it’s extremely useful to haveeverything needed on board. It meanswe can respond as soon as we get anemergency call.“The vehicle’s also very helpful forfield work, where samples are collectedfrom wild devils. It provides mobilestorage for equipment, as well asshelter for team members whenthey’re undertaking procedures in badweather.”“It’s a gift, in more ways than one,”said Sarah.Wildlife Warriors Worldwide wasestablished in 2002 by ‘The CrocodileHunters’ Steve and Terry Irwin. Itsaim is to involve caring people in theprotection of injured, threatened orendangered wildlife.Australia Zoo Wildlife Warriorswill once again support the Savethe Tasmanian Devil Program withtheir fundraising initiatives in 2011,including Black and White Daycelebrations at Australia Zoo.www.wildlifewarriors.org.au5 SAVE THE TASMANIAN DEVIL PROGRAM NEWSLETTERMARCH 2011
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