Tasmania’s wilderness was isolated from the perils of the Australian mainland for 10,000 years but human impacts have now begun to threaten its native animals and plants.
The forest’s top predators, the Tasmanian wedge-tailed eagle and the Tasmanian devil are among those under threat. A mysterious facial tumour disease now threatens the devils future and 56% of the state is already affected. Fewer than 1500 Tasmanian wedge-tailed eagles remain and despite being listed as endangered under federal and state law, the population continues to decline.
The Tasmanian Devil Facial Tumour Disease, which now threatens the Tasmanian devil’s future was first observed in 1996 and its cause is still unknown
The Tasmanian Government has established a research team to investigate the spread of the disease across the state
Infection of animals is now across 56% of the state, but the majority of the western half remains disease free
To find out more about the disease, visit the Tasmanian Devil Facial Tumour Disease website
Currently, disease is not a major threat to the survival of wild Tasmanian wedge-tailed eagles
