Save the Tasmanian Devil Program
The Save the Tasmanian Devil Program is a collaboration between the Australian and Tasmanian Governments, and the University of Tasmania.
Background information about the program, and contact details, appear on the Contacts web page.
Relevant documents appear below:
Quarterly Communiques from the Steering Committee
Strategic plan
Insurance Population Strategy
Business Plan 2007-2008
Program newsletters
Quarterly Communiques from the Steering Committee
Communique - Steering Committee Meeting, 21 April 2008
On 21 April 2008, the Steering Committee of the Save the Tasmanian Devil program met in Hobart to oversee delivery of the program.
The Committee endorsed significant changes to the risk categorisation for captive Tasmanian devils and to the biosecurity guidelines recommended by the Tasmanian Chief Veterinary Officer. These changes were based on improved understanding of the Devil Facial Tumour Disease and greater confidence about the way in which the disease may be transmitted. The Committee considered a Scientific Research Strategy prepared by the Senior Scientist for the program and endorsed it, subject to some minor changes.
The endorsed Risk Categorisation, Biosecurity Guidelines and Scientific Research Strategy will soon be posted on the program’s website www.tassiedevil.com.au
The Committee considered a new Communication Strategy for the program that will ensure that all communication about the program is integrated, timely and informative. Following some minor changes, the Strategy will be endorsed and made publicly available.
The Committee were pleased to receive reports on the status of the 31 outputs that comprise the program, and noted the significant progress being made.
At the next meeting of the Committee in July 2008, a 5 year Business Plan will be considered that will detail the plans for the coming year and beyond to ensure that every effort is made to ensure that the Tasmanian devil survives in the wild in Tasmania.
The Committee noted with regret the retirement of the program manager Steven Smith, and thanked him for his contribution to the program over the past 2 years. It is expected that the position will soon be filled and that there will be a seamless continuation of program management.
Communique - Steering Committee Meeting, 22 January 2008
On 22 January 2008, the Steering Committee of the Save the Tasmanian Devil program met by telephone conference to oversee delivery of the program.
The Committee noted the Federal Labor Party’s election commitment of $10 million over 5 years for the Save the Tasmanian Devil Program and that a proposal for future funding for the program by the State Government would be considered as part of the budget development process. The 5 year business plan will be finalised by the Steering Committee when budget decisions have been finalised.
Kim Evans noted that progress was being made towards a rolling Scientific Research Strategy for the program, as well as a revised and updated Communication Strategy, and looked forward to finalising both documents at the next meeting of the Committee in April 2008.
The Committee heard updated plans for a Population Habitat Viability Assessment workshop, under the auspices of the IUCN Conservation Breeding Specialist Group. The workshop is going ahead in Hobart in May 2008 to support planning for the insurance population.
Communique - Steering Committee Meeting, 23 October 2007
At its meeting on 23 October 2007, the Steering Committee of the Save the Tasmanian Devil program endorsed the program’s Business Plan to guide its work until July 2008. The plan is in accordance with the Strategic Plan and Insurance Population Strategy that were endorsed in April 2007.
The Business Plan outlines 7 projects that make up the Save the Tasmanian Devil program:
- Disease suppression and population studies
- Implementation of the Insurance Population Strategy
- Diagnostic support for fieldwork, directed research and the insurance population
- Monitoring and understanding the evolution of the devil facial tumour
- Disease prevention and treatment
- Scientific direction and overview
- Community awareness and program management
Kim Evans, Chair of the Committee, stated that this Business Plan 2007-2008 provides a clear ‘roadmap’ for the way forward in saving the Tasmanian devil; and that a longer term Business Plan will now be drafted to guide the program beyond July 2008.
Kim Evans welcomed a new member to the Steering Committee: Paul Andrew who will represent the Australasian Regional Association of Zoological Parks and Aquaria (ARAZPA). ARAZPA, on behalf of the Steering Committee, manages the intensively-managed captive breeding program on the mainland. Four mainland ARAZPA zoos are currently involved in breeding devils as part of the Insurance Population Strategy, and more zoos will become involved in 2008.
The Steering Committee discussed a process and time-frame for implementation of all aspects of the Insurance Population Strategy, that will include some free-roaming animals, as well as intensively-managed animals. A Population Habitat Viability Assessment workshop, under the auspices of the IUCN Conservation Breeding Specialist Group, is planned for May 2008 to support implementation and to ensure that the Tasmanian devil program benefits from experience gained worldwide with other threatened species.
The Committee considered plans to gather a large number of newly independent, young devils from disease-free areas of western Tasmania from January to March 2008. These animals will provide additional founders and genetic diversity for the insurance population.
The Committee noted that a biopsy taken from a devil in the insurance population at Healesville Wildlife Sanctuary in Victoria was confirmed not to have Devil Facial Tumour Disease.
Committee members discussed recent research results that show that a percentage of western devils in Tasmania express some genes that are not found in eastern devils or the devil facial tumour, and that these differences may correspond to some form of resistance to the deadly tumour. They recommended that experimental investigation of this possible resistance should be expedited.
Communique - Steering Committee Meeting, 24 July 2007
At its meeting on 24 July 2007, the Steering Committee of the Save the Tasmanian Devil program endorsed a new Strategic Plan for saving the species.
The plan’s three main objectives are:
- To maintain the Tasmanian devil population in the wild
- To maintain the genetic diversity of the Tasmanian devil population
- To manage the ecological impacts of a reduced Tasmanian devil population over its natural range.
Kim Evans, Chair of the Committee, stated that this overarching strategy would provide the broad direction needed to save the Tasmanian devil.
The Steering Committee also endorsed an Insurance Population Strategy that will sit under the broad plan. This Strategy describes what will be needed into the future to manage an insurance population that would be capable of re-establishing the devil in the wild if it were ever to become extinct.
The Committee noted the development of a draft Business Plan for the program for 2007-08 and gave it in-principle support.
A Policy and Process for reviewing all research proposals in the program was presented by the Senior Scientist, Professor Hamish McCallum and supported by the Committee. The policy ensures that all research proposal are assessed independently through a transparent process, led by Professor McCallum, and will facilitate the collaborative research that is underway and help to expand it.
The Committee emphasised the importance of clear business rules to ensure that research into saving the devil progresses as rapidly as possible, and that any barriers to sharing new insights, data and experimental results are minimised or removed.
Associate Professor Greg Woods, University of Tasmania, briefed the Committee on what is being learned about the devil’s immune system and early steps towards developing a vaccine.
Kim Evans stated that the Committee is pleased with the overall progress on different fronts in terms of understanding the disease, supporting the establishment of an effective insurance population and increasing efforts to suppress the disease in the wild.
Strategic Plan
The Strategic Plan (PDF, 16KB) for the Save the Tasmanian Devil Program was endorsed on 24 July 2007.
Insurance Population Strategy
The Insurance Population Strategy (PDF, 36KB) was endorsed on 24 July 2007.
Business Plan
The Business Plan 2007-08 (PDF, 152KB)
Newsletters
Newsletters produced by the Save the Tasmanian Devil Program will keep you informed about the progress being made in response to the disease.
March 2008 (PDF, 1MB)
December 2007 (PDF, 805 KB)
August 2007 (PDF, 1.17 MB)
May 2007 (PDF, 752 KB)
February 2007 (PDF, 897 KB)
December 2006 (PDF, 621 KB)
March 2006 (PDF, 906 KB)
