The Tasman peninsula around Port Arthur, place of Tasmania’s convict site, is separated from the main island by a little canal. This canal is most useful today, in rescuing the Tasmanian devil from extinction.

The poor little thing has cancer… in the face! It’s spread by infected cells, through bites during feeding and mating (ouch).

Since the late 1990s, this devil facial tumour disease has already wiped out half of the Tasmanian devils and now threatens the survival of the entire species, which in 2008 was declared to be endangered.

The remaining animals seem to have no resistance, once infected, they will not survive. It seems the Tasmanian Devil has no defense, and will become extinct in a short time.

 

So the effort is made to give a secure harbor to a part of the species, and the peninsula was chosen because it is so insulated that it can shelter a healthy population. The southern tip around Port Arthur is a cancer free zone, the northern part is a buffer.

Both are linked only through a tiny stretch of land, a mere 30 meters wide, easy to control. This little stretch, the Eaglehawk Neck, was also used to keep the convicts in check: A line of dogs, chains to posts, made sure no one came out.

Today, it is the last line of defense for the survival of the Tassie Devil.

It’s a weird little creature, cute, but aggressive, and not really likable. It seems to have many fans though, not a day passes without a stand or some collections in favor of the little devils.

A station takes care of the remaining Devils, breeding them, and hoping enough will survive in oder to re-start a healthy population, once the free devils have all been wiped out.

At night, there’s a strict speed limit of 45 km/h on the peninsula, as the devils are out… As they like eating the bountiful roadkill, chances are high they end up as such themselves, further reducing their numbers.