Conservation Project Goes Awry as Tasmanian Devils Start Killing Penguins
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Who, me? (Photo: Brendon Thorne/Getty Images, Getty Images)
A project established to conserve Tasmanian devils has backfired, as the carnivorous marsupials have been a little too successful in their new habitat. They’ve killed scores of seabirds since their arrival nearly a decade ago, according to the local branch of the Birdlife conservation organisation.
The devils were brought to Maria Island, just a few miles off the Tasmanian coast, in 2012, in an attempt to protect the animals from the contagious facial cancer that was threatening the species. At the time, the Tasmanian government released multiplereports mentioning the possibility of harm to the shorebird colonies, which included little penguins (
Mark Shelton,Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Management
Tasmania Police’s radio dispatch centre has received a $2 million upgrade as part of the Tasmanian Liberal Government’s investment to improve facilities for staff working on our emergency service dispatch centres.
As part of the TasGRN Project, this investment will better enable emergency services to respond to emerging situations and provides our hard-working and high-quality RDS staff with best-practice technology and equipment as part of our commitment to keep Tasmanians safe.
The RDS processes on average over 1500 emergency and inquiry calls each day, and had occupied the same workspace for more than 30 years since the original opening in July 1990.
I’m sure that just about everyone who comes to Mysterious Universe will have seen the story that surfaced recently suggesting that the thylacine might still be alive. Despite all the brouhaha, the story collapsed. That doesn’t mean there are no living thylacines, however. What it does mean, though, is that right now we need to keep looking and stay enthusiastic. So, with that letdown, I thought I would share with you a bit about the animal, one of the most intriguing creatures of relatively modern times. Indeed, a bit of background on the thylacine is very much in order. Mainstream zoology is of the opinion the creature is now extinct; it most certainly had a good run: fossilized examples of the creature have been found, demonstrating that it lived as far back as the Miocene period. That’s to say, around 23 to 5 million years ago.
Exploring new ground in Tasmania: The Three Capes Track
4 Mar, 2021 11:00 AM
4 minutes to read
Tucked away on the southeastern coastline of Australia’s island state, lies 48-kilometres of meticulous walking track that affords some of nature’s most dramatic and awe-inspiring displays for adventure-hungry travellers.
For those primed for fresh experiences, Tasmania sure does punch above its weight. In particular, nature-loving walkers are in for a slice of hiking heaven; 2800 kilometres of managed tracks and more than 880 walks in national parks, reserves and conservation areas are waiting to be discovered.
If there s one walk that manages to encapsulate all that is special about this out-of-the-ordinary destination, it s the stunning Three Capes Track in Tasman National Park. For four days and three nights, you ll be immersed in an extraordinary landscape, encompassing cliff-hugging coastline, ancient dolerite columns, eucalypt woodlands, wildflower scrubland and canopied gi