Dingo urine saves Tasmanian kangaroos

This is a video of baby Tasmanian devils; see also here.

From the Curtin University of Technology in Australia:

Dingo urine saves kangaroos

Wednesday, 11 June 2008

Tasmania’s marsupials have been offered a life-line by researchers at Curtin University of Technology’s Department of Environmental Biology utilising cutting edge science involving fresh dingo urine.

Historically, Tasmania’s logging industry has used 1080 poison, shooting and more recently cyanide to control kangaroos and wallabies in areas marked for reforestation, however this method is unselective and kills all wildlife.

Partially synthesised and pelletised by project partner, The Chemistry Centre WA, the dingo urine product repels wild marsupials when spread in areas of new-growth forestation and offers a realistic alternative to lethal baits and shooting.

A compilation of recent Tasmanian field trials using pellets made from fresh dingo urine demonstrate a consistent flight response by kangaroos, wallabies and possums due to the assumed presence and fear of predators.

Tasmanian Devils Could Be Gone in 20 Years: here. And here.

A new study into the social networks of Tasmanian devils may help prevent the further spread of an extinction-threatening disease. The research, published in Ecology Letters, has produced an intricate social network of devil social relationships, revealing how disease can spread through a population: here.

“Glimmer of hope”: A Tasmanian devil colony displays possible immunity to deadly facial tumor disease: here.

Cedric, our dear Tasmanian Devil, has succumbed to Devil Facial Tumour Disease. Good bye Cedric, you will be missed: here.

Tuesday 18 January, 2011 marked an historic day in Australian wildlife conservation with the release of the first of a large number of ‘founder’ Tasmanian devils into the ‘Free-Range’ enclosures of Devil Ark. From an influx of more than 100 founders provided by the overarching program -Save the Tasmanian Devil Program (STDP) over the next few years the Devil Ark population will be expanded to 1,000 Tasmanian devils over the course of the anticipated 20 year life of the program: here.

Tasmanian devils were sitting ducks for deadly cancer – and yes, it’s our fault: here.

Saving Tasmanian devils from deadly contagious cancer: here.

Red-necked wallabies in Tasmania: here.