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The bold plan to bring back Tasmanian devils across mainland Australia

Tasmanian devils are already being released inside predator-proof sanctuaries in New South Wales, and rewilding advocates believe they could suppress feral cats and foxes across the continent

By James Woodford

21 February 2025

Tim Faulkner at Aussie Ark gets ready to release a Tasmanian devil in a fenced sanctuary at Barrington Tops, Australia

James Woodford

I’m sharing a ride with two very cranky and confused Tasmanian devils, loaded in the back of our all-terrain vehicle inside large plastic traps. These devils are a long way from their species’ home on the island of Tasmania. Instead, we are bumping along inside a wild but securely fenced 400-hectare sanctuary in Barrington Tops, 4 hours north of Sydney, Australia.

Tasmanian devils (Sarcophilus harrisii) did live on the Australian mainland once upon a time, but…

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