URL: Official Website
Bookings: Tours, Trips, Courses
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Description
The Big Tasmanian Devil sits at the entrance to Trowunna Wildlife Park in Mole Creek and is a tribute to Mickey, the world's first tame Tasmanian Devil. A noble ambassador for wildlife and tourism, Mickey was patted by hundreds of thousands of people. When Mickey died in 1987, the two-metre long fibreglass devil (built in 1980 as a landmark for the park) was rededicated in memory of him, and he was buried underneath.
Today the Tasmanian devil is found only in the wild in Tasmania and is now a State icon. It was once widespread over the Australian mainland, but disappeared there after the arrival of the dingo, which was introduced by Aboriginal people but prevented from entering Tasmania by the 240 kilometre-wide Bass Strait. Population numbers across Tasmania have been variable over the past century but were at historic highs about 10 years ago. These numbers have dropped dramatically since the 1996 identification of Devil Facial Tumour Disease (DFTD) - a new, unusual and fatal condition in Tasmanian devils, characterised by cancers around the mouth and head.
The Big Tasmanian Devil is located at Trowunna Wildlife Park, Mole Creek Road, Mole Creek. Tel: (03) 6363 6162.
To find out more information about this unique creature and the disease, or how you can help, follow this link to Save the Tasmanian Devil.
