First Joeys Arrive

THE Devil Ark on the Barrington Tops has welcomed to the world this season’s Tasmanian devil joeys and the birth rate is expected to smash last year’s record of 51 .

This year there have been 20 joeys born, with more than 50 expected to be confirmed when pouch inspections have finished.

The joeys are estimated to be 70 to 80 days old and will remain in the pouch for another few months, before emerging onto mum’s back and by the end of the year becoming fully independent.

Tim Faulkner, president of Devil Ark said,  they couldn’t be happier with the results of the pouch check last week.

“All of the joeys we have checked so far have been healthy and strong in the pouch and all mums are in spectacular condition,” Mr Faulkner said.

“It’s outstanding to break our record, and we can’t wait to watch the little joeys grow,” he said.

“We have worked so hard in the last 7 years to build the Tasmanian devil population and to have had each breeding season bigger than the last it really goes to show all of our hard work is paying off,” Tim Faulkner said.

New Tasmanian devil joeys found during the pounch inspections last week.