As the mercury rises a Tasmanian devil duo are delighting in icy treats to cool down at Healesville Sanctuary.
Like most siblings on a warm day, they are not willing to share their ice blocks, protesting loudly by vocalising with their shrill calls.
Healesville Sanctuary Threatened Species Keeper Jessica Pulvirenti said the giant ice blocks are made up of blood, meat and a sprinkling of parmesan cheese to engage their sense of smell.
“It’s always interesting to see the interactions between the Tasmanian devils during feeding time, of course, they both want the same ice block,” Ms Pulvirenti said.
“Not only do the ice blocks help them keep cool but it’s also a great way to encourage the animals to use their full range of natural behaviours.”
In the hot weather, the Tasmanian devils will cool off by sitting in the sprinkler mist. They also can be seen lying flat out in the sunshine.
The best time of day to see the Tassie devils at Healesville Sanctuary is the afternoon when they are most active. They live on the Woodlands Track.
Tasmanian devils are the largest living carnivorous marsupials in the world. They are classified as Endangered with a decreasing population according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List.
A major threat to the survival of the species in the wild is Devil Facial Tumour Disease (DFTD). The fatal disease is transmitted between individuals by biting during social interactions, feeding and mating.
Healesville Sanctuary is part of the ‘Save the Tasmanian Devil’ breeding recovery program, which aims to have a disease-free insurance population and ensure a long-term future for this species.
