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Rescue Efforts Continue to Save Tasmanian Devil
On February 24th, I wrote an article about the Tasmanian Devil and the cancer that is on the verge of wiping out the species. Today I read an article about a plan to move about 30 unaffected Tasmanian Devils to a nearby island to try and save some of these creatures.
The disease that was discovered in the 1990s has wiped out 90% of the population where it was orginally discovered and has been moving across Tasmania ever since. They estimate that the Tasmanian Devil will be wiped out completely in 20 years, except for those living in zoos. There is hope that they can preserve a colony on another island and that the disease will be wiped out when all the affected are gone, then they can reintroduce the Tasmanian Devil to Tasmania.
Now, I am all for trying to save the Tasmanian Devil. I haven't read anything so far that humans have anything to do with this disease that is devastating the population. I think if we have the ability and technology to prevent the extincition of a species, we should go for it. But I am concerned about what introducting the Tasmanian Devil to Maria Island will do. How will it affect the eco-system there? Some say it is a mistake, others say that they think the impact will be negligible. But the truth is, we won't know until the Tasmanian Devil is transplanted. Do we have the right to endanger other species to save one? I am not so sure of that. Why not just keep the well Devils in zoos and then reintroduce them to Tasmania when the disease has run its course. Just a thought.
