Four adorable little devils have joined the Monarto Zoo family!

Last week, four Tasmanian Devil joeys received their first health check where they were weighed, micro-chipped and given a visual check by our veterinary and keeping team.

The check-up also provided an opportune time to confirm the sex of the siblings – one little boy and three girls. The five-month old joeys were given a clean bill of health and are growing well, weighing around 450 grams each.

Born on 3 March, the joeys spent their first few months of life in a private den with mum, Ollie, who has tended to their every need since birth.

Monarto Zoo Natives Keeper Simon Dower said the joeys were in good shape and doting mum, Ollie, was doing a great job raising her little ones.

“Ollie is a wonderful mum and is very attentive and protective of her joeys,” Simon said.

“The joeys are doing really well and hopefully one day will join our breeding program like their mum, who has played a vital role in our Tassie Devil conservation program.

“She had twin girls last year, and with her four this year, it’s a big step in helping to safeguard this species.

“We also have at least another two joeys still in den with another mum, so it’s been a very successful breeding season.”

Endangered in the wild, there has been a devastating decline of about 80 to 90 per cent  in the Tasmanian Devil population since the mid-90s due to the presence of Devil Facial Tumour Disease.

At Monarto Zoo, we have bred more than 35 Tasmanian Devils. We work with several other Australian zoos to ensure there is an insurance population for the Tasmanian Devil in case there is no cure found for the cancerous facial tumour that is wiping out the native population.

In addition to breeding devils, Monarto Zoo has had four animals, which were either bred or housed at Monarto, successfully released back into the wild in Tasmania.