nature tours & travel, wildlife tours, adventure travel and general travel to Australia, New Zealand & the Pacific

Devil Facial Tumour Disease Team

University students, retirees, animal lovers and dedicated locals are among the hundreds of volunteers who have given their time and energy to the Tasmanian devil disease program. Volunteers from as far away as the USA, Asia and Europe have worked alongside enthusiastic locals, with some staying for a few weeks – others remain committed for years. The volunteer programs aim to provide people with a special understanding of what the Devil Facial Tumour Disease Team does and what it is aiming for, as well as developing new skills and opportunities for personal development.

Volunteer Programs
Volunteer programs fit into the broad categories of:

Volunteering with the Field Monitoring Program
The Monitoring team will continue to trap a number of sites across the State throughout 2007. A typical survey goes for approximately 11 - 12 days. While team leaders physically trap and release devils, volunteers assist through duties such as monitoring and cleaning traps, transport, data and other similar fieldwork. The days can be long, the weather unpredictable and the mobile phone coverage will be limited or non-existent. You will, however, get to visit some amazing places, including beautiful farming properties on the northwest coast and near Mt Field National Park, a selective forestry area in the mountains near Lake St Clair National Park, an area of dry deciduous forest near picturesque Orford on the east coast, and Mt William National Park (on the north-east tip of the State).

Volunteering with the Wild Management Program
The Management team will continue disease suppression trials on the Forestier-Tasman Peninsulas. A typical survey goes for approximately 11 - 12 days. Again, the days can be long, the weather unpredictable and the mobile phone coverage wil. The Forestier-Tasman Peninsula's trips cover many different locations across the peninsulas and you may even have time to visit well-known historical sites such as Port Arthur and Eaglehawk Neck.

Volunteering with the Captive Management Program
Although the insurance population of devils has been moved to mainland zoos, we still need to maintain a small number of Tasmanian devils in captivity to assist with various research projects, including working towards development of a vaccine. We need people who can work as part of the small team of keepers, and help to care for our captive animals on a regular basis, either for a few hours a day or a day a week. The work involves animal keeper duties, as well as assisting with the enrichment program. This involves changing the pens around each day to maintain a stimulating environment for the devils.

How to Register
Volunteers can really make a difference. If this sounds like something that might interest you, information about volunteering can be found on the Tassie Devil Website.

If you can't volunteer, please subscribe and donate: University of Tasmania Foundation

Nature Travel Specialists can organize your travel to Tasmania, and add any other travel in Australia while you are there. Call or email us.