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You Little Devil

08 Dec, 2009

Zoo keepers at Healesville Sanctuary have today announced ‘Phoenix' as the winning name in the recent “Name-a-Devil” competition, a joint initiative between conservation partners Zoos Victoria and Suzuki Australia.

More than 540 entries were received through the Leader Newspaper Network to name one of new Tasmanian Devil babies with readers putting their creative skills to work with Tazzlebub, Ripper, Quigly and Purinina amongst the suggestions. Others focused on the species' Tasmanian heritage with names such as Blossom, Apple, Van Dieman, Tasman, Truganini and Abel.

It was Kylie Bailey however, with her suggestion ‘Phoenix’, that was unanimously judged the most suitable for the new female as a “tribute to the Black Saturday bushfires and all people affected by them in the area”.

The name was particularly fitting for another reason given the circumstances with which the baby devils were conceived.

The sanctuary’s Tasmanian Devils were one of many native species to be temporarily relocated to Melbourne Zoo following the threat of bushfires last summer and it was around this time, keepers have since determined, that the breeding cycle for many of the new mothers first began.

Phoenix was one of 28 new Tassie Devils born this season as part of an important breeding program undertaken by Healesville Sanctuary.

Tasmanian Devils are under threat from the emergence of a Facial Tumour Disease which has so far ravaged more than 60 per cent of the wild population in their native state.

Last year their conservation status was upgraded to ‘Endangered’ and they face a very high risk of extinction in the wild within the next decade if a cure is not found.

Healesville Sanctuary is one of four mainland zoos working to breed the animals in captivity to establish an insurance population to secure their future.

As the winner of the competition, Kylie will receive the keys to a Suzuki Grand Vitara for the weekend to travel in style to Healesville Sanctuary where she will meet the newly named Phoenix with a behind-the-scenes tour of the Devil enclosure.

She also receives an overnight accommodation package at Balgownie Estate for herself and her family in the beautiful Yarra Valley.

Suzuki Australia has been supporting Zoos Victoria’s Tasmanian Devil breeding program since 2007 with financial support and the donation of two uniquely branded Grand Vitara SUVs.

The partnership aims to raise awareness of the issue facing Tasmanian Devils and raise funds to support Healesville Sanctuary's efforts to conserve these beautiful animals from the threat of extinction.