A groundbreaking immunisation program hoping to save the endangered Tasmanian devil has had a devastating start with two recently released healthy creatures killed on the roads.
Scientists from the University of Tasmania were hailing a breakthrough in the fight against a facial tumour disease, which has threatened the devils' existence, when they released 20 healthy animals into the wild on Friday after treatment with a new vaccine.
But within four days two of the devils were found dead on roads nearby the north Tasmanian national park where they were released.
"To lose two devils so soon after their release into the wild is devastating," Save the Tasmanian Devil Program manager David Pemberton said on Wednesday.
Testing revealed both animals were from the immunisation group which were to be monitored in the wild as part of the program.
The deaths have sparked an appeal to drivers to slow down and beware of the devils.
"Devils are often on the road scavenging the carcasses of road-killed animals and Tasmanian devils are the hardest of all native species to see between dusk and dawn," Dr Pemberton said.
Parks and Wildlife Service staff have stepped up efforts to clear road kill and discourage devils from venturing onto the road to feed.
The devil monitoring program will continue.
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