Fourteen disease-free Tasmanian devils are settling into their new home at Maria Island.
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After undergoing their final health checks, the group of healthy devils arrived at their island refuge yesterday afternoon. They are the first of up to 50 that will be shipped to the national park off the state's east coast over the next two years.
Environment Minister Brian Wightman said the move will strengthen the insurance population of the species which has been decimated by the fatal devil facial tumour disease.
``Devils have never been part of the landscape so there is no known risk of the facial tumour disease in the Maria Island environment,'' Mr Wightman said. ``The Parks and Wildlife Service manages the island and operates the only vehicles so there is minimal chance of devils being impacted by road kill.''