Press Release

Thursday 15 November 2007

MARK WEBBER AND AUSTRALIA ZOO TO HELP SAVE THE TASSIE DEVIL
Two unlikely allies – Australian Formula One racer Mark Webber and the world-famous Australia Zoo – have joined forces in a new initiative to help protect the Tasmanian devil.

The Minister for Tourism, Arts and the Environment, Paula Wriedt, welcomed the decision to donate a proportion of funds raised by this year’s Mark Webber Challenge to establish a Tasmanian devil enclosure and insurance population at Australia Zoo.

“Ensuring the survival of the iconic species is a priority for the Tasmanian Government.

“This initiative from the Mark Webber Challenge Foundation and Australia Zoo – one of the country’s biggest tourist attractions – will be a huge boost to the insurance populations of Tasmanian devils, vital for the protection of the species,” Ms Wriedt said.

There are currently more than 60 devils kept as an insurance population outside Tasmania and managed on behalf on the Save the Tasmanian Devil Steering Committee by the Australasian Regional Association of Zoological Parks and Aquaria (ARAZPA).

Building the numbers of devils in offshore insurance populations is a priority of the Steering Committee.
The support of the Mark Webber Foundation and the Irwin family’s Australia Zoo will go a long way towards achieving these goals.

“As well as boosting population numbers, the enormous national and international appeal of the Irwin family and Australia Zoo has the potential to generate considerable exposure for the Tasmanian devil and its plight,” Ms Wriedt said.

Last year’s Mark Webber Pure Tasmania Challenge raised $500,000 for the two nominated charities, TLC for Kids and the Cancer Council of Tasmania.

A further $20,000 was donated to the Save the Tasmanian Devil Program.

“Australia Zoo has been actively fundraising to build a devil enclosure – the support of the Mark Webber Challenge Foundation means that this project will soon become a reality.

“Mark Webber is a true friend of Tasmania and his commitment to the Tasmanian devil cause is to be commended,” Ms Wriedt said.

The 2007 Mark Webber Pure Tasmania Challenge starts tomorrow at Cradle Mountain and finishes next Friday 23 November on Hobart’s Salamanca Place.

For further information contact Tourism Tasmania's Communications Unit

(03) 6230 8244
email mediainfo@tourism.tas.gov.au