28 Tasmanian devils were moved to an island; 3,000 penguin pairs later disappeared

The facial tumour had severely affected devil populations in many parts of Tasmania In 2012, 28 Tasmanian devils were brought to Maria Island off Tasmania’s east coast as an “insurance population” when facial tumour disease was severely affecting the species. The devils have since thrived, with their numbers reaching up to 90. But their success has been linked to a major decline in local wildlife, including the disappearance of a little penguin colony that once had about 3,000 breeding pairs.Maria Island had been free of predators for thousands of years, according to ABC news. This made it a safe place for ground-nesting and flightless birds, including the Tasmanian native hen, shearwaters, Cape Barren geese and little penguins.The facial tumour had severely affected devil populations in many parts of Tasmania. With healthy animals needed to help protect the species from the impact of the disease, a group was moved to Maria Island.The population grew well after the release. There are now up to 90 devils on Maria Island. But as the devils became established, conservationists raised concerns about what their presence meant for species that had evolved without mammalian predators on t...