The devil’s advocate

The ferocious Tasmanian devil is in danger of extinction; Bruce Englefield is working hard to save them

The ferocious Tasmanian devil is in danger of extinction; Bruce Englefield is working hard to save them

One spring day, Bruce and Maureen Englefield, a British couple, visited a wildlife park in Tasmania for a few hours as part of a two-week holiday. Nine years later, they are still there. They liked the park so much, they bought it on the spur of the moment.

Australia's island state is easy to love, but as well as being won over by its beauty, Mr Englefield was also attracted by its beast the Tasmanian devil, the world's largest carnivorous marsupial and he wanted the chance to work with it. "It was the most fascinating animal I had ever seen," he says. "It seems to be made up of the best parts of other animals. It's got the face of a dog, the whiskers of a cat, the bite of a crocodile, the legs of a kangaroo, the coat of a beaver, and it can eat a piece of meat as daintily as a squirrel eats a nut."

With its formidable jaws and blood-curdling screech, the devil has always had a savage reputation, but recently it has undergone an image makeover. Baby ones have appeared in newspapers looking cute, and reporters have even referred to it as "cuddly". What is going on? The reason is that the devil is in danger of extinction, and potential absence has obviously made hearts grow fonder.

But there is truth in the softer image. Apparently, the devil isn't as bad as its name suggests, and despite having the biggest bite of any animal for its size, it isn't dangerous to humans. "It is the most fearful animal I have ever met," Mr Englefield says. "They won't bite as long as you don't prick their fear mechanism. If you get to know one well enough, you can handle it like a rabbit."

I think I'll take his word for it.

As well as being the star attraction at wildlife parks, it also plays a useful role in the wild. It cleans up the environment by feeding on carcasses, and eats the lot, even fur and bones. Its presence also prevents feral cats and the dreaded fox from breeding in numbers that could devastate populations of smaller native creatures.

But in less than two decades Tasmania's iconic animal could be extinct in the wild, wiped out by a mysterious infectious cancer that has intrigued scientists. Since it was first noticed in 1996, devil facial tumour disease has killed off more than 70 per cent of the species, causing death by starvation as tumours develop on the face and mouth. The disease is spread by biting and affects only devils. Infectious cancers are rare, and a cure has yet to be found.
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Mr Englefield was made Tasmanian of the Year last year for helping to save the devil. He came up with the idea of large-scale, double-fence enclosures, big enough to allow one acre per devil, and started the Devil Island Project to raise funds to build them. Devils are already thriving and breeding in the first enclosure and more "devil islands" are in the pipeline.

At East Coast Natureworld, the Englefields' award-winning wildlife park, I joined the baby animal circle for some close encounters with some native critters. We got to stroke a quoll a native cat and a wombat. Finally, the keeper brought a baby devil towards me. It looked at me mischievously and opened its jaws. I am not sure whether that was a yawn or it was showing off.u00a0 I also got close to the kangaroos that roam freely at the park. If you buy a bag of food they come up and eat out of your hand. They were so relaxed around humans I almost expected them to start talking.

A few miles south, on a beach near the small town of Bicheno, I had another wildlife experience. A couple of fairy penguins the smallest kind suddenly waddled out of the waves. Hundreds of them come ashore at dusk to return to their burrows, but these two were early and I got to see them in daylight.

A visit to Tasmania is a tonic. It is my favourite holiday destination. I like the sense of space, a reprieve from my urban life. I like to stand on a cliff and look out over an ocean that stretches all the way to Antarctica. One fifth of the state is a World Heritage Area, a barely touched wilderness. The rest is packed with diverse natural delights. It has reputedly the cleanest air and purest water in the world, and the clarity of the light adds a magical touch to the landscape.

It is about the size of Scotland, easy to get around, and dotted with cosy teashops and B&Bs.

Driving is a joy. The population is less than 5,00,000 and traffic is light.

From the start of my trip, an antipodean guardian angel seemed to be taking care of me. The flight to Australia with Singapore Airlines was the most comfortable long-haul flight I had ever taken and my jetlag was mild. My first day in Tasmania couldn't have been more welcoming. In Launceston, in the north, I was standing at a bus stop with my case. A bus pulled up and I asked the driver if my destination was on her route. She smiled broadly. "No, it isn't," she said. "But I'll take you there anyway." I was touched by her kindness, but such friendliness is typical of Tasmania.

There are two sides to the state the mild, sunny east and the wild, stormy west. Both have their attractions, depending on your mood. It is ideal for travelling alone, but as places such as Honeymoon Bay and Wineglass Bay suggest, you might prefer to be in love. It's a family place too. And it appeals to creative spirits. Most of all, it's for nature lovers and the adventurous.u00a0

I have to admit, I did not raft a wild river or tramp 80 km on the Overland Track. My excursions into nature were decidedly effortless. I went to Mt Field National Park, about an hour west of Hobart, Tasmania's capital. This is one of the easiest ways to see rainforest, waterfalls and some of the tallest trees in the world. The track I took was all gain, no pain.

At Strahan in the west, the gateway to the World Heritage Area, I experienced the temperate rainforest three ways, by cruise on the mighty Gordon River, by steam locomotive on a restored 19th century rack railway, and most dramatic of all by seaplane. The scenery is spectacular, but people stood out too. The tour guide on the cruise was so enthusiastic that she jumped in the river to prove how deep it was.

At sunset, I had to go to the 33km-long Ocean Beach. I felt as though I had a starring role in a romantic blockbuster, even though my only companion was a wasp.

On a Saturday in Tasmania there is only one place to be Salamanca market in Hobart, Australia's best street market, with some fine arts and crafts. I try on a bracelet. It's perfect. It suits me. Inexplicably, I don't buy it. I will have to go back.
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Discover Tasmania: https://www.discovertasmania.com/
Devil Island Project: https://www.devilislandproject.com/
East Coast Natureworld: https://www.natureworld.com.au/
Save the Tasmanian devil: https://www.tassiedevil.com.au/