Aussie Ark & Symbio Wildlife Park - Working Together for Conservation

Collaboration Key to Conservation Success

Aussie Ark has welcomed zookeepers from Symbio Wildlife Park to its Barrington Tops sanctuary for a rare behind-the-scenes Tasmanian Devil health-check and mentorship experience ahead of breeding season.

Twice each year, Aussie Ark invites Symbio keepers behind the scenes to work alongside its conservation team and learn how Tasmanian Devils are safely trapped, handled and health-checked with minimal human interaction. The experience provides wildlife keepers with unique hands-on conservation skills outside of a traditional zoo environment.

During the visit, the Symbio team joined Aussie Ark rangers for important pre-breeding season health-checks on three Tasmanian Devils. The animals were weighed, given preventative treatments and assessed for breeding readiness, including pouch checks to determine whether the females were in estrus and ready to mate.

Aussie Ark Senior Conservation Ranger Nero Rochet led the experience, mentoring Symbio Senior Zookeeper Daniel Rumsey and Zookeeper Kai Goold throughout the process.

Aussie Ark and Symbio Wildlife Park have worked together for more than a decade, with Symbio becoming one of the conservation organisation’s earliest supporters and long-standing wildlife partners. Over the years, the partnership has supported a range of conservation initiatives, while ongoing keeper exchanges and knowledge-sharing opportunities continue to strengthen outcomes for threatened Australian species.

Partnerships like this play an important role in modern wildlife conservation, allowing organisations to share expertise, strengthen specialist skills and work together towards securing a future for Australia’s native wildlife.

For Mr Rumsey, the experience was one he won’t forget anytime soon.

“When you hear those growls, and you know the powerful bite force they possess, it does get your heart rate up a little bit, I’ve got to be honest!” Mr Rumsey said.
“To get that close to a Devil, and be so hands-on, was one of the best experiences I’ve had. And to learn so much from Nero was incredible.”

Each Tasmanian Devil presented its own challenges and personality during the health checks. After the assessments, the team transferred the Devils into new habitats under Mr Rochet’s direction.

One older Devil was moved into the Ecological Sanctuary for retirement, while two younger females were introduced into a new habitat together. The pair burst from the trap, growled face-to-face, then disappeared into the undergrowth, much to the excitement of everyone watching.

Mr Rochet said experiences like this are an important part of conservation collaboration.

“It’s incredibly rewarding being able to share these experiences and skills with other wildlife keepers who are just as passionate about protecting this species,” Mr Rochet said.
“Aussie Ark has one of the largest Tasmanian Devil breeding and rewilding programs on mainland Australia, so collaboration and knowledge-sharing are a huge part of what we do.”

Mr Rumsey agreed that partnerships between conservation organisations are critical for protecting threatened wildlife into the future.

“Saving wildlife needs collaboration,” Mr Rumsey said.
“Having organisations like Aussie Ark and Symbio working together towards the same goal is incredibly important for protecting Australia’s native wildlife.”