Tasmanian devils slash population of brushtail possums that ‘overwhelmed’ tiny island

1 year ago 53

Possums on Maria Island expanded beyond usual habitat and had become ‘pretty significant predator’ before devils introduced

The introduction of Tasmanian devils to Maria Island halved the population of brushtail possums, according to new research that suggests restoring top predators to ecosystems could help limit the number of overabundant prey.

In 2012, the carnivorous marsupials were introduced to the island off the east coast of Tasmania to create a geographically isolated insurance population free from devil facial tumour disease.

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