San Diego just got a double dose of devilish cute — but we're not talking about impish kids, we're talking about the Tasmanian kind, endangered, carnivorous marsupials hailing all the way from Tasmania. According to a post from San Diego Zoo's Instagram account, the zoo is welcoming brothers Flotsam and Jetsam, recently arrived from Aussie Ark, an Australian conservation outfit devoted to preserving Australian wildlife.
The mischievous little duo, Flotsam and Jetsam are settling into their habitat in the Australian Outback exhibit, a place near all the zoo shopping action with kangaroo jerky and didgeridoo souvenirs galore and in true nocturnal fashion, they're most lively in the early mornings or evenings, during Nighttime Zoo, a special program when the zoo extends its hours for visitors to experience the animals' nocturnal behaviors, so if you visit around mid-afternoon, don't be surprised if you find these Tassie devils basking in the sunlight, likely snoozing, according to 10news.com.
While the name "Tasmanian devil" might conjure up an image of frantic animation, remember these creatures are part of a special conservation story. The San Diego Zoo has had a relationship with these nocturnal creatures that spans back to the 1950s. It's one of just a few Zoos in the U.S. that can brag about caring for them. Their powerful jaws and distinct growls aside, these animals desperately need human help against threats like resource competition, disease, and general human-wildlife conflicts.
The major threats the devils face include Devil Facial Tumor Disease, which has been ravaging the population, it's a fatal, contagious disease that results in tumors around the face and mouth — a cause of major concern for their survival in the wild and something the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance is tackling through conservation work in their Australian Forest Conservation Hub, according to a statement from the zoo's press release, their efforts among others have started to make a dent in the global population's decline.
