Two Tasmanian devils recently joined Pairi Daiza in Brugelette (Hainaut), the park announced on Friday.
The park is one of seven European zoos to house the mammal endemic to the island of Tasmania.
The two young males, named Marvin (2 years and 3 months) and Merris (2 years and 6 months), underwent a period of adaptation behind the scenes and can now be seen in the Australian world of Pairi Daiza, Cap Austral. Park staff have undergone training to learn how to care for them.
The animal park stresses the exceptional nature of their presence, as Tasmanian devils are rare outside Australia. Only seven zoos in Europe have received permission from the Tasmanian government to house them, and Copenhagen Zoo in Denmark manages the breeding of the carnivorous marsupial for Europe.
A "reserve population" has been set up in case the group of Tasmanian devils disappears in the wild. Since the end of the 20th century, the species has fallen victim to a contagious cancer, a facial tumour that is transmitted through bites and mating.
Pairi Daiza has been supporting this programme since 2017. The two Tasmanian devils will live in Brugelette Park until Copenhagen Zoo can find them a compatible female.
