Vandals hit devil fence
VANDALS have damaged part of the virtual fence being built to help protect Woolnorth’s healthy population of Tasmanian devils from being killed by traffic – and the local mayor is furious.
A number of newly installed guide posts at the Woolnorth Rd virtual fence project, in the state’s far NorthWest have been broken.
Circular Head Council staff began installing guide posts along Woolnorth Rd last week, with plans to attach virtual fencing sensors this week.
The sensors are designed to detect oncoming traffic and then send out signals to alert animals that something is approaching and warn them away from the road.
The system has proved successful in reducing the Tasmanian devil roadkill toll at several sites, including Arthur River, where the number of devils killed on the road has halved.
“We are furious about what happened last night,” Mayor Daryl Quilliam said on Wednesday.
“Tasmanian devils have been in grave danger from the devil facial tumour disease for a long time now and their numbers are down throughout the state because of this.
“This is one of the last remaining strongholds of healthy devils in Tasmania but they are suffering in this area through roadkill and we are trying to protect them.
“This vandalism has increased costs but most importantly it leaves our Tasmanian devils in continued danger from traffic while repairs are completed.
“Whoever did this must be stopped.”
Mr Quilliam said Tasmania Police was investigating.
Australian Greens Senator Peter Whish-Wilson labelled the vandalism “senseless and infuriating”.
“But we must not allow it to deter or slow our efforts to protect Tasmanian devils from becoming roadkill, especially not in one of the last remaining bastions for healthy devils in Tasmania,” the Tasmanian Senator said.
“I expect the police to conduct a thorough investigation into this incident, and hope Circular Head Council will now put in place security measures – such as hidden cameras – to protect this critical mitigation project.”
Anyone who has any information about the incident is asked to contact Tasmania Police on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.