Dr Rosalie Woodruff MP | Greens Environment and Biodiversity spokesperson
On Threatened Species Day, we hear 220 Tasmanian devils have been killed on the state’s roads in the last year.
When the Greens asked Minister Jaensch about the 158 healthy devils that died on the 25km stretch of the industrial Woolnorth Road - in his own backyard - he gave no response about preventing this carnage.
Wildlife carers contacted Minister Jaensch’s office in January in desperation, when the number was only 28 fatalities. Since then more than a 100 endangered devils have died a painful, preventable death on this short stretch of road.
What the North West devil population needs is for the government to dramatically lower, and enforce, the speed limit on this road – and statewide, to end to the logging of their native forest habitat. Tinkering around the edges won’t save this iconic animal.
On Minister Jaensch’s watch, there is a war on wildlife. While he dithers, iconic species are creeping towards extinction.
If Minister Jaensch won’t commit to prioritise saving the Tasmanian devil on Threatened Species Day, when will he?
Under this government, and this Environment Minister, it’s hard to see what hope Tasmania’s more than 150 threatened species have.