An ecological milestone for Australia - 7th October 2020

Tasmanian devils have returned to the Australian mainland 3,000 years after becoming extinct.

26 of the marsupials were released into a sanctuary north of Sydney by a group of conservation organisations, including Aussie Ark.

The non-profit is headed up by Tim Faulkner.

"This release of devils will be the first of many. We're talking something monumental, a real mark in history, the return of devil to mainland."

Weighing as much as 8kg, these carnivores prey on other animals. Tim Faulkner believes their reintroduction is vital to rebalancing Australia's ecosystem.

"We've got the feral fox and feral cat wreaking havoc on our natives. And a control measure, a natural control measure, like a devil, back in the environment could be the only natural solution we have to protecting our natives."

It's believed the mainland population of Tasmanian devils was wiped out by wild dogs called dingoes. Since only 25,000 are still living wild in Tasmania following a mysterious illness which devastated the population in the 1990s, it's hoped that this will be the first step towards their preservation.