Night Safari Singapore welcomes 4 Tasmanian Devils to the Wallaby Trail

For the very first time, Singaporeans can lay their eyes on one of Australia’s most iconic predators, the Tasmanian Devil. 

Four females – Crumpet, Snickers, Jesse and Panini – arrived in Singapore on Oct 7 and have spent the past month getting assimilated to their new home at the Night Safari. 

The devils, which are likely named for their unique screech-like vocalisations, have displayed very distinct personalities, Assistant Curator Razak Jaffar shared.

According to the curator, Crumpet is said to be confident and possesses a dominant personality. She is observed to spend hours exploring her surroundings in the outdoor yard and does not like being picked up by the keepers for health checks. Snickers, on the other hand, is much more reserved, preferring to hide in her nest box when Crumpet expresses her dominance. 

Tasmanian Devils are threatened by a contagious cancer called Devil Facial Tumour Disease (DFTD), which is spread through bites when Devils mate or fight. DFTD has caused the Devil’s population to dwindle by an alarming 80 per cent, resulting in its current status as an endangered species, said Mandai Wildlife Group in a press release.

The Night Safari’s latest additions are part of a global insurance population by the Save the Tasmanian Devil Programme (STDP) and the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania to save the Devils from extinction.

According to Mandai Wildlife Group, the Tasmanian Devils were originally meant to arrive in Singapore back in 2020. However, preparations were shifted online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Air travel restrictions also contributed to the prolonged delay of their arrival.

In 2019, The Night Safari’s Animal Care team travelled to Tasmania to learn about the Tasmanian Devils’ biology and how to care for them. 

Once the Devils arrived in the Night Safari, the team used what they had learned to ensure that the Devils had all their needs met as they assimilated to their new environment and weather. 

“The Devils come from Tasmania where the weather is cooler, and we needed to ensure that the design of the enclosure met their needs. With climate-controlled enclosures, we slowly bring them outside where they can experience Singapore weather,” Razak shared.

The four devils are currently housed in pairs – Crumpet with Snickers, and Jesse with Panini. Each pair has access to their own climate-controlled indoor exhibits and outdoor habitats which are crafted based on what Tasmanian Devils are accustomed to in the wild. 

The indoor exhibits are fitted with platforms and ramps, whereas the outdoor habitats have boulders and branches which the Devils enjoy using to climb and look around, Razak said.

From Nov 15, visitors can find Crumpet, Snickers, Jesse and Panini in their very own enclosures at the end of the Night Safari’s Wallaby Trail. 

Tickets to the Night Safari can be purchased from the Mandai Wildlife Reserve’s website.