Tasmanian devil nominated as state's official animal emblem
Tasmanians are being urged to have a say on whether an iconic threatened species should become the state's animal emblem.
Tasmania is the only Australian state without an official faunal emblem.
The State Government opened up public discussion about whether the Tasmanian devil should receive the honour.
The threatened species has been ravaged by a facial tumour disease, and Environment Minister Matthew Groom said he believed official recognition could help attract resources to the fight against the disease.
Mr Groom anticipated community support for the proposal.
"I think a lot of Tasmanians already consider the devil to be our animal emblem, but we want to formalise that," he said.
"For a lot of people in different parts of the world the devil is an icon that represents Tasmania in many respects, and so I think it affords us an opportunity to promote Tasmania to different parts of the world through the devil as our official emblem."
Public consultation is open for six weeks before the Government makes a decision.
A new devil enclosure opened at Coles Bay on Tasmania's east coast and will be used to hold surplus devils from the animals being bred in isolation programs designed to ensure populations free of the facial tumour disease.
