The Australian Reptile Park has welcomed two new bundles of joy, twin Tasmanian Devil joeys.
The young brothers are part of Aussie Ark’s insurance population for the endangered species, and are being hand raised just South of Newcastle by the Reptile Park’s Mammals Keeper Hewin Hochkins.
“I’m lacking a little sleep at the moment, feeding these guys every few hours is hard work, but I wouldn’t change a thing!” Keeper Hewin said.
They require round the clock care, warm snuggles and bottle feeds four to five times a day, including an early breakfast at 4am.
“As joeys Tasmanian Devils are incredibly cheeky and these two are absolutely keeping Hewin up all hours of the night, he’s really got his hands full!” fellow Keeper Jake Meney said.
The duo will stay with Keeper Hewin for the next eight months until they are independent enough to re-join their family at Aussie Ark’s wild protected sanctuary, the largest of its kind.
But the rambunctious babies are yet to be named, and Aussie Ark and the Reptile Park are calling on the public for help.
Every person who adopts a Tasmanian devil through the Aussie Ark website from now until September 20, will be in the running to not only name the twins but to also meet them at the Australian Reptile Park.
The funds will go toward the organisation’s conservation program and help secure a future for Tasmanian Devils, after 90% of the wild population was wiped out by a facial tumour disease.