A major search is underway at a Gold Coast theme park after a young Tasmanian devil mysteriously vanished from its enclosure, forcing the park to close to visitors.
Paradise Country confirmed on Tuesday that one of its two recently arrived devils, named Mary, could not be found during routine morning checks.
“For the safety and wellbeing of our guests, team members and animals, Paradise Country is temporarily closed while our wildlife team is conducting a wide search and investigation into the disappearance of a Tasmanian Devil,” the park said in a statement.
Mary was being housed in a secure indoor quarantine habitat with access to a small outdoor area.
“Our experienced wildlife team has conducted a wide and thorough search of the habitat and surrounds, with no evidence of damage or structural issues that would allow Mary to escape,” the statement said.
The search has now expanded across the wider park grounds, with staff using thermal imaging equipment, drones and security footage as they continue the hunt into the evening when Tasmanian devils are most active.
Paradise Country said Biosecurity Queensland was notified as Tasmanian devils are an endangered species and not found in the wild on mainland Australia.
“The welfare of the animals in our care is our highest priority, and our habitats are specifically designed to ensure the safety and security of each species, with incidents of this nature extremely rare,” the park said.
Tasmanian devils are carnivorous marsupials native to Tasmania and are known for their powerful jaws, loud screeches and nocturnal behaviour. The species is listed as endangered in the wild due largely to the spread of Devil Facial Tumour Disease.
