A Tasmanian devil has received world-first reconstructive surgery at Healesville Sanctuary’s wildlife hospital.
Keepers recently noticed swelling on the ageing Matrix’s face.
The veterinary team at the Sanctuary’s Australian Wildlife Health Centre (AWHC) quickly discovered his canines were misaligned and rubbing on his gums.
The Tasmanian devil’s facial structure and teeth are important not just for eating, but for communicating and social interaction.
The sanctuary’s vet team and veterinary dental specialist Dr David Clarke worked together to come up with an innovative plan.
During an operation that lasted more than three hours, Dr Clarke and the AWHC team capped Matrix’s canines and reconstructed his damaged upper gums.
The surgery was a success and Matrix is recovering well and settling back into his enclosure.
Tasmanian devils are on the brink of extinction.
A horrific cancer called devil facial tumour disease spread rapidly across about 90 per cent of Tasmania, causing an equally-rapid decline in the wild population.
Matrix is only six years old but is considered elderly for a Tasmanian devil.
“As animals age their needs and behaviours change,” Healesville Sanctuary senior veterinarian Dr Leanne Wicker said.
“We have a life-long responsibility to respond to these changes.
“Matrix is an older devil, but his teeth were really the only thing slowing him down.
“Our animals’ quality of life is always our top priority, so we were prepared to go to great lengths to get Matrix grinning again.”
Healesville Sanctuary is part of the Save the Tasmanian Devil Program, a co-ordinated response from government, wildlife parks, universities and scientists to the threat of devil facial tumour disease.
