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5-year-old male Tasmanian devil dies at an Albuquerque zoo
Original Publication Date: November 2, 2016 8:43AM
Publication Updated: April 27, 2025 8:28AM
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – An Albuquerque zoo says a 5-year-old male Tasmanian devil on loan from Australia has died.
Sylar was one of four Tasmanian devils loaned to the ABQ BioPark in 2013 from Australia’s Healesville Sanctuary as part of an ambassador program.
Zoo officials say Sylar’s keepers noticed last Friday that he was lethargic and coughing and a medical treatment plan was started.
Early indications from a necropsy are that Sylar died Saturday of natural causes.
Test results will be completed within a few weeks.
The average lifespan of Tasmanian devils in the wild is 5 to 7 years.
Tasmanian devils are carnivorous marsupials found in the wild only on the Australian island state of Tasmania.
With Sylar’s death, three of the marsupials remain in the Tasmanian devil group at ABQ BioPark.
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