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Devil research funds stolen in break-in

Posted November 27, 2008 15:17:00

Up to $1,000 in donations has been stolen from a wildlife park on Tasmania's east coast which raises money for the endangered Tasmanian Devil.

Natureworld at Bicheno helps to raise money for housing disease-free devils as an insurance population.

Thieves took a 1.5 metre tall devil statue weighing 40 kilograms when they couldn't break it open to get the donations inside.

Natureworld's owner Bruce Engelfield says it's a huge blow to volunteers working on the 'Devil Island' project.

"When you get something like this happen, it is a bit of a psychological blow," Mr Engelfield said.

"Everybody's working so hard and it is a Tasmanian animal, a Tasmanian icon, you get this sort of set back and I think most of us just feel very sorry for the people who did this," he said.

Tags: community-and-society, environment, endangered-and-protected-species, law-crime-and-justice, crime, charities, burglary, tas, bicheno-7215, hobart-7000, launceston-7250