A member of the public has shocked a Tasmanian council meeting by unveiling a carcass of a Tasmanian devil — still dripping blood — during a debate about the lowering of a road's speed limit.
Warning: This story contains images of dead Tasmanian devils.
Last month, the Circular Head Council in the state's north-west voted down a proposal to lower the speed limit on Woolnorth and West Montagu roads from 100 to 80 kilometres an hour.
The area is known as a hotspot for Tasmanian devils becoming roadkill — with locals saying more than a hundred have been killed on the 25-kilometre stretch in just two years.
On Thursday night, a motion to reduce the speed limit was again brought before the council.
As one member of the public approached the podium to ask a question, she uncovered a dead Tasmanian devil from a plastic bag.
"I am here speaking on behalf of the Tasmanian devils, because they don't have a voice – why won't you help save my lives?" she said.
She then approached the councillors, with the council's mayor, Gerard Blizzard, urging her to put the carcass away and sit down.
"Last warning … I'll ask you to leave the room," he said before she left the front of the room and sat down.
Councillor Mark Dabner brought on the motion to again support a speed limit reduction.
"Not only do we have a shocking speed problem on Woolnough Road that just happens to magically correlate with devil deaths, there's a human behaviour issue going on as well — out of sight, go as fast as you like," he said.
"Unfortunately in this case the devils are the ones that are suffering …that's why around 100 devils a year are being killed on this road."
Six councillors voted for, while three voted against the speed limit reduction.
The council will now approach the state government for approval to reduce the speed limit.
After the previous motion was rescinded, the mayor said in a statement "sometimes decisions have to be reflected upon."
He said the council would continue to work on roadkill mitigation measures.
"Council has already invested heavily in a system of virtual fencing and safety signage along these roads and we continue to work with our community through the Circular Head Roadkill Mitigation Working Group on other measures to protect our Tasmanian devils," he said.
Roadkill a 'devastating memory', says Irwin
Wildlife conservationist Terri Irwin penned a letter to the council after January's meeting, urging them to support the speed limit reduction.
She said the state's tourism reputation would be elevated for something as simple as reducing the speed limit, adding that tourists discovering devils dead on the road would create "distinctly devastating" memories.
"This region is known for having the cleanest, most pure air quality in the world as well as being the only place on Earth where the world's largest carnivorous marsupial can be found," she wrote.
"With international tourism opening up again after the lockdowns surrounding the pandemic, people from around the world are eager to experience travel that will be one of a kind with lasting memories.
"Statistically, 80 per cent of Australian international visitation is inspired by the opportunity to experience our unusual and amazing wildlife.
"Conversely, the experience of discovering these incredible animals as roadkill gives a distinctly devastating memory of what should be a tourism highlight.
"For something as simple as reducing a speed limit, Tasmania's tourism reputation will be elevated."
Tasmanian Greens senator Peter Whish-Wilson commended the council for "listening to their local community and to the many others from all over Australia who made contact with the councillors after being rightly outraged at the council's initial decision not to stand up for the devil."
