HOBART, Australia, June 11 (UPI) -- Plans to export Tasmanian devils to the United States and Europe have upset Australian wildlife park owners, the Australian Broadcasting Corp. reported Sunday.
Tasmanian devils are rarely exported, where wildlife officials bill the animals as a top draw for tourists. An embargo banning the export of the animals is expected to expire soon, the broadcaster said.
About 20 of the devils are expected to be moved to a New Mexico zoo before the end of the year, with other plans in the works to send some to zoos in Europe.
The state government on the island of Tasmania gave four of the animals as a gift to Denmark in April, a rare exception to the embargo. Wildlife officials are outraged that their government's icon is to be removed, the broadcaster said.
Park operator Ray Green told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. that some tourists visit Australia solely for the purpose of viewing the Tasmanian devils.
