# Cool! Warner Bros. to help save Tasmanian Devil from extinction. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 29, 2007, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-warner-bros-to-help-save-tasmanian-devil-from-extinction/405872 "2007-05-29T04:52:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-warner-bros-to-help-save-tasmanian-devil-from-extinction/405872/1 "2007-05-29T04:52:06Z")
It seems there is an epidemic of cancer spreading among the little devils in Northeast Tasmania, where 90% of the beasts have perished. It is spreading south and west and scientists estimate there will be no disease-free populations within five years. Enter Warner Bros., whose cartoons have made an icon of Taz and his brethren: > [@](#): > > State Tourism, Arts and Environment Minister Paula Wriedt said Saturday that Warner Bros. had struck a deal with the government to donate 1 Australian dollar ($0.82) for each sale from a new series of DVDs to be released in Australia featuring the company’s cartoon characters. > > Proceeds will be donated to a fund managed by the University of Tasmania to help the animals, Wriedt said in a statement. [Story](http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D8PCVQ101.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-warner-bros-to-help-save-tasmanian-devil-from-extinction/405872/2 "2007-05-29T07:26:48Z")
A nice offer, although I’m doubtful how much it will actually raise. Still, every bit helps. And it’s definitely needed. The danger facing the Tasmanian devil is pretty significant. ---
**Author:** ![buns3000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c89c15/32.png) [@buns3000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buns3000)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-warner-bros-to-help-save-tasmanian-devil-from-extinction/405872/3 "2007-05-29T08:08:44Z")
Wonder whether WB will reconsider when they lay eyes on the actual animal and note it doesn’t look remotely like their cartoon version. ---
**Author:** ![betenoir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@betenoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betenoir)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-warner-bros-to-help-save-tasmanian-devil-from-extinction/405872/4 "2007-05-29T08:50:47Z")
And they don’t spin around in circles. But they do manage the same hostility. But they still don’t deserve to go extinct. It bad enough that we killed off all the Tasmanians. ---
**Author:** ![si\_blakely](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@si\_blakely](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/si_blakely)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-warner-bros-to-help-save-tasmanian-devil-from-extinction/405872/5 "2007-05-29T13:35:08Z")
[QUOTE=betenoir] But they still don’t deserve to go extinct. It bad enough that we killed off all the Tasmanians. [/QUOTE] To be fair, **Devil facial tumour disease** appears to be natural and some resistance may be developing within the Devil population. However, resistance genes may not spread fast enough to preserve the current population. If that is that case, isolation of breeding groups until the current outbreak burns out is the only thing that will save the Devils. Si ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-warner-bros-to-help-save-tasmanian-devil-from-extinction/405872/6 "2007-05-29T13:42:14Z")
I brought up this last year, along with the Australian annomaly of parthenogenesis on the western continent. It’s a nasty disease for sure. ---
**Author:** ![Frustrated\_Wonderer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a4c791/32.png) [@Frustrated\_Wonderer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frustrated_Wonderer)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-warner-bros-to-help-save-tasmanian-devil-from-extinction/405872/7 "2007-05-29T13:49:31Z")
Such a shame that the Tazmanian Devil is dying like that, a dollar per DVD sold dosen’t seem too much for me…hopefuly it will be enough. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-warner-bros-to-help-save-tasmanian-devil-from-extinction/405872/8 "2007-05-29T14:12:18Z")
If they’d release more seasons of Night Court on DVD, I’ll bet it would raise a lot of money for the poor devils. At least from me. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-warner-bros-to-help-save-tasmanian-devil-from-extinction/405872/9 "2007-05-29T14:42:14Z")
I was reading a book on the Tasmanian Devil which commented on the relationship between the real animal and its cartoon counterpart and the relations between Warner Bros. and the Australian government over the use over the Taz character. The Australian government has wished to use Taz as a symbol of goodwill and tourism in the past, and Warner Bros. has attempted to sue Australian businesses that use the “Tasmanian Devil” name on their products, even though it is the name of a real animal. I’m glad to see that the two are working together to help save the animal. ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-warner-bros-to-help-save-tasmanian-devil-from-extinction/405872/10 "2007-05-29T16:29:53Z")
[QUOTE=cochrane] It seems there is an epidemic of cancer spreading among the little devils in Northeast Tasmania, where 90% of the beasts have perished. [/QUOTE] So they’re not dying off due to a rabbit shortage? ---
**Author:** ![dwc1970](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@dwc1970](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwc1970)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-warner-bros-to-help-save-tasmanian-devil-from-extinction/405872/11 "2007-05-29T17:48:12Z")
[QUOTE=JThunder] So they’re not dying off due to a rabbit shortage? [/QUOTE] If the books that Bugs Bunny uses for reference are any indication, there are dozens of other animals Tazmanian devils could eat for sustenance. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-warner-bros-to-help-save-tasmanian-devil-from-extinction/405872/12 "2007-05-29T18:08:21Z")
[QUOTE=JThunder] So they’re not dying off due to a rabbit shortage? [/QUOTE] Duck shortage! It’s great of Warner to help, but the actual offer is kind of underwhelming. ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-warner-bros-to-help-save-tasmanian-devil-from-extinction/405872/13 "2007-05-29T18:17:39Z")
Rabbit shortage! ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-warner-bros-to-help-save-tasmanian-devil-from-extinction/405872/14 "2007-05-29T18:21:58Z")
Duck shortage! ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-warner-bros-to-help-save-tasmanian-devil-from-extinction/405872/15 "2007-05-29T18:23:44Z")
Rabbit shortage! ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-warner-bros-to-help-save-tasmanian-devil-from-extinction/405872/16 "2007-05-29T18:34:06Z")
[QUOTE=mobo85] I was reading a book on the Tasmanian Devil which commented on the relationship between the real animal and its cartoon counterpart and the relations between Warner Bros. and the Australian government over the use over the Taz character. The Australian government has wished to use Taz as a symbol of goodwill and tourism in the past, and Warner Bros. has attempted to sue Australian businesses that use the “Tasmanian Devil” name on their products, even though it is the name of a real animal. I’m glad to see that the two are working together to help save the animal. [/QUOTE] I can’t imagine that Chuck Jones would be happy with WB suing folks over the use of Tasmanian Devil. In his autobiography _Chuck Amok_, he talks about working with various wildlife groups, seems he felt that since animals helped provide him with a comfortable living, he owed them a bit of help. Still, it’s nice to see that WB is offering to help. Duck shortage! ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-warner-bros-to-help-save-tasmanian-devil-from-extinction/405872/17 "2007-05-29T20:49:21Z")
This is the point where ol’ Bugs would turn the tables: Bugs: Duck shortage. Daffy: Well, I say there’s a rabbit shortage. What are you waitin’ for? Eat the duck! ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2007, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-warner-bros-to-help-save-tasmanian-devil-from-extinction/405872/18 "2007-05-30T00:13:17Z")
[QUOTE=JThunder] Rabbit shortage! [/QUOTE] You keep out of this. He does not have to eat you now. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2007, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-warner-bros-to-help-save-tasmanian-devil-from-extinction/405872/19 "2007-05-30T00:30:48Z")
[QUOTE=Bryan Ekers] You keep out of this. He does not have to eat you now. [/QUOTE] There’s the problem- pronoun trouble. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2007, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-warner-bros-to-help-save-tasmanian-devil-from-extinction/405872/20 "2007-05-30T01:00:40Z")
Elmer Shortage??? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-warner-bros-to-help-save-tasmanian-devil-from-extinction/405872.md?page=2)