The San Diego Zoo has welcomed two male Tasmanian devils: Flotsam and Jetsam.
The pair are 3-year-old brothers from Aussie Ark, a conservation organization in New South Wales.
The duo, after their arrival Tuesday, has been placed in the zoo’s Australian Outback area, where visitors can observe them up-close.
Tasmanian devils are carnivorous marsupials found exclusively on the island Tasmania. They are most active in the early mornings and evenings, during Nighttime Zoo hours. In the mid-afternoon, members of the species are generally napping, according to a press release from the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance.
The zoo has cared for Tasmanian devils on and off since the 1950s. The species are endangered due to an infectious and fatal condition that has affected native populations.
Although the exact origin of their name is unknown, the phrase “flotsam and jetsam” is often used to describe ‘odds and ends,’ according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
“Thanks to collaborative research and conservation programs—such as San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance’s work through our Australian Forest Conservation Hub—their global population is beginning to rebound,” stated the press release.
