Environment

Tasmanian devils could be extinct in 10 years

by Amy Judd | October 21, 2008 at 12:21 pm

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Tasmanian devils were breeding early to beat cancer, but now they could be extinct in 10 years if a vaccine against the cancer is not found.

The public has even been asked to help fund a breeding program for 500 disease-free devils in zoos and parks throughout Australia.

They hope the program, known as the Noah's Ark option, will provide "an insurance policy" for the species in case a vaccine can't be found.

The fierce black-furred mammals are under threat from Devil Facial Tumour Disease. The highly-contagious cancer results in a painful death for devils, as the malignant tumours prevent the animals from eating, sometimes pushing out teeth and invading eye sockets. They eventually starve to death.

Guy Cooper, Taronga Zoo conservation society director, said the disease was spreading faster than expected. "The forecasts are now down to 10 years", he said. "Basically now it is too late for science to come up with the answer.

"The only way to safeguard this animal and guarantee its future is the insurance program."

There are currently 115 devils in the program, but they need about $500,000 to expand it. The animals ususally only breed two or three times throughout their lives and so far only one disease-resistant devil has been found.

The cancer, spread through biting during mating and over food, has spread over most of Tasmasia's east coast as the devils are such a close genetic line that the cancer spreads really quickly.
The disease was first discovered about 10 years ago and has since cut the initial population of 150,000 by two thirds.
The Tasmanian Devil are the size of a small dog, but are the worlds' largest marsupial carnivores. They were made famous by the 'Tasmanian Devil' cartoons.

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◄ccdoh1►

at 17:34 on October 21st, 2008

I took this photograph at the Devil Conservation Park in Taranna on the Tasman Peninsula, Tasmania. Updates from their research and work can be found following this link: http://www.tasmaniandevilpark.com/news.html

◄ccdoh1► has contributed a photo to this story.

World_Groove

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at 18:54 on October 21st, 2008

Wow !

Thanks for the story. Really Bizarre.

Pyrik

at 23:16 on October 21st, 2008

I remember the guide talking about the facial tumors, but no mention of this program. It's good to know that something is in place to help these unique animals.

Pyrik has contributed a photo to this story.