Tasmanian Devils are nocturnal animals, which are widely found in
Tasmania, the island state of Australia. Earlier found throughout the
southern continent of Australia, these devils are now only restricted to
the different habitats of Tasmania including the outskirts of the urban
areas as well.
The farmers and residents of Tasmania consider these animals as friends
because they keep the mice population under control and at the same time
feed on animal carcasses, preventing the spread of diseases.
The survival of these devils is under threat, as a killer disease is
affecting these night creatures fatally. The disease is a cancer named
Devil Facial Tumour Disease (DFTD). It has already killed half the
animal population in the wild as reported by the scientists. The disease
has made the Tasmanian Devils an endangered species.
Devil Facial Tumour Disease
This contagious facial tumour is a serious threat to the devils as it
is a non-viral transmittable parasitic cancer, which causes a tumour
around the mouth of the devil and spreads very fast. An effected
Tasmanian devil with this kind of facial tumour will first have problem
with regular eating habits, which will ultimately lead to starvation and
death.
Devil Facial Tumour Disease is only one of three recorded forms of
contagious cancers. This disease is passed from one devil to another
through biting. The lack of genetic diversity among the Tasmanian Devils
fails to reject the live tumour cells, and for this reason, this fatal
disease continues to occur in places where it was recorded previously.
Though it is uncommon for wildlife diseases to become the sole cause of
extinction in the absence of other threats, there has not been any
evidence till date of resistance or recovery from the disease. The
normal life expectancy of the Tasmanian devil is up to six years but
DFTD affected devils can hardly live for another 3 months.
The first case of the disease
First described in the year 1996 in the northeast region of Tasmania,
this disease by now has affected over 65% of the population of the
Devils, resulting a 20% to 50% decline in its population since the time
it was first discovered.
Though the first case was found during the 90s, the seriousness of the
disease was not known until 2003, after the deadly disease had already
killed 75,000 Tasmanian devils in the wild. As of December 2009, this
fatal disease has spread across the mainland of Tasmania by more than
60% and the population of the devils has decreased by more than 70%.
How does it affect the devils?
Small lumps appear around the mouth area, which ultimately develop
into large tumours on the face and the neck and even on other parts of
the body. The sexually matured devils are easily infected by this
disease because the devils have a tendency to bite each other’s mouth
area after attending maturity. The Tasmanian devils can become extinct
within five years if those affected are not immediately culled and kept
in isolation.
Steps taken to save the devils
A joint strategy of the Australian and Tasmanian Government named
Save the Tasmanian Devil Program has been put up with the objectives of
captivating and free-ranging Insurance Populations, collaborating
laboratory-based investigations of DFTD and managing strategies for wild
populations.
Sydney's Taronga Zoo
has a new breading center to help ward off their extinction.
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