Animal
15:01, 29-Apr-2018
Healthy group of endangered Tasmanian devils discovered by scientists
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A small group of 14 Tasmanian devils were found in the island’s southwest wilderness region with no signs of being infected by the disease which has killed most of the species.
The population of Tasmanian devils, which are known for biting each other as they fight over mates and food, has slumped because of the spread of an infectious facial cancer.
Since the discovery of the disease, the number of wild devils has decreased by 80 percent, said The Independent.
There are eight known naturally occurring transmissible cancers, one in dogs, two in Tasmanian devils, and five in various species of marine bivalves, according to a research published on the Cell Press earlier this month.
Tasmanian devils are known for biting each other on the face as they fight over mates and food. /Photo via VCG
Tasmanian devils are known for biting each other on the face as they fight over mates and food. /Photo via VCG
These endangered marsupials were found by scientists on a collaboration expedition in south-west Tasmania of Australia, working with the Save the Tasmanian Devil Program, the University of Sydney Faculty of Science, University of Sydney and Toledo Zoo from Ohio in the US.
Scientists analyzed tissue samples from the animal’s ear biopsies in order to study the genetics of the healthy devils to compare them to the infected populations.
“Facial tumor disease travels from devil to devil through the landscape and clearly in the past devils did get through there,” Save the Tasmanian Devil Program manager Dr. David Pemberton told Australia's ABC news network.
"It is very isolated geographically with terrain that devils tend not to cross. So to date, it hasn't happened and with any luck, it might not,” he said. “Finding devils with fresh genetic diversity gives us opportunities.”
[Cover photo via VCG]
9687km