Facts about Tasmanian Devil Tumor Disease Impact
- 05
Researchers have found that some Tasmanian devil populations are showing signs of rapid evolutionary adaptation, developing genetic resistance to the facial tumor disease.
- 04
Unlike most cancers, devil facial tumor disease is one of only a few known transmissible cancers documented in nature, making it scientifically extraordinary.
- 03
In response to the disease, conservation programs have established insurance populations of healthy Tasmanian devils in mainland Australia and overseas zoos.
- 02
Tasmanian devil facial tumor disease is transmitted when devils bite each other, spreading living cancer cells directly between individuals.
- 01
Devil facial tumor disease is a rare contagious cancer that has caused Tasmanian devil populations to decline by over 80 percent since it was first observed in 1996.