Let’s stretch our ‘Australian Week’ by just one more day…

We’ve all heard of the Tasmanian Devil, but surprisingly few people know what they actually look like (I blame a certain popular cartoon character). Even fewer people know that since 2000, the wild Tasmanian Devil population has been affected by a mysterious cancer which is threatening to wipe them out entirely in the years to come.

We love the work done by the Tasmanian Devil Conservation Park, a place I had the privilege to visit in 2010.

Tasmanian Devil at the Tasmanian Devil Conservation Park, by Anna Tinker

Does the Tasmanian Devil deserve its fearsome reputation? We think it does! Have a look at these little devils fighting over their lunch…

You can’t not be drawn to Tasmanian Devil! They’re unique and special and we want more than anything to keep them around.

Here are some quick facts on the disease currently spreading through the the wild Tasmanian Devil population (taken from the small print on the sign pictured below), directly from the Tasmanian Devil Conservation Park.

- The Tasmanian Devil is now an endangered species

- More than half of all wild devils have perished

- Tasmanian Devil Facial Tumour Disease is a unique contagious cancer

- It affects only Tasmanian Devils and is always fatal

-  The cancer is transferred directly by biting during feeding and mating

- Preventing Direct contact is the best way to stop the disease from spreading

- The disease was first noticed in 2000 and has spread across most of Tasmania

- There is no barrier to stop it reaching the west coast

- Its origin is not known

Beautiful and wild Tasmanian Devil habitat, by Anna Tinker

Unfortunately, this mysterious cancer is just one of the many threats faced by Tasmanian Devils. According to IUCN, more than 2,200 are killed each year on Tasmania’s roads.

The Tasmanian Devil (Sarcophilus harrisii)
is on the IUCN Red List for Threatened Species as “endangered“
population trend: decreasing