Tag Archives: tasmanian devils

What Tasmanian Devils Are Teaching Us About Contagious Cancer

A Tasmanian Devil
In 2018, I included the Tasmanian devil in a blog about animals and cancer. At the time, the species was being pushed to extinction by a contagious cancer called the devil facial tumor (DFTD). DFTD spreads from devil to devil through bite injuries. Because Tasmanian devils are a top predator, a reduction in their population can disrupt the ecosystem and threaten other Tasmanian species. Given ongoing research, I thought it was time to follow up on this story to highlight what scientists have learned about this unusual disease.