Wild Tasmanian Devil: Facial Tumor Disease and Conservation Welfare

Tasmanian devils face extinction from Devil Facial Tumor Disease — a transmissible cancer causing devastating facial tumors and starvation-driven death.

Key Facts

Devil Facial Tumor Disease (DFTD) is one of only a handful of naturally occurring transmissible cancers known in any species
DFTD has killed an estimated 80% of Tasmania's devil population since it emerged in 1996; some subpopulations lost >95%
Tumors grow around the face and mouth, eventually preventing feeding — affected devils die of starvation within 3–6 months of tumor appearance
The disease spreads through biting during feeding and mating interactions; devil social behavior makes transmission inevitable
Insurance populations on mainland Australia and a second transmissible tumor strain (DFTD2) complicate recovery planning

Welfare Considerations

DFTD causes prolonged, severe suffering. Tumors grow rapidly around the face, eyes, and mouth, causing pain, vision loss, and progressive obstruction of the airway and feeding ability. Affected animals cannot eat normally — they attempt to feed but cannot swallow, leading to starvation alongside tumor-related pain and infection. The 3–6 month progression from tumor appearance to death involves sustained suffering. Because the disease is transmitted socially, removing severely affected individuals is complicated by the need to maintain population viability. Conservation breeding programs keep the species viable but do not address the suffering of wild individuals currently infected.

What You Can Do

Donate to the Save the Tasmanian Devil Program run by the Australian and Tasmanian governments
Support the Tasmanian Devil Unzipped genetic research program developing vaccine candidates
Advocate for adequate federal funding of devil facial tumor research and insurance population management
If visiting Tasmania, observe guidelines about approaching or feeding wildlife to avoid stressing devils
Support Rewilding Australia's efforts to establish self-sustaining devil populations on predator-free islands