The Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii) is fighting a population crisis caused by Devil Facial Tumour Disease (DFTD), a contagious cancer transmitted through biting. Conservation programs are racing to establish insurance populations and disease-resistant lineages.
DFTD causes severe facial tumours that grow around the mouth, interfering with feeding and causing starvation. Affected animals suffer significant pain and distress in their final weeks. Conservation welfare focuses on early detection to enable humane euthanasia before suffering becomes prolonged. Devils in captive insurance programs face welfare challenges including space constraints and social stress, as they are naturally solitary except during mating. Welfare monitoring includes body condition scoring, tumour surveillance, and behavioural indicators of stress.