Tasmanian Devils Second Cancer Research

More than a decade of monitoring in southern Tasmania suggests Tasmanian devils affected by a second contagious cancer are faring better than scientists first feared.

Researchers from the University of Tasmania have been tracking Devil Facial Tumour 2, or DFT2, since it emerged in the wild.

Early concerns were that it could pose a major new threat to a species already hit by an earlier transmissible cancer.

Long-term monitoring now suggests the disease is spreading more slowly than expected and devil populations have remained stable.

“We expected this disease to spread faster and have a stronger impact,” said wildlife ecologist Dr Rodrigo Hamede from the University’s School of Natural Sciences.

“What we are seeing is slower spread than anticipated and populations that have remained stable over that period.”

The findings do not remove the risk, but they are changing how scientists understand the disease.

“That suggests there may be some capacity for devils to adapt and live with this cancer over time,” Dr Hamede said.

Understanding those long-term trends has relied on years of monitoring across southern Tasmania, including the Kingborough and Huon Valley regions, where the disease remains largely contained.

More than 300 landowners have allowed access to their properties over many years, making it possible to track changes over time.

“Most of the area where this cancer occurs is on private land,” Dr Hamede said.

“The only way to understand it properly is through long-term access, and that has come from the community.”

Monitoring methods have also changed. In the past two years, researchers have added camera traps and artificial intelligence, allowing them to screen large numbers of images and focus field work more precisely.

Public Seminars:

The findings will be shared at two public seminars in southern Tasmania, where researchers will report back to the community and discuss the next stage of the work.

Twice bitten, still standing: Tasmanian devils coexisting with two cancers

• Kingborough – Sunday 26 July, register online
• Franklin (Palais Theatre) – Sunday 16 August, register online

The sessions are open to the public and will outline what researchers are seeing in the field and how landowners have contributed to the work.

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