Devil facial tumour disease causes tumours to form in and around the mouth, interfering with feeding and eventually leading to death by starvationDFTD
First seen in 1996 in Mount William in northeastern Tasmania, devil facial tumour disease (DFTD) has ravaged Tasmania's wild devils, and estimates of the impact range from 20% to as much as a 50% decline in the devil population, with over 65% of the state affected.

The disease is an example of a transmissible cancer, which means that it is contagious and passed from one animal to another. Short of a cure, scientists are removing the sick animals and quarantining healthy devils in case the wild population dies out.

For more information, visit http://www.devilark.com.au/