Publicité
Facial cancer threatens to wipe out Tasmanian Devil
Par
Partager cet article
Facial cancer threatens to wipe out Tasmanian Devil
A lack of genetic diversity in Australia?s Tasmanian Devil means it has failed to launch an immune defence response to a facial cancer decimating populations, Australian researchers say.
The facial cancer produces large tumours on the face and neck of the Tasmanian Devil, found only on the southern Australian island state of Tasmania, which interfere with feeding. Death usually occurs within six months. The Tasmanian Devil is a carnivorous marsupial about the size of a small muscular dog. It has black fur, gives off a skunk-like odour when stressed, and earns its name for its ferocious temperament and disturbing call. ?We found that the Devils do not mount an immune response against the tumour,? said Katherine Belov from Sydney University?s School of Veterinary Science. ?Essentially, there are no natural barriers to the spread of the disease, so affected individuals must be removed from populations to stop disease transmission,? said Belov. The study also found that the facial cancer was genetically identical in every animal and had originated from a single contagious cell line, spread throughout the population by biting during fights for food and mates. The Tasmanian Devil faces extinction in 10 to 20 years due to the facial cancer, the report said.
Publicité
Publicité
Les plus récents
