FREE save the newsletter Tasmanian Devil www.tassiedevil.com.au ISSN 1833-4954 December 2007 In this issue: Welcome An immediate priority of the Save the Meanwhile, Australian Air Express and 3 Dunalley’s Tasmanian Devil Program is to trap and Qantas have again generously offered their ‘Golden collect about 90 Tasmanian devils from the wings to fly a further 25 healthy devils to the Gate’ wild to boost our insurance population. mainland, far away from DFTD. They came from western Tasmania and have been in The devils in the captive insurance quarantine since March 2007. These young population could play an important role, if devils will be transported to Western Plains ever needed, in helping re-establish healthy Zoo, managed by the NSW Zoological wild populations in Tasmania. At present, Parks Board, and to the Australian Reptile the prognosis is that wild devils may be Park in Gosford, extinct within 25-30 years. NSW, which will be the largest What The Save the Tasmanian Devil Program, 3 breeding facility roadkill taking advice from the Australasian Regional for Tasmanian Association of Zoological Parks and Aquaria can tell us devils on the (ARAZPA), has determined that we need mainland. an effective population size of around 500 Devilish breeding devils to maintain the genetic 4 folk In December, 2006, and January this year, diversity of the species over a period of 10 48 devils were sent to mainland wildlife to 20 years. This may mean having as many parks. Happily, the 30 adults of this first as 1,500 devils being intensively managed shipment have produced 14 young. in captivity – a massive task. Dr Steven Smith Monitoring surveys are currently underway Manager, Save the Tasmanian Devil in the far north and north-west of the Program State to prepare for the collection of more insurance animals, planned for early next year. To date, there is very strong Express evidence that the Devil Facial Tumour 6 Disease (DFTD) has not spread further post west than the Cradle Mountain area. Once collected, these animals will be housed under strict veterinary supervision in purpose-built quarantine enclosures. If all health and quarantine requirements are satisfied, it will be possible to release them to join the insurance population. Gavin Cowell (pictured here with Steve Smith) and Beth Ellingworth from Sargison’s Jewellers in Hobart, are donating to the Save the Tasmanian Devil Program part of the proceeds of a new item of silver and gold devil jewellery (see inset picture). 2 www.tassiedevil.com.au DFTD: The story so far • The first signs of the Devil Facial Tumour Disease Tasmanian Governments, co-ordinated by the (DFTD) were observed in 1996. Tasmanian Department of Primary Industries and Water. It focuses on monitoring wild populations • DFTD is a deadly disease, restricted to Tasmanian to determine the spread of the disease, devils. Small lumps in and around the mouth management methods to control the impact of develop into large tumours on the face and neck. DFTD on wild populations, and the implementation Once the cancer becomes visible, death usually of an insurance population strategy (including follows within months. a captive-breeding program). The Save the Tasmanian Devil Program also includes laboratory- • DFTD is a contagious tumour that is spread based investigation of the disease, featuring between individuals through biting. The foreign collaborations with scientists throughout Australia, cells of the tumour aren’t rejected by the animal’s New Zealand, and the United States. immune system because of a lack of genetic diversity among Tasmanian devils. • There has been a 53 per cent decline in spotlighting sightings since the first report of the disease. DFTD has been confirmed at more than 60 different locations across 59 per cent of the State – the latest being Narawntapu National Park. It is likely to occur across the range of devils within five years although currently, there is strong evidence that the disease has not spread further west than the Cradle Mountain area. • The program to Save the Tasmanian Devil is a joint strategy of the Australian and A lack of genetic diversity Collaborative research across Australia has provided “In the case of devils, genetic diversity at the MHC is so further evidence that a lack of genetic diversity among low, and the MHC type of tumour and host are so alike, Tasmanian devils is a key factor in the transmission of that the host does not see the tumour as ‘non-self’.” Devil Facial Tumour Disease (DFTD). The research brought together scientific staff from The latest findings, published online in the Proceedings Sydney University, the University of Tasmania’s Menzies of the National Academy of Sciences, built on earlier Research Institute, the Department of Primary Industries research into the immune systems of Tasmanian devils. and Water (Tasmania), the Australian Museum and Macquarie University (NSW). DFTD is extremely rare as it’s only one of three recorded cancers that can spread like a contagious “We now have a tool to measure immune response disease. genes and we are now in search of devils whose MHC might be different from the MHC of the tumour,” said Dr “Devils do not mount an immune response against Greg Woods, Associate Professor Immunology at the DFTD,” said Dr Katherine Belov, from Sydney Menzies Research Institute. University’s School of Veterinary Science. “This knowledge could then be used to alert the devil’s “This is due to a loss of genetic diversity in the most immune system to recognise the cancer cells as foreign. important immune gene region of the genome: the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC). “This will then persuade the devil’s immune system to destroy these cancer cells.” [email protected] • telephone (03) 6233 6556 • GPO Box 44, Hobart, Tasmania 7001 3 www.tassiedevil.com.au What can roadkill tell us? At the beginning of October, The Save the Tasmanian Devil Dunalley’s program began training up volunteers to help determine the numbers of ‘Golden Tasmanian devils claimed by roadkill annually, as well as Gate’ thoughts on how to While the Dunalley Bridge may not reduce this figure. enjoy the high profile of Sydney’s Harbour Bridge, or the Golden Gate in A key aim of this San Francisco, it’s playing a key role in roadkill survey is the fight to save the Tasmanian devil. to monitor for Devil square, but we know that young Facial Tumour Disease (DFTD) animals often leave home and Traffic surveillance equipment has in areas where the evidence travel a larger distance. been adapted and installed on the suggests it hasn’t spread, like Dunalley Bridge – the only land access the north-west. For this reason, “It’s not only the distance that’s to the Tasman Peninsula. Under the there’s a particular interest surprising, but also that this supervision of University of Tasmania in the position of the disease was a female - we had thought Research Fellow, Dr Menna Jones, ‘front’, which is thought to lie it was mostly males that left wildlife staff have been trapping roughly along a line between home - and that she made and removing infected animals from Burnie and Derwent Bridge. the move so late in the year, wild populations on the peninsula to rather than soon after leaving suppress the spread of DFTD. Many devils across the state her mother’s den last summer. are now microchipped thanks Also, although this animal was The Dunalley Bridge now features to the work of the Program, and moving within the disease-free two light beams, set at different so volunteers are equipped with region of Tasmania, there isn’t heights. When the beams are broken microchip scanners that might an obvious reason why young by an animal crossing the bridge, give us some information about animals mightn’t travel such they activate a high-mounted camera the long range movements of distances from diseased areas. to take three pictures to show the devils. Understanding these It raises questions about why direction the animal is traveling. A 400- may help us understand better the disease hasn’t already watt floodlight had also been installed how DFTD spreads. spread more quickly.” to ensure enough light for the camera to capture the images of the entire Within weeks of the first two Volunteers with the survey are crossing zone. volunteers being trained, the given formal training, as well a survey returned information that kit. challenged what’s known about devil movements. Members of the public, however, are reminded that they “The second roadkill devil shouldn’t touch devils, even if that was reported was an 18- the animal is dead. And if you month-old female that had been do see dead or injured animals microchipped in July this year,” on the road, your first priority said Dr Clare Hawkins, Wildlife should be your own safety. Biologist for the Save the Tasmanian Devil Program. If you’d like more information on volunteering, you can contact “The interesting thing about this ‘Save the Tasmanian Devil’ animal is that she’d travelled program on Ph: 6233 2006 or Dydee Mann (right) and Amanda 110km in two and a half months. Email: DevilDisease.Enquiries Barrett trapping devils on the Tasman An adult home range is thought @dpiw.tas.gov.au Peninsula. to be no more than 10-20 km/ [email protected] • telephone (03) 6233 6556 • GPO Box 44, Hobart, Tasmania 7001 4 www.tassiedevil.com.au Devilish folk The diversity of expertise “I have peregrines among members of the nesting in my back Devil Facial Tumour Disease yard. What I’ve Program plays an important learned by simple role in furthering our observation, compared knowledge.