Nature1 February 2006 [published online]
Carina Dennis
A horrible facial cancer is decimating the Tasmanian devil population. But researchers in Australia think they have found a way to save the species. facial-tumour disease, a deadly transmissible cancer that is threatening the survival of this feisty marsupial. When reviewing her records later that night, Lazenby, who is part of a scientific team monitoring the devils, was astonished to find that the animal, nicknamed Half pea, had been recorded nearly a year previously as having the disease. This made her one of the longest survivors the team had ever encountered. The fact that Half pea had resisted the tumour for at least twice as long as most other devils meant she might hold a clue for scientists trying to help the species. "Amid this heartbreaking background of losing so many devils, suddenly this animal pops up and it's like, 'wow, maybe
there is hope'," says Lazenby.
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