(Image source: Wikimedia Commons)

BY STEVEN SPARKMAN

ANCHOR ANA COMPAIN-ROMERO

You're watching multisource science news analysis from Newsy.

They’re saddled with one of the least flattering animal names, and that’s way down on their list of problems.

Tasmanian devil populations have been decimated in the last decade by a bizarre disease -- a cancer that spreads like a virus -- putting them on the endangered species list in 2008.

“The unusual contagious cancer is spread through biting during fights for food or mates, and produces gross lesions around the mouth, head, and neck. It has been estimated that if nothing is done to save the devils, they could be extinct within the next 20-25 years.” (Video source: New Tang Dynasty Television)

Devil facial tumor disease, or DFTD, causes tumors that eventually close off the animals’ mouths or throats, leading to death by starvation or suffocation. But scientists fighting to protect the animals have sequenced the devils’ genome, giving hope that the species will survive.

One of the devils they sequenced was named Cedric. He was unique in that he showed an immune response to the disease. Unfortunately, even Cedric’s amazing DNA couldn’t protect him forever -- he succumbed to the disease last year. (Video source: ABC Australia)

But now Cedric’s DNA and the DNA of another devil named Spirit have been assembled into a full genome. The genome data will be invaluable for efforts to save the devils. Popular Science explains one of the more promising programs.

“The scheme hatched by scientists involves keeping a population of Tasmanian devils in zoos and other facilities where they won’t be in contact with wild Tasmanian devils -- and therefore will be quarantined from the disease. Once DFTD has run its course, the captive populations could be reintroduced into the wild and allowed to repopulate their native island.”

Unfortunately, the genome data showed the devils have another problem: low genetic diversity. Wild populations are largely inbred, and have been for a century. New Scientist tells us why.

“Humans had a heavy hand in this. First the devils were wiped out in mainland Australia by dingoes brought in by settlers, then those that remained in Tasmania were hunted as pests, causing several population crashes.”

With the new DNA data, the breeding programs can now plan out the best way to keep diversity up. In a Penn State press release, the lead researcher says that’s the best way to protect the animals -- even after this particular disease is gone.

"It might seem you'd want to choose only those individuals that are genetically resistant to the DFTD cancer. However, that would defeat the purpose of maintaining genetic diversity … You don't want to put out just the one fire -- the cancer. Instead, you want to develop a pool of diverse, healthy individuals that can fight future maladies or even pathogens that have not yet evolved."

Since they eat pretty much everything and compete with several invasive species for food, the loss of the devils would devastate Tasmania’s ecosystem. Other efforts to save the devils involve research on a vaccine and setting up wilderness preserves.

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Transcript by Newsy