8:00pm – Thursday, June 18 on ABC1 Tasmanian Devil The Tasmanian
Devil is afflicted by a unique type of contagious cancer that’s
never been seen in nature before. In just ten years, the Devil
Facial Tumour Disease has spread to more than 60 percent of
Tasmania and wiped out three-quarters of the Devil population.
The Devil is Tasmania’s top predator and the largest carnivorous
marsupial left on the planet. It rears its young in a pouch that
faces backwards, climbs trees, and can eat nearly half its body
weight in less than an hour. But the future of this unique
creature faces an unprecedented threat and unless the spread of
the cancer can be stopped the devils could be wiped out with
devastating effect to Tasmania’s ecosystems. Mark Horstman
reveals new research from an unexpected source: human cancer
geneticist, Dr Vanessa Hayes, offers a ray of hope in the fight
to save the devil from extinction. The Royal Botanic Gardens The
Royal Botanic Gardens is the oldest scientific research
organisation in Australia.