Cedric – the Tasmanian devil - dies of facial tumors

By Dr. Ananya Mandal, MDSep 2 2010

Cedric, a captive born Tasmanian devil climbed to fame in 2007 when it was shown that he was genetically resistant to facial tumors. Initially he and his half-brother Clinky were given a vaccine of sorts containing dead tumor cells and later “challenged” with live tumor cells by the University of Tasmania researchers in 2007. Clinky developed the cancer, but Cedric did not - starting hopes that he had an immunity that could help scientists develop a vaccine.

However when researchers introduced live cells again a year later, he developed the disease. In late 2008 he developed two small facial tumours, which were successfully removed. He survived until last week when lung tumors led to him being put down, at the age of six.

Facial tumors or DFTD (Devil Facial Tumour Disease), are a transmissible cancer that affect devils across most of their range, and is feared to be rising in incidence in the clean populations of the north-west.

According to one of the scientists, Alex Kreiss of the Menzies Research Institute in Hobart, “This was a very sad day… Devils are actually great to work with because they can be really friendly animals.” Dr. Kreiss said, “Cedric has played an important part in helping us to understand more about the disease… He provided hope that an immune response can be generated against DFTD and his recent battle has strengthened our resolve to help the devils defeat this disease.” He revealed that the university held eight captive-bred devils, but had no immediate plans to test the cancer on any of them.

Tasmanian devils have officially become endangered. Sighting surveys have recorded an average decline of 80 per cent in the number of animals, the state government's Save the Tasmanian Devil Program said. Attempts to rebuild the animal numbers is made by maintaining a captive insurance population, both in Australian zoos and by establishing wild enclosures around Tasmania.

The spread of the disease is planned to be checked by the devil program that will involve a barrier to protect a 550-strong population on the 22,000-hectare Woolnorth property in the far north-west. According to Samantha Fox, a wildlife biologist with the program, “Woolnorth has the healthiest and most abundant population of devils in Tasmania.”