Funding offers hope for the devil

THE future looks brighter for the survival of Tasmanian devils after scientists received funding to develop a cancer vaccine in an attempt to save the species from extinction.

The devil facial tumour disease emerged in a single Tasmanian devil 18 years ago. The tumour cells pass between individuals through biting and grow rapidly, almost certainly leading to death.

The disease has spread throughout the only population left in the wild, threatening extinction of the species outside captivity.

Dr Hannah Siddle, from the University of Southampton, has received £183,759 funding from the Leverhulme Trust to develop a vaccine against a disease. She said: “The loss of the top carnivore in Tasmania would be disastrous for the ecosystem”.