Devastating footage shows a Tassie devil with facial tumour with part of jaw missing

A Tasmanian hiker has come across the disturbing sight of a Tasmanian devil in the throes of the devastating devil facial tumour disease (DFT). Watch.

A Tasmanian hiker has come across the disturbing sight of a Tasmanian devil in the throes of the devastating devil facial tumour disease (DFT).

Liam Oakdowns was strolling through Coningham Nature Recreation Area southwest of Hobart on Wednesday when he was surprised by the appearance of a devil, only to notice very quickly that something was wrong.

“It barely noticed me and was stumbling when as it walked,” he said.

“What I at first thought was something in its mouth was a very obvious tumour – part of his jaw was missing.”

Mr Oakdowns had never seen a sick devil before this incident, with the animal soon becoming startled by Mr Oakdowns’ movement and dashing off into the scrub.

Mr Oakdowns reported the animal to both Bonorong and the state department of Natural Resources and Management.

A Tasmanian devil spotted by a hiker in Coningham Nature Recreation Area appears to be affected by Facial Tumour Disease. Picture: Liam Oakwood

Menzies Institute for Medical Research immunologist and associate professor Andy Flies says the devil captured on video has a disfigured mandible, a sign consistent with DFT.

“Diagnosis cannot be made from images as samples would need to be collected for molecular testing in the laboratory to make a definitive diagnosis,” he said.

Dr Flies said the devil population is likely “relatively low” in the Snug area where the filmed devil was seen, with Tasmania as a whole seeing an 82 per cent population by 2020 decline since DFT first emerged.

With no immediate solution, the state government, wildlife sanctuaries and volunteer groups have safeguarded the Tasmanian devil population by maintaining a genetically diverse population of devils isolated from the DFT-affected devils.

The emergence of a second strain of DFT – labelled DFT2 – has been another hit to southern populations of wild devils, the second strain reported in the Cygnet and Snug region in 2014.

Dr Flies said that while DFT2 has only been detected in the D’Entrecasteaux Channel, including the Snug area, it is unknown whether the devil captured on video is impacted by that strain.

“Research is in progress to document the distribution of DFT2 and the rate of spread,” he said.

“Physical characteristics of the two diseases are very similar, although DFT2 is known to occur on other parts of the body as well as the face.”

The Department of Natural Resources and Environment (NRE) Tasmania said it is aware of reports of a Tasmanian devil with suspected facial tumours in Snug and encourages the public to call Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary if they find sick or injured wildlife.

“The devil population in the Snug area is known to be diseased, with cases of devil facial tumour 1 (DFT1) and devil facial tumour 2 (DFT2) confirmed in the Channel region,” an NRE spokeswoman said.

Anyone who finds sick or injured wildlife should call Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary on 0447 264 625.

Originally published as Devastating footage shows a Tassie devil with facial tumour with part of jaw missing