IntheWild
Thesmelloffoodbringsdevilstogether.Theycreateanorderaboutwhoeatswhat—andwhen.Theygrowl.Theysneeze.Theybark.Eachsoundmeansadifferentthing.Theycombinetheirsoundswithbiting.Andthat’swheretrouble began.
Tasmaniandevilsusetheirexcellentsenseofsmelltoavoidpredatorsandlocatepreyand carrion.
TheseTasmaniandevils“talk”over dinner.
TroubleinTasmania
Oneday,aphotographertookapictureofsomedevils.Hesawgrowthsontheirfaces.Heshowedhispicturestoscientists.Theylearnedthatthedevilshadararekindofcancer.Itspreadsfromdeviltodevilthroughbiting.Devilsoftendiefromthis cancer.
AcancerspreadsbetweenTasmaniandevilswhensickanimalsbitehealthy ones.
ProtectingDevils
Scientistswantedtohelp.Theybeganbreedinghealthydevilsinasafeplace.Thesedevilsdidnothavethe cancer.
Theytrappedwilddevilstostudythem,too.Theymaderecordsofeachdevil’shealthandthenreleased them.
ayoungTasmanian devil
Breedingprogramsmadesurethatdisease-freedevilswouldlive on.
Thisdevilisreleasedfromatrapthathelpsscientistswatchoverits health.
Inthelab,scientistsareworkingonamedicineforthesickdevils.Somedevilsaregettingbetterontheir own.
Everyonewantsdevilstogetbetter.Theyareimportant animals!