The change to a monthly trapping regime for disease suppression work on the Forestier Peninsula has increased the chances of removing infected animals before they further spread the Devil Facial Tumour Disease (DFTD), scientists announced in August 2010.
Since November 2004, scientists from the Save the Tasmanian Devil Program have removed diseased devils from the geographically-isolated, south-eastern peninsula in an attempt to contain the impact of DFTD. Traditionally, this was done every three months by setting 120 traps and checking them daily over a 7-10 day period.
But wildlife biologist Stewart Huxtable said the monthly trapping regime, which was introduced in May 2010, has led to a more meaningful intervention within the diseased population.
"By going back to trap every month, we're catching animals at an earlier stage of the disease progression," Stew said.
"We've actually had quite a few examples of devils that seem completely healthy one month, but have early stage DFTD the following month. If we'd waited three months, then the disease would have been quite advanced by the time we caught it.
LEFT: 2008-born female; RIGHT: 2007-born male - symptoms emerged within 21 days
"So monthly trapping is giving us the opportunity to catch the diseased animals before they're infectious. We're working on the assumption that if the disease is at an early stage and the tumour hasn't yet broken through the skin or mouth lining, then we can remove the devil before it has been able to spread the disease on to other devils."
From the first few monthly trapping trips, Stew said there had been a noticeable difference in the symptoms being displayed by the caught devils. Nearly all of the infected animals had only small, early-stage tumours, rather than the advanced DFTD that they'd normally expect.
Does this observation mean that monthly trapping will eventually reduce the spread of the disease on the Forestier Peninsula? Only time will tell. Scientists hope to gain a clearer picture over the next few months.
