When we think of cancer, we usually don’t consider it a contagious disease. However, the Tasmanian devil has shown us that cancer can indeed be contagious and can even threaten an entire species with extinction.
You might know Taz, the cartoon character, but did you know there’s a real animal called the Tasmanian devil? It’s the world’s largest carnivorous marsupial, which means it’s a mammal with a pouch, like a kangaroo. The Tasmanian devil got its name from the scary sounds it makes at night.
These creatures are mostly scavengers, using their strong jaws and sharp teeth to eat the bones of dead animals. They live only on the island of Tasmania, just south of Australia. Despite their fierce look, Tasmanian devils are actually quite cute!
Sadly, the Tasmanian devil population is shrinking fast, and scientists worry they could disappear in the wild within 20 to 30 years. The reason? A contagious cancer.
It all started in 1996 when a wildlife photographer snapped a picture of a Tasmanian devil with a big tumor on its face. At first, it seemed like a rare case, but it turned out to be the start of a disease spreading across Tasmania.
The disease began in the northeast of Tasmania and has now spread across the island. It usually shows up as tumors on the face or inside the mouth of affected devils. These tumors grow larger and can become huge, painful sores.
One unforgettable case involved a female devil with a large tumor that had destroyed her lower jaw. She hadn’t eaten for days, yet she was still caring for her three baby devils, who sadly didn’t survive. In her area, over 90% of the devils have died from this disease.
Scientists around the world were curious about this contagious cancer. At first, they thought it might be like cervical cancer in humans, which is spread by a virus. But this cancer isn’t spread by a virus; it’s something more unusual.
Cancer happens when a single cell in the body gets mutations in important genes, causing it to multiply uncontrollably. This is why cancer is tough to treat; it evolves quickly.
The Tasmanian devil cancer has an incredible evolutionary trick. By studying the DNA of the cancer, scientists found that the tumor’s DNA was different from the devil’s own cells. This means the cancer likely started from one devil and spread through the population.
When Tasmanian devils meet, they often bite each other on the face. Scientists believe cancer cells can transfer through saliva during these bites, allowing the tumor to grow in a new host.
This isn’t the only case of contagious cancer. Dogs can get a similar disease called transmissible venereal tumor, which spreads in a similar way. This dog cancer is found worldwide and might have started from a wolf’s cells thousands of years ago.
In the 1950s, a doctor named Chester Southam experimented to see if cancer could spread between people. While most didn’t develop cancer, a few did, especially those with weak immune systems. This shows that while rare, cancer can sometimes be transferred between people.
Cancer is a result of our cells’ ability to divide and adapt, but that doesn’t mean we should lose hope. By understanding the complex processes behind cancer growth, we can work towards defeating it. My goal is to fight Tasmanian devil cancer and prevent this species from going extinct due to cancer.
Research the Tasmanian devil and its habitat. Create a presentation that includes interesting facts about their behavior, diet, and the challenges they face due to the contagious cancer. Share your findings with the class to raise awareness about this unique species.
Participate in a class debate on different strategies to conserve the Tasmanian devil population. Consider the pros and cons of various approaches, such as captive breeding programs, habitat protection, and genetic research. Develop arguments for your chosen strategy and engage in a respectful discussion with your peers.
Design a poster that explains how the contagious cancer spreads among Tasmanian devils and the impact it has on their population. Use visuals and simple language to make the information accessible to a wide audience. Display your poster in the classroom or school hallway to educate others.
Investigate how cancer develops at the cellular level. Create a model or diagram that illustrates the process of cell mutation and uncontrolled growth. Present your model to the class, explaining how this process relates to the contagious cancer in Tasmanian devils.
Write a short story from the perspective of a Tasmanian devil facing the challenges of the contagious cancer. Use your imagination to explore the emotional and physical struggles of the animal, and include a hopeful message about conservation efforts. Share your story with your classmates.
Here’s a sanitized version of the provided YouTube transcript:
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[Music]
Everyone is familiar with cancer, but we don’t normally think of it as a contagious disease. The Tasmanian devil has shown us that not only can cancer be contagious, but it can also threaten an entire species with extinction.
So, first of all, what is a Tasmanian devil? Many of you might be familiar with Taz, the cartoon character, but not many people know that there is a real animal called the Tasmanian devil, which is the world’s largest carnivorous marsupial. A marsupial is a mammal with a pouch, like a kangaroo. The Tasmanian devil got its name from the terrifying nocturnal scream that it makes.
The Tasmanian devil is predominantly a scavenger, using its powerful jaws and sharp teeth to chomp on the bones of rotting dead animals. It is found only on the island of Tasmania, which is located just south of the mainland of Australia. Despite their ferocious appearance, Tasmanian devils are actually quite adorable little animals. Growing up in Tasmania, it was incredibly exciting to see a Tasmanian devil in the wild.
However, the Tasmanian devil population has been undergoing a rapid decline, and there is concern that the species could go extinct in the wild within 20 to 30 years. The reason for this decline is the emergence of a new disease: a contagious cancer.
The story begins in 1996 when a wildlife photographer took a photograph of a Tasmanian devil with a large tumor on its face. At the time, this was thought to be a one-off occurrence, similar to how animals, like humans, sometimes get strange tumors. However, we now believe this was the first sighting of a new disease that has become an epidemic spreading through Tasmania.
The disease was first observed in the northeast of Tasmania in 1996 and has spread across the island. Now, only a small part of the population remains unaffected. This disease typically appears as tumors, usually on the face or inside the mouth of affected Tasmanian devils. These tumors inevitably grow larger, and eventually, they can become enormous, ulcerating tumors.
One particularly memorable case involved a female devil with a large, foul-smelling tumor inside her mouth that had cracked off her entire lower jaw. She hadn’t eaten for days, her body was riddled with secondary tumors, and yet she was still feeding three little baby Tasmanian devils in her pouch, who unfortunately did not survive. In fact, in the area where she was found, more than 90 percent of the Tasmanian devil population has already died from this disease.
Scientists around the world were intrigued by this infectious cancer spreading through the Tasmanian devil population. Initially, it was thought to be similar to cervical cancer in women, which is spread by a virus, or the AIDS epidemic, which is associated with various types of cancer. However, we now know that this cancer is not spread by a virus. The infectious agent of this disease is something altogether more sinister.
To explain this, we need to discuss cancer itself. Cancer affects millions of people worldwide every year. One in three people will develop cancer at some stage in their lives. I myself had a tumor removed from my large intestine when I was only 14. Cancer occurs when a single cell in the body acquires random mutations in important genes, causing that cell to multiply uncontrollably.
Once established, natural selection favors the continued growth of cancer. If a population of fast-dividing cancer cells acquires new mutations that allow them to grow more quickly or invade the body, they will be selected for by evolution. This is why cancer is so difficult to treat; it evolves rapidly.
An amazing fact is that, given the right environment and nutrients, a cancer cell has the potential to grow indefinitely. However, cancer is constrained by living inside our bodies, and its growth leads to the death of the cancer patient and ultimately the cancer itself.
The Tasmanian devil cancer has acquired a remarkable evolutionary adaptation. This was discovered by studying the DNA of Tasmanian devil cancer. In one experiment, I found a Tasmanian devil with a large tumor on its face. Upon analyzing the DNA, I discovered that the tumor had a completely different genetic profile from the rest of the devil’s body. This indicated that the tumor did not arise from the devil’s own cells but likely originated from a female Tasmanian devil.
Further studies revealed that all these cancers shared the same DNA, meaning they all originated from one individual devil that had spread through the population. The final piece of the puzzle came from observing how Tasmanian devils behave when they meet each other; they tend to bite each other, often on the face. We believe that cancer cells can come off the tumor and enter the saliva, which can then be transferred to another devil during a bite, allowing the tumor to continue growing in the new host.
This Tasmanian devil cancer is unique; it is not constrained by the body that gave rise to it and threatens the entire species with extinction.
If this can happen in Tasmanian devils, why hasn’t it happened in other animals or humans? The answer is that it has. For example, there is a transmissible venereal tumor that affects dogs, which is spread in a similar manner. This dog cancer has been found worldwide and may be tens of thousands of years old, possibly originating from the cells of a wolf that lived alongside Neanderthals.
In the 1950s, a cancer doctor named Chester Southam conducted experiments to see if cancer could be contagious between people by inoculating individuals with cancer cells. While most did not develop cancer, a small number did, particularly those with compromised immune systems. This suggests that while it is rare for cancers to be transferred between people, it can happen under certain circumstances.
In conclusion, cancer is an inevitable outcome of our cells’ ability to divide and adapt, but that does not mean we should give up hope in the fight against it. With more knowledge of the complex evolutionary processes driving cancer growth, we can work towards defeating it. My personal aim is to combat Tasmanian devil cancer and prevent this species from being the first to go extinct due to cancer. Thank you.
[Music]
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This version maintains the core information while removing graphic descriptions and sensitive content.
Cancer – A disease caused by an uncontrolled division of abnormal cells in a part of the body. – Scientists are studying how certain environmental factors can increase the risk of cancer in wildlife populations.
Tasmanian – Relating to Tasmania, an island state of Australia. – The Tasmanian devil is a carnivorous marsupial native to Tasmania, known for its loud and disturbing screech.
Devil – A reference to the Tasmanian devil, a carnivorous marsupial found in Tasmania. – The Tasmanian devil has been severely affected by a contagious cancer that threatens its survival.
Extinction – The state or process of a species, family, or larger group being or becoming extinct. – Conservationists are working hard to prevent the extinction of the Tasmanian devil due to disease.
Disease – A disorder of structure or function in a human, animal, or plant, especially one that produces specific symptoms. – The spread of disease among the Tasmanian devil population has raised concerns among biologists.
Tumors – An abnormal mass of tissue that results from excessive cell division, either benign or malignant. – The facial tumors affecting Tasmanian devils are a rare example of a transmissible cancer.
Population – A group of individuals of the same species living in a particular geographic area. – The population of Tasmanian devils has declined sharply due to the spread of a deadly disease.
Saliva – A watery liquid secreted into the mouth by glands, providing lubrication for chewing and swallowing, and aiding digestion. – The disease affecting Tasmanian devils is transmitted through their saliva when they bite each other.
Evolution – The process by which different kinds of living organisms are thought to have developed and diversified from earlier forms during the history of the earth. – The evolution of the Tasmanian devil has been influenced by its isolated environment on the island of Tasmania.
Genes – Units of heredity that are transferred from a parent to offspring and are held to determine some characteristic of the offspring. – Researchers are studying the genes of Tasmanian devils to understand their resistance to certain diseases.
