They are the only carnivorous marsupials and the little monsters are REALLY little at birth....and weigh around 0.20 g (0.0071 oz) at birth.
Five of them weigh about as much as...
a single dollar bill.
Posted on 12/30/2015 6:13:59 PM PST by BenLurkin
A contagious cancer, spread by biting, has decimated the population of Tasmanian devils since 1996. Researchers have now identified a second contagious cancer in eight devils, making them question how rare contagious cancer is, according to a new study.
In addition to attempting to breed devils identified as immune to the disease, scientists started working on a vaccine against Devil Facial Tumor Disease earlier this year -- which they said will not be thrown off by the discovery of a second form of the cancer.
The cancer, which researchers believe is spread by common biting behavior, causes tumors and lesions on the face and neck, and kills 100 percent of the animals it infects.
...
While researchers said existence of DFT1 and DFT2, as they are now referred to, makes them rethink the commonality of contagious cancers in nature, they will continue on with efforts to vaccinate as many devils as possible to save the species.
(Excerpt) Read more at upi.com ...
from wiki:
...Females average four breeding seasons in their life and give birth to 20 to 30 live young after three weeks' gestation.
.... As there are only four nipples in the pouch, competition is fierce and few newborns survive.
30 pups, 4 nipples...gotta go viscious angry early to survive.
Is that 20 to 30 in each litter, or over their breeding life?
I’m guessing it means a total over their breeding life.
They are the only carnivorous marsupials and the little monsters are REALLY little at birth....and weigh around 0.20 g (0.0071 oz) at birth.
Five of them weigh about as much as...
a single dollar bill.
They sound like small monsters, let’s just let the species die out.
Certainly, the cancers caused by papillomaviruses are well-known. Several other viruses are associated with cancers, as well.
DAYUM!
I’m thinking a tumor-causing virus carried in the saliva.
My cancer — cancer free since 1988, by the way — isn’t contagious, as far as I know. However, I’ve been banned from donating blood for life.
As an aside, I don’t see groups of cancer survivors running around, insisting that they be able to donate blood, unlike the homosexual activists. I’m guessing that’s because, like me, most would be mortified if somebody developed cancer from a survivor transfusion.
http://www.britannica.com/animal/Tasmanian-devil
Tasmanian devils are related to quolls (catlike Australian marsupials, also called native cats); both are classified in the family Dasyuridae. The teeth and jaws of Tasmanian devils are in many respects developed like those of a hyena. The pouch, when relaxed, opens backward, but, when the muscles are contracted to close it, the opening is central. During the breeding season, 20 or more eggs may be released, but most of these fail to develop. In most cases just four young are produced after a gestation period of about three weeks; these remain in the pouch for about five months. Overall, female offspring outnumber males about two to one...
...The Tasmanian devil’s immune system does not recognize the cancer cells as foreign and therefore does not attempt to kill them.
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