KEY POINTS:
The deadly cancer threatening to drive Tasmanian devils into extinction has entered one of the marsupial's last remaining disease-free frontiers.
Experts also fear the disease will spread across the devil's entire habitat within five years and are not confident disease-free animals could be sourced from the wild after the middle of next year. The hideous facial tumour disease has been found in one of the animal's highest density populations at Nawrantapu National Park, in Tasmania's north. University of Tasmania wildlife biologist Hamish McCallum said time was running out to save the species as the cancer spread. McCallum, a senior scientist of the Save the Devil programme, says funding falls millions of dollars short of what is needed to protect the animals.
The State Government contributes A$1.5 million ($1.8 million) to the programme, with A$1 million from the Commonwealth. But McCallum said A$10 million was needed in each of the next five years.
- AAP
