Researchers trying to protect Tasmanian devils are given a 'huge boost' in the battle against a deadly disease that has wreaked havoc in the wild, thanks to an unlikely source — the COVID-19 vaccine.
Researchers trying to protect Tasmanian devils from a deadly disease that is wreaking havoc on the animals in the wild have received a "huge boost" from an unlikely source — the COVID-19 vaccine.The COVID-19 vaccine has given researchers a boost as they work to protect Tasmanian devils in the wild against a transmissible cancer
A second type of devil facial tumour was found in the Cygnet area in southern Tasmania in 2014, and there are concerns it will spread to other areas of the state. "Although the devils we vaccinated mounted an immune response against DFTD, it didn't protect them from getting the tumours", scientist Ruth Pye from the University of Tasmania's Menzies Institute for Medical Research, said.Dr Pye said previous vaccines did not protect devils from getting tumours.
"We've started doing some initial trials on what bait devils like to eat that hopefully other animals don't like to eat, but it turns out that a lot of animals like to eat things they're not supposed to."