Uploaded February 2014 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago

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This film illustrates how a transmissible cancer affecting Tasmanian devils has spread in the wild since it was first seen in 1996. The disease has spread across most of Tasmania and has reduced the population of wild Tasmanian devils in some areas by 80-95%.

This video is from 'Saving the Devil' -- a multimedia resource that tells the story of the Tasmanian devil and how science, in particular genomics, is playing a role in trying to save the species from extinction.

Find out more about cancer on our website: yourgenome.org/theme/is-cancer-a-genetic-disease