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.
About 80 per cent of the wild Tasmanian devil population has been wiped out by the transmissible devil facial tumour disease, which was first discovered in 1996.
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.
"Some unlucky devils have been found with both types of the devil facial tumour disease (DFTD)," said scientist Andy Flies, from the University of Tasmania's Menzies Institute for Medical Research.
Researchers have been working towards developing a more effective vaccine for DFTD for years, but leading COVID-19 vaccines such as those created by AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson have sped up that process.
"It's allowed us to see the best way to do it, how to get the permits to do it, and what safeguards are needed," Dr Flies said.
"Technology just got a huge boost, and that's helped us and will hopefully help the devil."
While a previous vaccine showed some encouraging signs in some captive devils, it had limitations.
"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.
"This new vaccine that we are working on is technically a much more advanced technique."
So how does it work?
Like the AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson shots, this vaccine uses a weakened adenovirus to carry genetic "instructions" to make proteins which the immune system can learn to recognise.
It allows the immune system to learn how to fight against the real thing.
But instead of putting SARS-CoV-2 into the vaccine, scientists will choose proteins that are found in devil facial tumour cells but not in healthy devils.
"The immune system goes and investigates, and says, 'This one doesn't look good, I'm going to kill that cell'," Dr Flies said.
The vaccine is not ready yet, but researchers are already looking at the best and most effective way to administer it to a carnivorous marsupial.
They are looking at an oral bait vaccine that has helped control the spread of rabies among foxes on four different continents, including America.
"We will put the vaccine in the bait, we put it out, and the devils eat it and get vaccinated," Dr Flies said.
"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."
Clinical trials of the vaccine are expected to get underway early next year, and Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary near Hobart will play a big role in the project.
"Bonorong has been generous in allowing us to build devil enclosures at the sanctuary to carry out clinical trials for the vaccine," Dr Pye said.
"There are experienced keepers at Bonorong who can tend to the devils on a daily basis, and a wildlife hospital if we need it."
Not a simple enclosure
Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary director Greg Irons said building enclosures for wild Tasmanian devils was not a simple task.
"They can climb a bit if you have the wrong walls, they can dig, and of course, there is always a risk for other animals getting in with a Tassie devil as well," Mr Irons said.
"It's been a huge job planning exactly how it is going to function well."
The new technology has created a lot of excitement among wildlife carers who have seen the impact of the devil facial tumour disease first-hand.
"It [The disease] looks like something has exploded from the inside out, it is impossible not to feel sad," Mr Irons said.
Around 50 Tasmanian devils are known to have survived DFTD in the wild, but there is hope a vaccine could give the devil's immune system a boost to prevent disease, and go a long way in conserving the species.
"Tassie devils are critical to a healthy eco-system," Mr Irons said.
Anyone who would like to support the devil facial tumour disease vaccine research can donate to the Tasmanian devil appeal.
