Saving the Tasmanian Devil - Moé for Solarpunk Books

Hardcover, 79 pages

English language

Published Feb. 1, 2019 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

ISBN:: 978-0-544-99148-4

(1 review)

In this addition to the critically acclaimed Scientist in the Field series, Dorothy Patent follows the scientists trying to put a stop to a gruesome disease before it's too late. Tasmanian devils are dying at an alarming rate from a type of tumor that appears to be contagious. What scientists are learning while researching the Tasmanian devil has potential to affect all animals, and even humans, as they learn more about how to prevent and hopefully eradicate certain genetic diseases.

In 1995, a deadly disease began sweeping across the Australian island state of Tasmania, killing every infected Tasmanian devil. The disease moved so fast that some scientists feared the species would be wiped out in the wild within a few decades.

Where did this disease, named Devil Facial Tumor Disease, come from? What caused it—a virus, bacteria, or something else? How did it pass from one devil to another? What …

In this addition to the critically acclaimed Scientist in the Field series, Dorothy Patent follows the scientists trying to put a stop to a gruesome disease before it's too late. Tasmanian devils are dying at an alarming rate from a type of tumor that appears to be contagious. What scientists are learning while researching the Tasmanian devil has potential to affect all animals, and even humans, as they learn more about how to prevent and hopefully eradicate certain genetic diseases.

In 1995, a deadly disease began sweeping across the Australian island state of Tasmania, killing every infected Tasmanian devil. The disease moved so fast that some scientists feared the species would be wiped out in the wild within a few decades.

Where did this disease, named Devil Facial Tumor Disease, come from? What caused it—a virus, bacteria, or something else? How did it pass from one devil to another? What could be done to fight it?

When author Dorothy Hinshaw Patent learned of the race to save the devil from her friend, Australian geneticist Jenny Graves, she felt compelled to travel to Australia to learn firsthand from scientists what they were finding out about these iconic Tasmanian animals and what they were doing to help it from disappearing in the wild.

Follow Dorothy as she takes readers on a fascinating journey into the Australian mainland and Tasmania, visiting parks and wildlife refuges and joining geneticist, ecologists, and other researchers as they work tirelessly to save Tasmania's unique icon.

2 editions

Soh Kam Yung reviewed Saving the Tasmanian Devil by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent

On what scientists are doing to save the Tasmanian Devils

4 stars

An interesting book on the Tasmanian Devil, the Devil facial tumour disease (DFTD) and the efforts by scientists to save the Devils.

The book starts with an introduction to the Devils themselves, followed by the discovery of DFTD and what makes it so different compared to other forms of cancer. The book then covers the various scientists in various locations doing different kinds of research in the race to save the Devils from the disease.

Some scientists are studying the Devil's biology and environment to learn how they live and breed. Others are looking at DFTD directly to learn what it is, how it spreads and what can be done to make the Devils immune to the disease. Others are working on conservation, making sure the Devil have places to live on Tasman island with the support of the local community.

For now, it appears that some Devils can survive …

An interesting book on the Tasmanian Devil, the Devil facial tumour disease (DFTD) and the efforts by scientists to save the Devils.

The book starts with an introduction to the Devils themselves, followed by the discovery of DFTD and what makes it so different compared to other forms of cancer. The book then covers the various scientists in various locations doing different kinds of research in the race to save the Devils from the disease.

Some scientists are studying the Devil's biology and environment to learn how they live and breed. Others are looking at DFTD directly to learn what it is, how it spreads and what can be done to make the Devils immune to the disease. Others are working on conservation, making sure the Devil have places to live on Tasman island with the support of the local community.

For now, it appears that some Devils can survive DFTD, and they are adapting to it. The future of the Devil isn't yet certain, but you will get some optimistic answers about the future of the Tasmanian Devil from this short, yet comprehensive book on the Devils.