According To New Ecology Study, Culling Infected Animals Not Helping Tasmanian Devils

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Culling does not effectively control the contagious cancer threatening the Tasmanian devil, a new study suggests. The researchers modelled the effect of removing sick animals on the disease's prevalence in a small population.

The study, in the Journal of Applied Ecology, seems to confirm findings in wild trials, that selective culling of sick animals is ineffectual at stopping the spread of the disease. All trial culls of the devils have now been stopped. Culling has been used to control infectious diseases in a range of species from deer to badgers, wolves to domestic cattle.

Despite proving successful in controlling the diseases of livestock, such as foot and mouth, culling wild animals is controversial because of the lack of evidence that it works. In fact, cases exists where culling wild animals has made the problem worse.

But, hoping to save the Tasmanian devil, Sarcophilus harrisii, from the facial cancer that has wiped out more than 90% of individuals in some areas, conservation biologists have trialled a cull since 2004.

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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-15158814