Saving the Tasmanian Devil

Starred review from July 15, 2019
Scientists from different disciplines, career stages, and parts of the world work toward saving the Tasmanian devil, an Australian carnivore threatened with extinction due to the devil facial tumor disease. When Patent began working on her investigation of the story of this rapidly advancing, apparently communicable cancer, scientists feared it was soon going to wipe out the species except in captivity. But progress in several fields, the work of both caretakers of captive populations and those who reintroduce some to the wild, and the adaptations and evolution of the animals themselves give hope for a different outcome. The author's long experience writing for young readers is evident. She organizes this complex account in ways that make it clear and provides background that middle school readers will need: introducing this secretive and often maligned mammal; explaining the disease and its effects on the animals' genes; describing rescue efforts in the field; and showing lab work toward developing an effective vaccine. She interviews and accompanies four featured white scientists, male and female, as well as others involved in this work, and ends each chapter with a short summary note headed "What I learned." Photographs show the Tasmanian landscape, other wildlife, researchers at work, spacious areas for captive devils, and the animals themselves, which are dog-sized, furry, and reasonably appealing when their mouths are closed and their threatening teeth are hidden. A message of hope from Scientists in the Field. (acknowledgments, glossary, further information, sources, photo credits, index) (Nonfiction. 11-15)

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July 1, 2019
Patent chronicles the Australian and Tasmanian governments' attempts to save Tasmanian devils from a fast-spreading, almost one-hundred-percent fatal disease propelling the species toward rapid extinction. After outlining the causes of the disease (with clear diagrams and photographs of chromosome abnormalities) and the scientific research, Patent takes readers to several devil sanctuaries, nature preserves, and labs to observe the progress being made in both reintroduction programs and vaccines, carefully explaining their methodologies. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.

(Copyright 2019 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

November 1, 2019
In 1996, a wildlife photographer working on the island of Tasmania first spotted several Tasmanian devils with large, cancerous tumors on their faces. Just eight years later, scientists projected that this fast-spreading disease, almost one-hundred-percent fatal, was propelling the world's devil population toward rapid extinction, prompting the Australian and Tasmanian governments to initiate a breeding program and scientists to find a way to stop the disease. Veteran nonfiction author Patent (The Call of the Osprey, rev. 7/15; Made for Each Other) traveled to Tasmania to chronicle the attempts to save the devils. She follows the research of a variety of scientists, including a geneticist, a cancer researcher, and a naturalist. After explaining the situation and outlining the causes of the disease (with particularly clear diagrams and photographs of chromosome abnormalities), Patent takes readers to several devil sanctuaries, nature preserves, and labs to observe the progress being made in both reintroduction programs and vaccines, carefully explaining their methodologies. With an overall narrative arc of discovering the eventual fate of the devils, she connects each site with information about the surrounding flora and fauna. Every visit concludes with a sidebar titled "What I Learned," which encapsulates the main idea of that chapter. At press time, the outlook for the worldwide population of devils looks promising; readers of this concise study will know why. Appended with source notes, a glossary, and a list of further reading/viewing resources. Betty Carter

(Copyright 2019 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)