Researchers at the University of Tasmania's Menzies Institute for Medical Research reported on November 12, 2026, that they had developed a portable field test using oral swabs to detect devil facial tumour disease (DFTD) in wild populations, according to the ABC report. The disease spreads through direct contact such as biting and causes tumours that make eating difficult, typically killing the animal within several months of a tumour becoming visible. In parts of the state it has reduced devil populations by about 80 per cent.

As part of the trial, researchers conducted 33 tests on 10 Tasmanian devils and three spotted-tailed quolls, working alongside the state's Department of Natural Resources and Environment, which trapped and handled the animals. Half of the devils and none of the quolls returned positive results. Lead researcher Anuk Kruawan said the test can detect tumour DNA in the field, producing an immediate green glow instead of days-long laboratory waits, and that researchers hope it may pick up tumours before they are visible.

Kruawan said there are two strains of the disease, with strain one more prevalent and the second still largely confined to the D'Entrecasteaux Channel region, making annual monitoring important. He said the focus was on a management action plan with the government and an ongoing oral bait vaccine study, which the testing could help inform. Wildlife carer Alice Carson said the north-west population had practically disappeared in the past year.