SYDNEY, March 16 (Xinhua) -- A new research in Australia led by the University of New South Wales (UNSW Sydney) has suggested that human-modified landscapes may limit the diets of Tasmanian devils, thus posing a threat to their population.

The research, published in the Scientific Reports journal, analyzed the diets of Tasmanian devil populations across habitats with varying levels of disturbance, from cleared pasture to undisturbed rainforest, by examining chemical stamps in whisker samples taken from the devils in different environments.

The research showed that the Tasmanian devils living in human-impacted landscapes, such as cleared lands and regenerated native forests, primarily consumed medium-sized mammals, while those in environments like rainforest areas had a more varied diet including smaller animals like birds.

Anna Lewis, lead author and Ph.D. candidate at UNSW Sydney, said in a statement on Thursday that the more that habitat was impacted by humans, the more restrictive the diet of Tasmanian devils became.

"They may be turning to human-derived sources of food, such as highway roadkill, which are more readily available," said Lewis.

According to the statement, the limited dietary choices of the species may lead to more frequent interactions around carcasses. This is of particular concern for spreading the highly contagious and fatal cancer, devil facial tumor disease, which has already reduced local devil populations by 82 percent and spread to most of the state of Tasmania.

"The highest rate of cancer transmission other than during the mating season occurs when they're feeding around these large carcasses," Lewis said.

"So, there could be an increased chance for the disease to spread amongst devils, and the devils themselves are also at risk of being hit while feeding."

As for their next step, the research team hopes to investigate the eating habits of Tasmanian devils in native grasslands to better inform conservation efforts across more habitats. Enditem

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