A rapidly spreading, deadly facial cancer has killed off 70 percent of the wild population of Tasmanian devils, leading the Australian government to designate the creature “endangered” on Friday *.

(CNN) - The only thing the Tasmanian devil has in common with its Looney Tunes cartoon character is its temperament. (CNN) - The only thing the Tasmanian devil has in common with its Looney Tunes ...

To many, the Tasmanian devil is a just a rowdy, screeching Looney Tunes character. But to those in Australia, the devil is a national symbol and was once a common sight in its wildlife landscape.

The Tasmanian devil, the scrappy marsupial of Looney Tunes legend, should be long gone. Since 1996, a contagious cancer has killed 80 percent of devils’ overall population — and up to 95 percent in ...