Tasmanian devils, the world's largest marsupial carnivores, are a species facing extinction because of an ugly disfiguring cancer, known as devil facial tumour disease or DFTD.
Animals infected with DFTD become so engorged with tumours that they can no longer see or eat, and eventually starve to death.
The horrific disease has to date decimated 50 per cent of the population of Tasmanian devils and has now spread across most of Tasmania's east coast, to a variety of the species which are genetically very similar.
Scientists have however discovered one Tasmanian devil who appears to have immunity from the cancer.
Cedric, who was captured last year, is from the island's genetically different west coast population and his inbuilt immunity to the disease is being regarded as a major breakthrough in halting the disease's devastating spread.
DFTD first emerged on Tasmania's north-east coast more than a decade ago and it remains a mystery to scientists just how or why the disease first emerged.
But they are now hopeful that Tasmanian devils with Cedric's genetic pattern are resistant to the cancer or able to respond to a vaccine.
According to the Save the Tasmanian Devil project, the discovery is the most exciting thing that has happened in the programme to date and University of Tasmania immunology professor Greg Woods says the devils could be their own saviors.
Professor Woods believes there are possibly three genetic groups of devils in Tasmania.
Last year the scientists injected Cedric and his half-brother Clinky with dead facial tumour disease cells, and while Clinky produced no anti-bodies, Cedric did.