Tasmanian Devil Gets Pacemaker to Fix Loony Heart A Tasmanian devil named "Nick" underwent surgery to fix his heart.

 -- An endangered Tasmanian devil named "Nick" is recovering after getting a pacemaker to fix an abnormal heart rhythm.

Veterinarians at the San Diego Zoo first detected something was wrong with Nick in January. Further tests revealed that Nick's heart was beating extremely slowly due to heart disease.

To save the endangered animal, staff at the zoo worked with a veterinarian surgeon to implant a tiny pacemaker complete with an electrode sutured directly into Nick's heart.

“We are optimistic that this procedure will give Nick an additional one to two years of a happy and healthy life,” Dr. Cora Singleton, San Diego Zoo associate veterinarian, said in a statement Wednesday. “He will have a recheck exam to evaluate his pacemaker in three to six months, then annually thereafter.”

Tasmanian devils live for about five years in the wild.

After his operation on May 11, Nick has been returned to join the three other Tasmanian devils at the zoo, officials said.

The animals are endangered due to a rare facial cancer called devil facial tumor disease (DFTD). The cancer is contagious and found only in devils. DFTD is transmitted from one animal to another through biting, a common behavior among devils when mating and feeding.