The tasmanian devil has reached a new low in its struggle for survival against the facial tumour disease.

Almost half the state is affected by the cancer-like disease, which has killed as much as 60 percent of the wild devil population.

Tasmania's Primary Industries Minister, David Llewellyn, says the devils will be upgraded to endangered on Tasmania's threatened species list in the coming week.

"So as we can apply the appropriate resources and effort into making sure that our recovery plans and we see one today are, you know, affected," he said.

East Coast Wildlife Park owner Bruce Englefield has just opened a sanctuary where disease free devils can live as in the wild as an insurance population.

"The situation is probably more serious than people are prepared to admit," he said.

Four other parks have expressed an interest in setting up wild sanctuaries.