Tasmanian Devil
The Tasmanian Devil (Sarcophilus harrisii) is an animal only native to Tasmania. It is the largest carnivorous marsupial in the world after the extinction of the Tasmanian Tiger in 1936. Devils became extinct on the mainland of Australia about 400 years ago, probably as a result of direct competition with the dingo and other Australian carnivores. They were given their unique name by European explorers who were initially terrified by their “hellish” sounding growls and screeches. They are roughly the size of a small dog with about the same proportions as a pitbull, and have tremendous jaw strength being able to crunch through bones with ease.
Today, devils are endangered in Tasmania by a recently discovered illness known as “Devil Facial Tumour Disease”.
Appearance and Physical Features
The Tasmanian Devil is about the same size as a small dog. It has a squat and solid appearance with a large head, short legs and a large thick tail. Male devils are usually larger than females with an average weight of 8 kg (18 lb), with females being an average of 6 kg (13lb). Devils usually have black fur with irregular white patches that are often found on the chest and rump which can be used to identify them individually. They also have long whiskers around their nose and on the top of their heads which they use to locate objects in the dark with.
Due to their primarily nocturnal behaviour their strongest senses are their hearing and sense of smell. They also seem to have excellent night vision seeing principally in black and white. One of the devil’s less well known attributes is that when agitated it can produce a very pungent odour from its fur that rivals that of the skunk…. another reason why early European explorers thought that these creatures originated from the underworld!
Behaviour and Eating Habits
Devils are nocturnal and tend to hunt for food around dawn and dusk. During the day they sleep in dense bush or a hole. They can swim and have some ability to climb trees which they both use during their hunting. Devils tend to be solitary animals and do not hunt in packs. Sometimes they will accumulate around dead prey where they will fight with each other over scraps.
Their primary food source is carrion, and they can often be seen eating roadkill by the side of the road. Devils are opportunistic hunters and will prefer scavenging for carrion rather than killing animals themselves. However they do occasionally kill small prey such as kangaroos, wombats and even domestic mammals such as sheep. Devils are famous for eating everything, similar to their cartoon cousin Taz the Tazmanian Devil. They will eat the entire carcass of any prey including the fur, bones, teeth and all!
Habitat
Tasmanian Devils are found throughout Tasmania, however their numbers have significantly dwindled (particularly on the east coast) as a result of Devil Facial Tumour Disease. Devils prefer dry forests and coastal woodlands, but can also be found around urban areas as they are primarily scavengers and are often found near roadkill at the side of the road. They spend most of the day hidden sleeping in small natural caves, old wombat burrows, or making dens in dense bush.
Devil Facial Tumour Disease
A normal life expectancy for the Tasmanian Devil is usually up to six years and a healthy population of devils has been present in Tasmania up until recently. Devil facial tumour disease is a non-viral transmittable parasitic cancer that causes tumours to form and spread widely around the devil’s mouth. This leads to interference with regular eating habits, and eventually leads to starvation and death. The first case of Devil Facial Tumour Disease was described in 1996 and since then has gone on to affect over 65% of the species. There has been between a 20 to 50% decline in the Tasmanian Devil population since the discovery of the disease. This has recently made the devil an endangered species.
Tasmania Trip is a travel guide on all things Tassie
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