Tasmanian Devil

While Tasmanian devils can hunt small prey, they are skilled scavengers that can locate dead animals in the bush quickly with their excellent sense of smell. Their diet consists of wallabies, small mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and insects. When they are near farms, they might also feed on sheep and cattle carcasses. These animals can eat everything, including bones and fur, thanks to their strong jaws and teeth. They can eat up to 40 percent of their body weight in one sitting.

At the Zoo, they are offered thawed rabbits, raw meat, and bones.

The species only in Tasmania, although fossil evidence suggests that it once occupied much of the Australian mainland and some small nearby islands.

The Tasmanian devil inhabits various major habitats across the country, including coastal regions, mountainous areas, dry eucalypt forests, open woodlands, and agricultural lands.

Adult Tasmanian devils have very few natural predators. Smaller devils can be hunted by eagles, owls, and spotted-tail quolls. When threatened, Tasmanian devils are fierce and can defend themselves against larger animals.

Tasmanian devils are essential to their native habitat as top predators and scavengers. In the past, European settlers viewed them as pests because they would prey on farm animals. This led to targeted hunting and poisoning to reduce their numbers. Over time, this, along with habitat loss and disease in the early 1900s, caused the Tasmanian devil to nearly disappear. However, after introducing a protective law in 1941, their population began to grow again.

Unfortunately, in the mid-1990s, some Tasmanian devils were found with unusual facial tumors. These were later identified as a deadly cancer known as Devil Facial Tumor Disease (DFTD). DFTD is not treatable and spreads through bites, posing a major threat to their survival. The disease has affected more than 60% of the areas where Tasmanian devils live, and in some places, up to 83% of adults have it. Because the population lacks genetic diversity, no devil has shown resistance to the disease yet.

Besides DFTD, Tasmanian devils also face competition from the red fox, which was introduced to Australia. Many devils are also killed in road accidents.

Tasmanian devils are stocky animals, about the size of a small dog, with brownish-black fur. They have a white patch on their throats, white spots on their sides and back, and a pinkish snout. Their broad heads have strong jaws and teeth that can crush bones and tear through muscle. Their hindquarters slope down, and they have short, thick tails. They store fat in their tails to help them survive when food is hard to find. As marsupials, female Tasmanian devils have a pouch to carry their developing young. The pouch opens toward the back, which helps keep dirt out while they dig and move around.

Male animals often compete to mate with females, usually between January and March. After about 21 days, baby devils, called imps, are born. They are tiny and hairless, about the size of a peanut. While several babies are born, only the first four that make it into the mother's pouch and grab onto one of her four nipples will survive. Inside the pouch, they drink mom's milk and continue to develop.

When they are around five months old, the fully furred devils come out of the pouch and live in aa simple den lined with grass. After another month, they start to explore around their den. By the time they are nine months old, they are fully weaned and can take care of themselves.

Tasmanian devils have a highly developed sense of smell, sight, touch, and taste. They communicate using vocalizations and physical cues, such as yawning and raising their tails. When a group of devils is scavenging a carcass, they make a range of sounds, including shrieks and growls.

Tasmanian devils are nocturnal animals that roam up to 10 miles at night in search of food. During the day, they usually stay hidden in their dens or in thick bushes. While they are mostly solitary, they can be social when they come together over a carcass or during the breeding season. Even though Tasmanian devils are known for being fierce, they are actually quite shy and cautious. They only show aggressive behavior when they feel threatened or when they are competing with other devils for food, and this usually means growling, snarling, and screeching instead of fighting.

Tasmanian devils are not territorial, but they do have defined home ranges. Young devils are quite agile and can climb trees.