 
The Tasmanian Devil is a carnivorous marsupial. Until recently it was only found on the Australian island state of Tasmania, but it has now been reintroduced to mainland Australia with a small breeding population, the first time devils have lived on the Australian mainland in over 3,000 years. The size of a small dog, it's characterized by its stocky muscular build, black fur, pungent odour, extremely loud screech, keen sense of smell, and ferocity when feeding. The Tasmanian Devil's large head and neck allow it to generate among the strongest bites per unit body mass of any predatory land mammal. It both hunts its prey and scavenges on carrion. Although devils are usually solitary, they sometimes eat together. Tasmanian Devils can prey on animals up to the size of a small kangaroo, including wombats and wallabies, but they usually are opportunistic, eating carrion more often than they hunt live prey. Their diet is varied, also including rabbits, birds, fish, fruit, insects, tadpoles, frogs, reptiles, and people's leather shoes! On average, devils eat about 15% of their body weight each day. Tasmanian Devils can eliminate all traces of a carcass of a smaller animal, devouring the bones and fur. Tasmanian Devils can climb trees and swim across rivers, and can run up to 13 km/h or more for short distances. In areas near human habitation, they are known to steal clothes, blankets and pillows for use in their dens. Devils can bite through metal traps, and use their strong jaws for escaping captivity. Dense vegetation near creeks, thick grass, and caves are often used as dens; adult devils use the same dens for life. 
Females average four breeding seasons in their life, and give birth to 20 to 30 live young after three weeks' gestation. The newborn are pink, without fur, and weigh around 0.20 grams.As there are only four nipples in the mother's pouch, competition is fierce, and few newborns survive. The young grow quickly, and are ejected from the pouch after around 100 days, weighing roughly 200 grams. Devils are fully grown at two years of age, and few live longer than five years in the wild. The devil stores body fat in its tail, and healthy devils have fat tails. It has long claws that allow it to dig burrows and seek subterranean food, and grip prey forcefully. Adult devils may eat young devils if they are very hungry. Since the late 1990s, devil facial tumour disease has drastically reduced the population and now threatens the survival of the species, which in 2008 was declared to be endangered. Devil facial tumour disease causes tumours to form in and around the mouth, interfering with feeding and eventually leading to death by starvation. Tasmanian Devils are being sent to zoos around the world as part of the Australian government's 'Save the Tasmanian Devil Program'. Visit the Australian Reptile Park and search for their videos about Tasmanian Devils, and particularly their successful breeding program. |