Itcanbelikeaharshcough.Oranangryhiccup.Orahigh-pitchedshriek.Italldependsonwhatisbeingsaidandwhoisdoingthetalking.Atypicalconversationcanescalatequickly.Mostofitisjustnoiseandbluff,butwhenaTasmaniandevil“speaks,”it’sbestjustto listen.
You’dhavetogoalongwaytohearaTasmaniandevil.Theyarefoundinonlyonepartoftheworld—Tasmania.It’sanislandoffAustralia’ssoutheasterncoast.Andwhileyoucanfindtheminthewildtherenow,theirfatewasuncertainabout25yearsago.Tasmaniandevilshadfallenvictimtoamysteriouscancerthatthreatenedtomakethemextinct.Tounderstandtheirpromisingrecovery,youhavetounderstandalotaboutthis
strange animal.
Australia
Antarctica
Pacific
Ocean
Indian
Ocean
Tasmania
ThisTasmaniandevilhaslargecubsonher back.
Tostart,Tasmaniandevilsarenocturnal.Thatmeansthey areactiveatnight.Theyarealsomarsupials.That’saclassificationofmammalinwhichtheyoungmustfinishdevelopingintheirmother’spouch.Youmightknowofanothertypeofmarsupial,thekangaroo.Amotherdevil’spouchhelpsherfeedandprotecthernewborns,whicharecalledimps.Amotherdevilcangivebirthtoasmanyas40imps.Yet,thereisonlyspaceforfourinherpouch,soonlyfourcan survive.
Whentheimpsareborn,theyarethesizeofraisins.Theystayintheirmother’spouchforfourmonths.Aftersixmonths,theyarereadytobegineatingsolidfoods.ATasmaniandevil’sdietmaynotsoundveryappetizing.Theyarescavengers,andtheyeatcarrion,ordeadanimals.Soundsgross,butscavengersplayavitalroleinecosystems.Theyactasnature’s
cleanup crew.
Whenanimalsdie,theirbodiesdecay.Therottingbodiessmellbadandtakeupspace.Theycanpollutewaterwaysandattractfliesandotherinsects.Scavengerscaneatthedeadanimalsbeforeanyof
this happens.
Tasmaniandevilseatdead animals.
ATasmaniandevil'sjawscandeliverapowerful bite!
Asthelargestmeat-eatingmarsupialsintheworld,Tasmaniandevilswillofteneatdeadwallabies,opossums,and wombats.
They arenotpickyeaters.Theyalsowilleatbirds,lizards,frogs,andevendeadfarmanimals.Theycaneatupto40 percentoftheirbodyweightatone time.
Strongnecksholduptheirskulls.Theirskullsareunusuallylargefortheirbodiesinordertosupporttheirstrongjaws.Devilseattheirpreycompletely—bones,fur,andall.Ifyoulookedinsideadevil’smouth,you’dseeteethforbiting,teethfortearingflesh,andteethmadeforcrushingbone.Devilscanbitedownwithgreatforce.DevilscanbitedownwiththeforcegreaterthanaBengaltiger’s bite.
raisin
imp
At Birth
Each impisthesizeofaraisin;fourimpscrawltotheirmother’s pouch.
4 months
The impsareoldenoughtoleavetheirmother’spouch.Theyoftenrideonher back.
6 months
Theimpsstopdrinkingmilkandbegineatingsolid food.
8 months
Theyoungdevilsleavetheirmothertolive alone.
2 years
Thedevilsareoldenoughtohavetheirown young.
Adult Life
Devilsinthewildusuallyliveforfivetoeight years.
