Adapted from:http://www.dpiw.tas.gov.au/inter.nsf/WebPages/EKOE-6FA6QB?open

Where do Tasmanian devils live?

Wild Tasmanian devils can only be found in Tasmania (Australia). Most of the Tasmanian devils are found in the northern, eastern and central parts of Tasmania. There are many farms in these areas and when farm animals die, devils will sometimes eat the carcasses.

There are also many devils in the Tasmanian wilderness areas and in our National Parks.

Hundreds of years ago, Tasmanian devils not only lived in Tasmania, but also on the Australian mainland. We know this from fossils that have been found. They became extinct on the mainland about 600 years ago.


What do devils look like?

Devils are mostly black but usually have white markings on the rump or the chest. Adult male devils are usually bigger than the females. They stand about 30 centimetres (or 12 inches) high at the shoulder and weigh up to 12 kilograms.

Adult devils have heads that look almost too big for their bodies. In older males, the head and neck can take up nearly a quarter of their weight. That's because devils need those powerful jaws to crunch through bones.

Like other marsupials, the devil stores fat in its tail so that its body has something to draw on when food gets scarce. So, if you see a Tasmanian devil with a fat tail, it means it is in good condition.


What type of animal is a Tasmanian devil?

The Tasmanian devil is a marsupial. Female marsupial animals have pouches in which they carry their young.

The pouch helps the Tasmanian devil mother to feed and protect newly born devils. There are four teats in the pouch, so she can look after four little devils at the same time.


Are devils dangerous to people?

No, devils are not dangerous. They do not attack people, although they will defend themselves if they're attacked or trapped.

Devils may look fierce but they will much rather escape than fight. However, devils have powerful jaws and when they do bite, they can cause serious injury.


What is their scientific name?

Their Latin scientific name is Sarcophilus harrisii. That means Harris's meat lover. Harris is the name of the scientist who described the Tasmanian devil.



Devil history

The early European settlers of Hobart didn't like them, because the devils ate their chickens and they thought the devils would eat other farm animals too. So, they hunted the devils. In 1830 the Van Diemen's Land Company put up a reward for every devil killed on their property. The reward was two shillings and sixpence (25 cents) for a male devil and three shillings and sixpence (35 cents) for a female.

For many years, Tasmanian devils were caught in traps and shot. They almost disappeared and some people thought devils would become extinct, like the Tasmanian tiger. It was only in 1941 that laws protected the devils.

Luckily, the devil population increased again over the years, but there is now a new worry. Many Tasmanian devils are dying from a disease that has spread among the devils. Scientists are working hard to find a cure.


Are devils useful?

They certainly are. Devils play an important role, by eating sick and dead animals. They probably also help to control feral cats in Tasmania and, by doing so, they help to protect some of our native species, particularly birds. They can even help us control animals that do not belong in Tasmania – such as the red fox, an animal that is a big problem on the Australian mainland. While there are many devils around, it is very difficult for foxes to breed in Tasmania. Fox dens are very smelly and quite messy, so devils can quickly sniff them out.

Devils are also useful in other ways. Think about things that are unique to Tasmania and the Tasmanian devil will probably be at the top of your list. Tourists love to see our devils and they will travel long distances to do so. Devils are so popular that products and sports teams are named after them.

My reflections
The tasmanian devil uses their large footpads on their hind legs as friction pads so they will not slide down when climbing a tree.Their ears are almost hairless and the skin is just a thin skin covering the blood vessels. Their jaws can bite as a dog four times their size. Before they became extinct, the Tasmanian tigers must have hunted them. Eagles also go after young devils when they come out by day. At night, masked owl and the spotted tail quoll may attack young devils. And, if they are hungry enough, large devils may even eat the smaller ones. The reason why young devils can climb so well may be so that they can escape large devils.