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.
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.
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.
Devils are carnivores, which means they
will eat other animals. They are also scavengers, and they're not
too fussy at dinnertime.
They often eat half-rotten meat and scavenge in the bush and on farms, like natural vacuum cleaners, keeping the bush healthy and reducing maggots, which can lead to fly strike in sheep. Of course they also
like fresh meat, and they sometimes go hunting for food. They'll
eat lizards, frogs and insects, in fact almost anything they can
find.
When devils find a dead animal, such as a wallaby, they will eat
it - bones, fur and all. They seem to like wombat meat, maybe
because it has a lot of fat.
When devils eat they usually make a lot
of noise. This is because some devils want to show the others who
is boss.
How much do devils eat?
Devils can
eat about 5 to 10% of their body weight in a day - and probably more at a feast if they are really hungry.
An adult devil weighing 10 kg will eat up to 1 kg of food a day.
Do they eat farm animals such as sheep
and cows?
When a farm animal dies, the devils will usually
eat it. If it's a cow, they will only eat small bits, like the udder
and the mouth, because the cow's skin is too thick for devils. Sheep
and lambs that are sick or injured may also be killed and eaten.
Healthy animals are safe, but chickens or ducks that roost on the
ground may be just too tempting for a hungry devil.
Do devils hunt in packs?
As far as we know, devils do not form packs
like dogs do. Sometimes, many devils can be found in one place at
the same time – and they may even try to hunt the same animal
– but that doesn't mean they are organised or working together
in any way. In devil world, it's each animal for himself.
Devil mothers are pregnant for about 21
days. The mother can give birth to 20 or even more young, but she has only four teats in her
pouch, so only four of the toughest young devils will stand a chance. It's tough
being a young devil.
The mother carries them in her pouch for about
four months. When the pups are ready to leave the pouch, the mother
leaves them in a simple den to get used to the outside world. The mother puts in a lot of effort to care for her young. She'll regularly come back to the den to feed them milk and take them on forages to teach the young ones how to find and catch their own food. The pups are weaned when they are about 10 months old.
Devils are mature when they are two years old. They live for about five or six years, and the
lucky ones can make it to about seven or eight years.
Are male and female devils the same size?
No. An adult female weighs about seven or eight
kilograms while an adult male weighs about 10 or 11 kilograms.
Females can weigh about 8 or 9 kilograms when they are pregnant or feeding their young, then they usually drop back to about 7 kg.
Do they have predators?
Before they became extinct, thylacines (Tasmanian
tigers) must have hunted devils. Large birds of prey, such as eagles,
may go after young devils when they come out by day. At night, large
owls (such as the masked owl) and large quolls (such as 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.
Links to our (adult) website
For more information, go to the main Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment website:
