Tasmanian Devil

Tasmanian Devil

(Sarcophilus harrisii)

Tasmanian Devils are the largest living carnivorous marsupial (Dasyurid) in Australia. Male Devils have a head to body length of 652mm, whereas a female Devil may only grow to around 570mm. Males can weigh up to 12kg and females up to 10kg. Each Devil has distinctive white markings on their chest which can be used like a fingerprint to identify individuals. They have sharp powerful claws and a backward facing pouch.

Habitat

Around 5,000 years ago Tasmanian Devils were common on the mainland, but now can only be found in Tasmania. They are however, found in virtually every type of habitat occurring in Tasmania, including suburban fringes. As Tasmanian Devils are shy, nocturnal creatures they are rarely seen in the wild.

Diet

Tasmanian Devils often scavenge dead animals (carrion) found on roadsides and sadly this often leads to many Tasmanian Devils being hit by cars themselves. A Tasmanian Devil will travel up to 16 kilometres in search of a food source. Devils will devour the entire prey item, bones and all. A male Tasmanian Devil is capable of consuming one quarter of its own body weight in one feeding session.

Breeding

Females will raise an average of two young at a time, and they remain in the pouch for almost four months. After emerging, they remain in a den for a further few months, before leaving to learn the skills required for survival.