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Tasmanian devils are the largest carnivorous marsupials in the world. Adults are about the size of an average dog and have stocky and muscular bodies. In length can reach 80 centimeters and weigh up to 12 kilograms.

Devils have black fur and white stripe on the chest. Usually they lead a hermit life, but sometimes they can unite in small flocks while eating the corpse of a large animal.

Unlike others marsupials of australia, Tasmanian devils can be active during the day, although they are nocturnal hunters. The devils were named after European explorers who heard their loud shrill cries and saw their ferocious nature during feeding and mating season.

According to research, the huge head and neck of the Tasmanian devils allows them to inflict the most powerful bite per unit body mass of any land-based predator, and their jaws are strong enough to bite through metal traps.

Despite the fact that the Tasmanian devils look fat, they are excellent at climbing trees and swimming across stormy rivers. Devils cannot run at high speeds to catch their prey, but they are hardy enough to run at 24 kilometers per hour for up to an hour.


Tasmanian devils feed on snake and bird meat, fish and insects. Their victims can be animals the size of small kangaroos. When hunting, Tasmanian devils rely on their sharp eyesight and excellent sense of smell. They are not particularly picky eaters and can eat all parts of an animal's body, including fur and bones. Sometimes the devils bury the carcasses of animals in the ground and then eat the carrion.

Female Tasmanian devils give birth after 3 weeks of pregnancy and give birth to 20-30 very tiny cubs. These pea-sized crumbs climb into the bag, but not everyone survives, since the mother has only 4 nipples. After 4 months of life in the bag, the evil devils crawl out of it, but are still dependent on the mother. At the age of 8 months, they begin to lead an independent life. In the wild, the life expectancy of these animals is 7-8 years.

Habitats:

Once upon a time, Tasmanian devils lived throughout almost all of Australia, but today they live exclusively on the island of Tasmania. Researchers believe that devils disappeared from the mainland at the same time that native tribes spread across Australia, and wild dingo dogs appeared about 3,000 years ago.


Today, the Tasmanian devils, as the name implies, live on the island of Tasmania, but most of all these animals can be found in the wooded areas off the coast. In the 19th century, the Tasmanian devils began to be mercilessly exterminated, as local farmers viewed them as sworn enemies to their livestock. They almost died out, but timely measures taken to save these animals allowed them to increase their populations.

conservation status: an endangered species

Tasmanian devils became protected in 1941, but their population has declined by 60 percent over the past decade. Scientists believe that the reason for the decline in the number of animals is mainly an infectious, deadly form of cancer that infects devils and spreads very quickly. Tumors form on the face of the devils, so it becomes more difficult for the animals to eat. The problem of the devils is also the traffic on the roads.


Tasmanian devils have been known to start eating dead animals from their digestive system, as these are the softest organs.

Devils can eat food weighing 5-10 percent of their weight per day own body, and even more if they are very hungry. Given the opportunity, the devil can eat food that is 40 percent of his weight, and in record time - in half an hour.

The devils have several natural enemies. Smaller individuals can fall prey to eagles, owls, and even their relative, the spotted-tailed marsupial marten.

These animals can exude a disgusting odor when under stress.

Animals can open their mouths very wide when they want to express fear or indecision. To challenge another devil "to a duel", animals make shrill sounds.

In the tail of a healthy devil there are good reserves of fat, so the tails of sick animals are very thin and flabby.

Latin name for animals Sarcophilus laniarius literally means "meat lover Harris" named after the researcher who first described tasmanian devil.

Tasmanian devils have recently become very popular exotic pets, especially in the US. Every day more and more people are neglecting traditional pets like cats and dogs in order to buy the lovable Tasmanian devils. Although Tasmanian devils have gained a bad reputation, thanks to the bad character Taz from the Looney Tunes animated series, they are indeed one of the most attractive animals to have in your home. Let's learn a little more about our new furry friend.

The nature and behavior of the Tasmanian devil
Tasmanian devils have a uniquely grumpy disposition and will go into a manic rage when threatened by a predator, when fighting for a mate or defending their prey. The early European settlers nicknamed him "the devil" after they witnessed similar displays as they bared their teeth, attacked, and let out a chilling guttural growl.

Photo. Cartoon character, Taz

This surprisingly vicious mammal has coarse brown or black fur, and its stocky physique looks like a growing bear cub. Most of them have a white stripe or spot on the chest, as well as light spots on the sides or back. These animals have short hind legs and long front legs, giving them the gait of a pig.

The Tasmanian devil is the world's largest carnivorous marsupial, reaching 76 cm (30 in) in length and up to 12 kg (26 lb) in weight, although size varies by area and food availability. The non-standard-sized head is armed with strong muscular jaws and sharp teeth. In terms of bite force per unit weight, its bite is one of the most powerful bites among mammals.

The Tasmanian devil is clearly a carnivore, preying on small prey such as snakes, fish, birds and insects and often feasting on carrion in groups. They often make a lot of noise when fighting for a comfortable position while eating a large carcass. Like other marsupials, when they feed well, their tails swell with the fat stored there.

Tasmanian devils are hermits and nocturnal, spending their days in burrows, caves or hollow logs and emerge outside at night to feed. They use their excellent sense of smell, long whiskers and eyesight to avoid predators and find prey or carrion. They eat just about anything they can get their teeth into and when they find food they are very voracious, eating everything including organs, hair and bones.

Females give birth after three weeks of pregnancy from 20 to 30 very tiny cubs. These raisin-sized babies crawl over their mother's fur and into her pouch. However, the mother has only four nipples, so not all cubs survive. Babies emerge from the pouch after about four months and are usually weaned by their mother by the sixth month, or by the eighth they do it on their own.

Previously, Tasmanian devils lived throughout Australia, today they can be seen in the wild on the island state of Tasmania of the same name. In Tasmania, they live throughout the island, although they can be partially found in coastal forests and shrubs. Experts believe that their disappearance on the mainland is due to the appearance of the dingo or Asian dogs.

In the late 1800s, measures were taken to eradicate the Tasmanian devils, (farmers mistakenly believed that they killed livestock, although cases are known when they took away poultry) were very successful. In 1941, the Tasmanian devil was declared a protected species by the Australian government, and today its numbers are constantly growing.

Endangered
In the mid 1990s, it was discovered terrible disease, which killed tens of thousands of Tasmanian devils. This disease is called Tasmanian devil facial tumor disease (DFTD) and is a rapidly spreading rare view cancer, which leads to the formation of large tumors around the animal's mouth and head, which makes it difficult for the animal to eat. In the end, the animal dies of hunger. Experts on these animals are focusing on a captive breeding program to save this species from extinction. Due to the outbreak of DFTD, the Australian government has classified the Tasmanian devil as a vulnerable species.

Video. Angry tasmanian devil

Fortunately, a recent study published in the journal Nature Communications, in which scientists studied samples of these animals dating back to the period 1999-2014, reports that the genome of the Tasmanian devil is rapidly mutating. Seven genes have been found that in humans characterize immunity to cancers. Therefore, scientists are confident that the Tasmanian devil will survive and develop immunity to this incurable disease.

Some Interesting Facts about the tasmanian devil
1. Insanely powerful bite. Tasmanian devils do not attack humans unless provoked, but they are not afraid to defend themselves. When they bite, their powerful jaws can inflict great harm. Their bite per unit of body mass is 540 kg per square inch! This is strong enough to break a metal trap.

2. Small but brutal. These strong animals can swim across the river and climb the very tall tree. If necessary, they are able to run up to 12 miles per hour for an hour.

Photo. mouth of the tasmanian devil

3. Signaling ears. If you're not quite sure if the Tasmanian Devil is angry (growling doesn't count), look at the color of his ears. The furious Tasmanian Devil's ears will change from pink to bright fiery red.

4. Secret weapon. Even though they are ferocious, they would rather run away than fight another animal. If they feel threatened by other animal species, they can release a terrible odor that resembles that of a skunk. In preparation for a confrontation with another Tasmanian devil, these creatures warn of their displeasure with sneezes and growls similar to those made by a pig when it is slaughtered.

5. Big appetite. Tasmanian devils eat 5-10% of their body weight food every day. If they are really hungry, these creatures are known to be able to eat up to 40% of their body weight in just 30 minutes.

6. Scientific name. The official scientific name for the Tasmanian devil is Sarcophilus Harrisii, which means "lover of the flesh" in Latin.

7. As a symbol. The Tasmanian Devil is the symbol of both the Tasmanian Service national parks And wildlife, and former team Australian Football, Tasmanian Devils. He also received his own Australian dollar commemorative coin in the early 1990s. This animal is also very popular among tourists.

8. Nocturnal animals. Although these animals are not so numerous, the chances of seeing them increase if you drive along after dark. national parks or high mountain lakes.

9. Tails are a sign of health. The tail of the Tasmanian devil stores fat, and if his tail is skinny, then this sure sign sick or starving animal.

10. Females have bags. The female pouch is horseshoe shaped and opens backwards. This is a very clever design, it avoids the dirt filling up the bag when the animal digs. There are only 4 nipples in the bag.

Video. Glutton in Tasmania

Tasmanian devil as a pet
Before you decide to get this animal, you should read this section of the article. Tasmanian devils do not like water. Devils have been known to go into "psychotic rage" when they are forced to take baths. At this time, they become very confused and anxious, they can endlessly run in circles and crash into the wall at maximum speed.

Unlike cats and dogs, the Tasmanian devil is easy to feed. They eat any leftovers, carrion and corpses. They also enjoy living food and are happy to hunt down and eat something even if they have to engage in combat. Their prey can be: cats, ferrets, dogs, iguanas, cows, horses and even elephants. Yes, you are probably wondering how they can kill an elephant? They have so strong jaws that with them they can crush the head of elephants like a coconut vise.

Tasmanian devils also have many cute features. They can be affable, cuddly and even loving…if they are not annoyed. Tasmanian devils can be annoyed by many things, like turning on the TV, switching lights, talking, children laughing and being petted.

When they go into violent anger, they often try to break a window, rip apart furniture that gets in their way, and brutally attack young children. At this time, the main thing is not to scare them away.

It is also important to understand that Tasmanian devils are nocturnal animals. They love to roam around the house late at night and make their beautiful (but loud) repeated squeals. They also love to copulate, confusing anything with their potential mate. "Anything" could be: clothes from a laundry basket, a coffee table, even a human leg. During this time, they tend to squeal and bite wildly.

To conclude, Tasmanian devils are not very good pets to keep. They are very energetic, violent and capable of attacking you and other animals.

About the attacks of the Tasmanian devil on people
There are very few reports of Tasmanian devil attacks on people, as a rule, people got off with cuts and wounds on their hands (hand-fed) and legs. But there is definitely not a single report when the Tasmanian devil killed a person. More often, tourists suffer from these animals, who have never seen such marvelous voracious animals roaring like pigs.

Newly released Tasmanian devils on Mariah Island have caused serious harm to visitors, preying on birds and harassing people, the operator of the popular tourist destination's ferry said.

John Cole-Cook is afraid to take a child with him because he fears for him. Some of the Tasmanian Devils have grown as large as Australian Cattle Dogs (Blue Heelers) and have become particularly arrogant towards humans. Some of them have already bitten tourists.

28 Tasmanian Devils were released on Mariah Island, which is home to a World Heritage Site listed in 2012 by the Darlington Probation Station. This was done as part of a plan to create a healthy population to protect them from the Tasmanian demon facial tumor that is decimating animals in Tasmania.

This initial population has now grown to almost 100 individuals and Cole Cook wants them to be fenced in for security reasons. public safety. Cole Cook said that earlier on the Cape, geese calmly laid eggs and nursed chickens, and the same applies to other birds.

But now the island's once prolific bird population is on the decline due to the Tasmanian devil's more brazen interactions with humans.

“In the end, they can seriously harm little child Cole-Cook said. “Already, several tourists who hand-fed Tasmanian devils have been bitten and have also been found in tents and on beds in campgrounds.”

"These devils are big, almost like blue healers." Cole Cook said 16 Tasmanian devils that bit tourists on Mariah Island were deported back to Tasmania last week.

But the Department of Extractive Industries, Parks, Water and environment(DPIPWE), reported that the Tasmanian Devils were sent back to support other protected groups, and not because of "bad behavior".

“Some of the older released animals were very familiar and comfortable with humans, but only one animal was removed from the island due to human contact,” he said.

"This animal does not bite anyone, but holds its ground when cornered." Cole-Cook advised tourists not to hand-feed the Tasmanian devils, but he said many ignored the advice.

He said the Tasmanian Devil Relocation Program was worth considering, but now it needs to be rethought.

"It's time to sharpen them up on some part of the island," he said.

DPIPWE reported that Mariah Island was chosen precisely because it was home to other introduced species such as the chicken goose.

"This is done with the goal of ensuring population sustainability in order to maximize genetic diversity and minimize their impact on other native National Park species."

The marsupial animal, known for its bloodthirstiness, was not accidentally called the devil. The first acquaintance of the English colonialists with the Tasmanian inhabitant was extremely unpleasant - the nightly screams, terrifying, the aggression of insatiable creatures formed the basis of legends about the mystical power of a predator.

Tasmanian devil- a mysterious inhabitant of the Australian state, the study of which continues to the present day.

Description and features

A predatory mammal the size of a small dog at 26-30 cm. The body of the animal is 50-80 cm long, weighing 12-15 kg. The physique is strong. Males are larger than females. There are five toes on the front legs, four of which are located straight, and the fifth is to the side, in order to grip and hold food more firmly.

On the hind legs, they are shorter than the front ones, the first toe is missing. With sharp claws, the beast easily tears through fabrics and skins.

The external fullness and asymmetry of the paws do not correlate with the dexterity and agility of a predator. The tail is short. By his condition, one can judge the well-being of the animal. Fat stores are stored in the tail in case of a hungry time. If it is thick, covered with thick hair, then the predator is full, in full health. A thin tail with sparse hair, almost naked, is a sign of illness or starvation of the beast. The female pouch looks like a curved skin fold.

The head is large in relation to the body. The strongest among all marsupials the jaws are adapted to the easy breaking of bones. With one bite, the beast is able to crush the victim's spine. The ears are small and pink.

long mustache, subtle sense of smell allow you to locate the victim for 1 km. Sharp vision even at night makes it possible to detect the slightest movement, but it is difficult for animals to distinguish between stationary objects.

The animal's short hair is black in color, elongated white spots are located on the chest, sacrum. From the sides, semilunar divorces, small peas are sometimes visible. By appearance tasmanian devil animal similar to little bear. But they have a cute look only during the holidays. Behind active life, terrifying on the Australian inhabitants, the animal was not accidentally called the devil.

For a long time, the inhabitants of Tasmania could not determine the nature of the sounds emanating from the ferocious predators. Wheezing, turning into a cough, a menacing growl was attributed to otherworldly forces. The meeting with an extremely aggressive animal, emitting terrible cries, determined the attitude towards him.

A massive persecution of predators with poisons and traps began, which almost led to their destruction. The meat of marsupials turned out to be edible, similar to veal, which accelerated the elimination of the pest. By the 40s of the last century, the animal was practically destroyed. meager population after measures taken were able to recover, although the numbers are still subject to strong fluctuations.

Another threat to the devils was brought by a dangerous disease that claimed more than half of the population by the beginning of the 21st century. Animals are prone to epidemics of infectious cancer, from which the muzzle of the animal swells.

Devils die prematurely from starvation. Causes, ways to combat the disease are not yet known. So far, animals can be saved by the method of resettlement, isolation. In Tasmania, scientists are working on the problem of saving the population in specialized research centers.

Kinds

The Tasmanian (Tasmanian) devil is officially recognized as the largest carnivorous marsupial animal on Earth. The first scientific description was compiled in the early 19th century. In 1841 the animal received modern name, got into international classification as the only representative of the family of Australian marsupial predators.

Scientists have proven the significant similarity of the Tasmanian devil with quolls, or marsupial martens. A distant connection can be traced with an extinct relative - the thylacine, or marsupial wolf. The Tasmanian devil is the only species in its genus Sarcophilus.

Lifestyle and habitat

Once upon a time, a predator freely inhabited the territory of Australia. Gradually, the range decreased due to the resettlement of dingo dogs hunting the Tasmanian devil. Europeans first saw the predator in Tasmania, the Australian state of the same name.

Until now, the marsupial is found only in these places. locals mercilessly fought with the destroyer of chicken coops, until the official ban stopped the destruction of marsupials.

Tasmanian devil dwells among sheep pastures, in savannahs, in national parks. Predators avoid deserted places, built-up areas. The activity of the animal is manifested at dusk and at night, in the daytime the animal rests in dense thickets, inhabited burrows, in rocky crevices. A predator can be caught on a fine day basking on the lawn in the sun.

The Tasmanian devil is able to swim across a river 50 m wide, but does so only when necessary. Young predators climb trees, it becomes physically difficult for old individuals. This factor becomes vital as a means of survival when ferocious relatives pursue the young. Devils do not unite in groups, they live alone, but they do not lose ties with related individuals, they butcher large prey together.

Each animal lives in a conditional territorial area, although it does not mark it. The properties of neighbors often overlap. Animal lairs are located among dense vegetation, thorny grasses, in rocky caves. To improve safety, the animals settle in 2-4 shelters, which are used constantly, and go to new generations of devils.

The marsupial devil is characterized by amazing cleanliness. He licks himself carefully, until the smell disappears completely, which prevents hunting, even washing himself. With paws folded in a ladle, it scoops up water and washes its muzzle and breast. Tasmanian devil, caught during a water treatment, on photo seems like a cute little animal.

In a calm state, the predator is slow, but in danger it is agile, unusually mobile, accelerates in running up to 13 km / h, but only for short distances. Anxiety awakens the Tasmanian animal, like skunks, to emit an unpleasant odor.

natural enemies the aggressive animal has little. The danger is predator birds, marsupial martens, foxes and, of course, humans. The animal does not attack people for no reason, but provocative actions can cause retaliatory aggression. Despite the ferocity, the animal can be tamed, turned from a savage into a pet.

Nutrition

Tasmanian devils are classified as omnivorous animals, unusually voracious. The daily volume of food is approximately 15% of the animal's weight, but a starving animal can consume up to 40%. Meals are short, marsupials absorb even a large amount of food in no more than half an hour. The cry of the Tasmanian devil is an indispensable attribute of cutting prey.

The basis of the diet is made up of small mammals, birds, insects, reptiles. Along the coasts of reservoirs, predators catch frogs, rats, pick up crayfish, fish thrown into the shallows. Any carrion is enough for the Tasmanian devil. He will not waste his energy hunting for small animals in vain.

A developed sense of smell helps in the search for fallen sheep, cows, wild rabbits, kangaroo rats. Favorite treats are wallabies and wombats. Decayed carrion, rotten meat with worms do not bother carnivorous devourers. In addition to animal food, animals do not disdain to eat plant tubers, roots, and juicy fruits.

Predators take prey marsupial martens, pick up the remains of a feast of other mammals. IN territorial ecosystem voracious scavengers play positive role– reduce the risk of spreading infection.

The victims of devils sometimes become animals that are many times larger than predators in size - sick sheep, kangaroos. Remarkable energy allows you to cope with a large, but weakened enemy.

The illegibility of marsupial devils in the consumption of prey is noteworthy. They swallow everything, including harness fragments, foil, plastic tags. Towels, pieces of shoes, jeans, plastic, corn cobs, collars were found in the animal's excrement.

Terrible pictures of eating prey are accompanied by manifestations of aggression, wild cries of animals. Scientists have recorded 20 different sounds made in the communication of devils. Ferocious growls, hierarchical disassembly accompany diabolical meals. The feast of predators can be heard for several kilometers.

During periods of drought, bad weather, and hunger, the animals are rescued by fat reserves in the tail, which accumulate with the abundant food of voracious predators. It helps to survive the ability of young animals to climb rocks and trees, to destroy bird nests. Strong individuals during the period of famine prey on their weak relatives.

Reproduction and lifespan

The mating season for devils begins in April. The rivalry of males, the protection of females after mating are accompanied by piercing cries, bloody fights, duels. The established couples, even during a short union, are aggressive. Marsupials are not characterized by monogamous relationships. The female Tasmanian devil chases away the male 3 days after approaching. Bearing offspring lasts 21 days.

20-30 babies are born. The cub of the Tasmanian devil weighs 20-29 g. Only four devil cubs survive from a large brood according to the number of nipples in the mother's pouch. Weaker individuals are eaten by the female.

The viability of born females is higher than that of males. At 3 months, babies open their eyes, naked bodies are covered with dark hair. The young make their first forays out of the mother's pouch to explore the world. Maternal feeding lasts another couple of months. By December, the offspring becomes completely independent.

Two year old young are ready for breeding. The life of marsupial devils lasts 7-8 years, so all maturation processes are quite fast. In Australia, an unusual animal is referred to as symbolic animals, the images of which are reflected on coins, emblems, coats of arms. Despite the manifestations of a real devil, the animal occupies a worthy place in the ecosystem of the mainland.

Features and habitat of the Tasmanian devil

tasmanian devil also called marsupials, the name " marsupial devil". This mammalian animal got its name for the ominous cries that it emits at night.

The rather ferocious nature of the animal, its mouth with large, sharp teeth, its love of meat, only consolidated the unflattering name. Tasmanian devil, by the way, is related to the marsupial wolf, which has long since died out.

In fact, the appearance of this beast is not at all repulsive, but, on the contrary, quite cute, resembling either a dog or a small bear. Body size depends on nutrition, age and habitat, most often, this animal is 50-80 cm, but larger individuals are also found. females fewer males, and males reach a weight of up to 12 kg.

The animal has a strong skeleton, a large head with small ears, the body is covered with short black hair with a white spot on the chest. The devil's tail is especially interesting. This is a kind of storage for body fat. If the animal is full, then its tail is short and thick, but when the devil is hungry, then his tail becomes thin.

If we consider Pictures with picture tasmanian devil, then a feeling of a cute, glorious animal is created, which is pleasant to cuddle and scratch behind the ear.

However, do not forget that this cutie is able to bite his victim's skull or spine with one bite. The bite force of the devil is considered the highest among mammals. Tasmanian devil- marsupial animal, therefore, in front of the females there is a special fold of skin, which turns into a bag for the cubs.

From the name it is already clear that the beast is common on the island of Tasmania. Previously, this marsupial animal could also be found in Australia, but biologists believe that dingo dogs completely exterminated the devil.

The man also played last role- he killed this animal for the destroyed chicken coops. The number of the Tasmanian devil was declining until a ban on hunting was introduced.

The nature and lifestyle of the Tasmanian devil

The devil is not a big fan of companies. He prefers to lead a solitary lifestyle. During the day, this animal hides in bushes, in empty burrows, or simply burrows into foliage. The devil is a great master of hiding.

During the day it is impossible to notice, let alone photograph tasmanian devil on video- great luck. And only with the onset of darkness begins to wake up. Every night this beast walks around its territory to find something to eat.

For each such "owner" of the territory, there is a fairly decent area - from 8 to 20 km2. It happens that the paths of different "owners" intersect, then you have to defend your territory, and the devil has something to do.

True, if it comes across big booty, and one beast cannot overpower it, brothers can connect. But such joint meals are so noisy and scandalous that the screams of the tasmanian devils can be heard even for several kilometers.

The Tasmanian devil generally uses sounds very widely in his life. He can growl, bark and even cough. And his wild, piercing cries not only forced the first Europeans to give the animal a kind of sonorous sound to them, but also led to the fact that about the tasmanian devil told terrible stories.

Hear the tasmanian devil cry

This beast has a rather angry temperament. With his relatives and with other representatives of the fauna, the devil is quite aggressive. When meeting with rivals, the animal opens its mouth wide, showing serious teeth.

But this is not a way of intimidation, this gesture shows the uncertainty of the devil. Another sign of insecurity and anxiety is a strong unpleasant odor that devils emit in the same way as.

However, due to his unkind nature, the devil has very few enemies. Dingo dogs hunted them, but the devils chose places where the dogs are uncomfortable. Young marsupial devils they can still become prey for large ones, but adults are no longer able to do so. But the enemy of the devils was an ordinary fox, which was brought to Tasmania illegally.

Interestingly, adult devils are not very dexterous and mobile, rather clumsy. However, this does not prevent them from critical situations reach speeds up to 13 km / h. But young individuals are much more mobile. They can even climb trees with ease. It is known that this animal swims miraculously.

Tasmanian devil food

Very often, the Tasmanian devil can be seen near livestock pastures. This can be explained simply - herds of animals leave behind fallen, weakened, wounded animals, which go to the devil's food.

If such an animal cannot be found, the devil feeds small mammals, birds, reptiles, insects and even plant roots. The devil has to eat a lot, because his diet is 15% of his own weight per day.

Therefore, its main diet is carrion. The devil's sense of smell is too well developed, and he easily finds the remains of all kinds of animals. After the supper of this beast, there is nothing left - meat, skin, and bones are used as food. The devil does not disdain meat "with a smell", it even attracts him more. Needless to say, what a natural orderly this animal is!

Reproduction and lifespan of the Tasmanian devil

The aggressiveness of the devil does not subside even in mating season. In March, early April, pairs are created in order to conceive offspring, however, these animals do not observe any moments of courtship.

Even at the moments of mating, they are aggressive and pugnacious. And after mating has taken place, the female drives the male away in anger in order to spend the pregnancy alone - 21 days.

Nature itself controls the number of devils. The mother has only 4 nipples, and about 30 cubs are born. They are all small and helpless, their weight does not even reach a gram. Those that manage to cling to the nipples survive and remain in the bag, while the rest die, they are eaten by the mother herself.

After 3 months, the babies become covered with wool, by the end of the 3rd month their eyes open. Of course, compared to kittens or rabbits, this is too long, but the babies of the devil do not need to "grow up", they leave the mother's pouch only by the 4th month of life, when their weight is about 200 grams. True, the mother still continues to feed them up to 5-6 months.

Only in the second year of life, towards the end, the devils become fully grown and can breed. In nature, Tasmanian devils do not live longer than 8 years. It is known that these animals are very popular, both in Australia and abroad.

Despite their grumpy disposition, they are well tamed, and many keep them as pets. On the Internet you can find many tasmanian devil photo in a home environment.

The unusualness of this animal is so mesmerizing that there are many who want to buy tasmanian devil. However, export of these animals is strictly prohibited.

Very rare zoo can boast of such a valuable specimen. And is it worth depriving this grouchy, restless, angry, and yet wonderful inhabitant of nature of freedom and habitual habitat.


The Tasmanian devil is a marsupial predator that is found in the wild only on the island of Tasmania. The only representative of the genus Sacrophilius (sarcophilus), which in Greek means a lover of flesh.

The Tasmanian devil is the largest marsupial predator on our planet. He very cruelly kills his victims, smells bad and squeals loudly when he is frightened - in general, it fully justifies its impartial name. The size of the Tasmanian devil is about the size of a small dog, dense and stocky. It hunts at night, in this it is helped by black wool, which hides it well in the dark. Poorly sees motionless objects in the dark, but well - moving. It can kill even a small one (despite the fact that it hunts alone), but usually does not bother to do this, preferring to eat carrion, and the prey is eaten whole, even wool and bones. This "scavenger" brings significant benefits to the ecosystem, because it leaves nothing for insects and thus prevents their exorbitant reproduction. Fat accumulates in the colon short tail- therefore, if his tail is thin, this most likely indicates that the animal is unhealthy or has been starving for a long time.

Previously, the devil was also found in Australia, but disappeared from there 400 years ago, even before the arrival of the first European settlers- Indigenous Australians also survived it from there. In Tasmania, many farmers also dreamed of eradicating this beast that ravages chicken coops and screams terribly at night. And the first colonists in Tasmania not only killed the devils, but also ate and praised them, claiming that the taste of their meat resembled veal. As a result, the population was on the verge of extinction, which led to the adoption of the law for the protection of the Tasmanian devil in 1941.

At the end of the 20th century, an epidemic that suddenly broke out among marsupial devils reduced their numbers several times, but the Tasmanian government is taking all possible measures to mitigate the consequences of the disease, and the animals themselves are fighting it as best they can - they began to grow up and breed earlier all year round, which undoubtedly has a positive effect on the population size.

In Australia, the Tasmanian devil is a very popular animal. They like to depict him on money, coats of arms and all that, sports teams are named after him. International fame was brought to him by the animated series produced by "Looney Tunes" about the Tasmanian devil Taz. In these cartoons, however, the character acts more like a person, but also from an animal, in addition to a large head, long fangs and short legs, character traits- Taz in the cartoon, like all Tasmanian devils, is noisy, gluttonous and ... modest.

The live Tasmanian devil can be seen, basically, only in Australia, because the export of these animals is now prohibited. However, in 2005, the Tasmanian government made an exception and presented two Tasmanian devils to Frederick, crown prince Denmark, and his wife Mary, a native of Tasmania, after the birth of their first son. So now two Tasmanian devils live in the Copenhagen Zoo.