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Land Animals Australia
Tasmanian Devil
The Tasmanian devil is the largest of the marsupials that eat meat. They were once found all over Australia, but are now found only in Tasmania. They were probably driven south by the dingo when it came to Australia, when Tasmania was joined to the mainland.
Their habitat is wooded countryside, in forests and near the outer suburbs of many towns.
They are black with a white mark on the chest and rump, and look similar to a medium sized solid dog. Their tracks are in a diamond pattern: a single pawprint, followed by two pawprints side by side, and then another single print. They have a rocking movement when they run, at a top speed of about 13 kilometres per hour.
The Tasmanian devil hunts at night and spends the day in a burrow. It eats mostly animals it finds dead, but also kills birds, reptiles and small mammals. Tasmanian devils have powerful jaws that can bite through bones. When several gather at one carcass, they growl and screech, but rarely injure each other.
After mating in March, a female gives birth in April to 2-4 young. After they are born, the tiny young make their way to their mother's pouch. The pouch opens towards the female's back legs. They stay in the pouch for about 16 weeks, and when they are too big to fit, the female moves them to a nest. They stay there for about 16 weeks, generally starting to follow her around at the end of that time. By the age of about 40 weeks, the young are on their own.
Related weblinks -
• All about this great little creature - http://www.tasmanian-devils.org/