Tasmanian Devil Habitat
The Tasmanian Devil is unique to the island state of Tasmania, Australia. This member of the Sarcophilus harrisii family is a carnivorous marsupial and the only extant member of the Sarcophilus genus. The animal flaunts the body of a stocky dog and is characterized by a black fur. Like the skunk, it emits an offensive odor when in distress.
Australia, the result of the great Continental Drift, is home to not only the most diverse terrain, but also the most unique flora and fauna in the world. One of its exclusive and exquisite exhibits is the Tasmanian Devil, a carnivorous marsupial. The animal resembles a small dog, with a dark fur and the ability to emit an awful odor when cornered. Its howl is very loud and disturbing and it displays a ferocity if disturbed when feeding. These are just some of the attributes that have helped the animal earn its name. The dog eats members of its kind and smaller animals and is also a scavenger in extreme situations. Today, it is endangered on account of a certain tumor disease that is affecting the surviving population.
Lifestyle and Habitat
The Devil is Australia's largest surviving marsupial. Its unique appeal lies in its squat build, large head and a long fat tail. The animal stores all the body fat in its tail. The forelegs are slightly longer than the hind legs, enabling the animal to run up more than 12 km per hour. Its black fur is broken by white patches along the chest and rump region. Male Tasmanian Devils are larger than the females. They grow to an average body length of 652 mm, of which 258 mm belongs to the tail. The animal exhibits an average body weight of 8 kg in males and 6 kg in females. The marsupial enjoys an average life expectancy of six years. They inhabit all parts of Tasmania. They are commonly spotted along the outskirts of urban areas, coastal woodlands and the sclerophyll forests.
They thrives on trees, near water bodies and on land. They do not form packs. The Devils prey on rats, carrion, wombats, sheep, birds, insects, fish and reptiles. The animal is able to detect prey even in the dark with the help of its long whiskers and clumps on the head. When agitated, the Devil rivals the skunk in the odor emitted. It has an excellent sense of hearing and smell. They display the traits of nocturnal animals too, with an inherent ability to detect moving objects readily in the dark. They have the strongest bite among all living mammals. This marsupial has one set of teeth that grows throughout its life. Tasmanian Devils commonly mate in the month of March. The twenty-one-day gestation period results in the birth of around 30 young 'devils'. On an average, female Tasmanian Devils survive more than the males.
History and research recall that the Tasmanian Devil was earlier extirpated, about 400 years ago, since they were viewed as threats to livestock. They were hunted extensively till 1941 and have only since been declared recipients of 'official protection'. The last century brought to the attention of conservationists and zoologists recurrence of a facial tumor disease. The disease is responsible for the massive reduction in the Tasmanian Devil population. Devil facial tumor disease interferes with feeding and leads to death through starvation. Today, the populations are monitored to not only track and identify changes in the tumor disease prevalence, but also to define the number of affected and healthy animals. The tumor disease significantly threatens the marsupial's survival, categorizing the surviving population as 'endangered'.
Lifestyle and Habitat
The Devil is Australia's largest surviving marsupial. Its unique appeal lies in its squat build, large head and a long fat tail. The animal stores all the body fat in its tail. The forelegs are slightly longer than the hind legs, enabling the animal to run up more than 12 km per hour. Its black fur is broken by white patches along the chest and rump region. Male Tasmanian Devils are larger than the females. They grow to an average body length of 652 mm, of which 258 mm belongs to the tail. The animal exhibits an average body weight of 8 kg in males and 6 kg in females. The marsupial enjoys an average life expectancy of six years. They inhabit all parts of Tasmania. They are commonly spotted along the outskirts of urban areas, coastal woodlands and the sclerophyll forests.
They thrives on trees, near water bodies and on land. They do not form packs. The Devils prey on rats, carrion, wombats, sheep, birds, insects, fish and reptiles. The animal is able to detect prey even in the dark with the help of its long whiskers and clumps on the head. When agitated, the Devil rivals the skunk in the odor emitted. It has an excellent sense of hearing and smell. They display the traits of nocturnal animals too, with an inherent ability to detect moving objects readily in the dark. They have the strongest bite among all living mammals. This marsupial has one set of teeth that grows throughout its life. Tasmanian Devils commonly mate in the month of March. The twenty-one-day gestation period results in the birth of around 30 young 'devils'. On an average, female Tasmanian Devils survive more than the males.
History and research recall that the Tasmanian Devil was earlier extirpated, about 400 years ago, since they were viewed as threats to livestock. They were hunted extensively till 1941 and have only since been declared recipients of 'official protection'. The last century brought to the attention of conservationists and zoologists recurrence of a facial tumor disease. The disease is responsible for the massive reduction in the Tasmanian Devil population. Devil facial tumor disease interferes with feeding and leads to death through starvation. Today, the populations are monitored to not only track and identify changes in the tumor disease prevalence, but also to define the number of affected and healthy animals. The tumor disease significantly threatens the marsupial's survival, categorizing the surviving population as 'endangered'.
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