Taxonomy
Family | Dasyuridae | Dasyurids – carnivorous marsupialsteeth are for biting and cutting |
Genus | Sarcophilus | sarco– flesh -philus lover |
Species | harrisii | |
Common Names | Tasmanian devil, native devil | |
Nearest Relatives | native cats |
Characteristics
General
- largest of the surviving carnivorous marsupials
Distribution
- Tasmania; also existed on the Australian mainland before the arrival of the dingo – bones have been found in Victoria and in Arnhem Land
Habitat
- dry eucalypt forests and woodlands of Tasmania; also seen around the suburbs
Appearance
- thickset, heavy, and powerful; massive head relative to the body size, powerful jaws and strong teeth for crunching bones
- males 9kg (20lbs), 65cm (25in) head and body length; tail about 25cm (10in)
- females are smaller but similar in appearance
Voice
- uses vocal repertoire to signal level of displeasure ranging from champing of the jaws to indicate mild aggression through a range of growls culminating in yells that end in a blood-curdling scream with widely-gaping jaws close to the rival
Disposition
- somewhat belligerent, wary
- fight and squabble among themselves; often older animals are scarred from these encounters
Lifestyle
- nocturnal, spend the day in a hollow log, cave, burrow
- a home range of 10-20 ha but not territorial; home ranges usually overlap
- can climb trees
- mortality rates: little loss of pouch young; high juvenile mortality
live for about 6 years
Senses
- acute sense of smell
Locomotion
- run on all 4 legs with elevated tail; awkward slow lope not exceeding 13km/hr
Feeding
- generally hunt alone; can travel 8km (5mile) a night
- mainly scavenge carcasses – beached fishes, cows etc; large carcasses may attract up to 6 devils
- carnivorous taking possums, wallabies, wombats; young sometimes take sleeping birds; will eat any material of animal origin
Reproduction
- mate in March (autumn)
- gestation period of 3-4 weeks
- marsupials => female has a backward-opening pouch; usually produce litters of up to 4
- female carries the young in the pouch for about 15 weeks when they are left in a grass-lined den; they are fully furred by this time; lactation continues for another 15 weeks
- young start leaving the den in November and by February they are weaned and independent
- males disperse from their natal home range
- females can breed at around 2 years
References – books
- Australia’s Amazing Wildlife, 1985. Bay Books, Kensington NSW.
- Encyclopedia of Australian Wildlife, Readers Digest Australia Pty Ltd, 1997. Readers Digest (Australia) Pty Ltd, Surrey Hills.
- Complete Book Of Australian Mammals, R Strahan (ed), 1983. Angus & Robertson Publishers, London.
- Wildlife Conservation. HJ Frith. 1979. Angus & Robertson Publishers, London.