Tasmanian devils

Tasmanian Devil Facts

Classification:

• Kingdom: Animalia
• Subkingdom: Bilateria
• Phylum: Chordata
• Subphylum: Vertebrata
• Class: Mammalia
• Subclass: Theria
• Infraclass: Metatheria
• Order: Dasyuromorphia
• Family: Dasyuridae
• Genus and species:Sarcophilus harrisii
• Geographical location: Tasmania, but formerly was also found in Australia
• Habitat: From coastal areas to the mountains, in shrubs and forests
• Gestational period: Twenty-one days, then remains in marsupium for five to six months
• Life span: Between six and eight years
• Special anatomy: A powerfully built, solid animal, with a large head, short tail, and marsupium

The Tasmanian devil belongs to a primitive group of mammals, the marsupials, which are found today primarily in Australia, Tasmania, New Guinea, southern Mexico, Central America, and South America. The name “marsupials” refers to the animal’s marsupium, the pouchlike structure to which the immature young move after they are born, becoming attached for several months as they complete their development. The well-known pouch of kangaroos and wallabies is the classic example of a marsupium, although it should be noted that a few marsupials do not have pouches and in some, including the Tasmanian devil, the pouch opens downward. During their long geological separation from the rest of the world, marsupials in Australia and South America underwent adaptive radiation, which produced an enormous diversity of forms as species became adapted to various habitats. As a result, many marsupials resemble placental mammals although they are not closely related. Thus, there are marsupials that resemble flying squirrels, moles, woodchucks, cats, and dogs. The Tasmanian devil, although a marsupial, has many similarities in structure and behavior to a dog.

Physical Characteristics

The devil belongs to a family of marsupials known as the Dasyuridae, which are found in Tasmania, Australia, New Guinea, and some nearby islands. The family includes the mulgara, dasyure, marsupial shrew, dibbler, antechinus, and quoll. The Tasmanian devil is distinctive even within this distinctive group of marsupials. It received its name, “The Devil,” from the early European settlers to Tasmania, who were awed by its fierce behavior and loud vocalizations. The devil actually is a stocky but short-limbed animal, doglike in shape, and only weighs between 4.5 and 12 kilograms, standing only about 30 centimeters tall. Its dark, mostly black color also contributes to its “evil” reputation. The animal does have a voracious appetite. It has a large head and very powerful jaws with long canine teeth. The devil is the largest carnivorous marsupial, extremely strong for its size; it can feed on animals larger than itself, including small kangaroos. It usually rests during the day and seeks food at night. Its food is varied and may include amphibians, lizards, rodents, insects, and poultry. The devil may prey on live animals or may feed on carrion. Its nightly movements may cover distances up to ten miles or more. The legs are short and the animal usually moves along slowly, although it is capable of running quickly for short distances.

Early Life

As is true of all marsupials, the young are born alive after a relatively short gestation period—about three weeks. Breeding usually takes place in early spring. The newborns travel from the birth canal to the pouch, which is backward-opening in this species, and attach themselves to a nipple, where they remain secure for about four months.

For the next several months, the young will venture outside of the pouch at times and, finally, become weaned and independent by the end of the year. Breeding usually commences between the second and third year. Reproduction is somewhat limited, as the mother has only four nipples and usually more than four young are born. It is not unusual for only two young to survive to weaning.

The Tasmanian devil has had a persecuted history, especially with the advent of European settlers. Its fierce appearance, loud screeches, and occasional predation on domestic livestock and poultry caused it to be hunted, trapped, and poisoned to the point of near extinction. Its value in cleaning up carcasses was not appreciated. The Tasmanian devil finally became protected by law in 1941. Going from outlaw to icon, the Tasmanian devil was selected as the symbol of the Tasmanian National Parks and Wildlife Service. In the late 1990s, the first case of devil facial tumour disease (DFTD), a parasitic cancer, was officially described. DFTF has caused significant declines in devil populations, with some estimates of the decline ranging as high as 50 to 70 percent. Efforts to contain and track the spread of DFTD, sequester disease-free populations of devils, and develop a vaccine against DFTD have been underway since the discovery of the disease. As of 2016, the Tasmanian devil remains endangered.

Principal Terms

adaptive radiation: the process by which many species evolve from a single ancestral species in adapting to new habitats

dingo: the wild dog brought to Australia by the aborigines

marsupial: primitive mammals in which the young are born alive but in a very immature state

marsupium: the pouch in which the immature young remain attached to nipples until they complete their development

placental mammal: a mammal that possesses a placenta, an organ used to nourish the developing embryo

Bibliography

Darling, Kathy. Tasmanian Devil. New York: Lothrop, 1992. Print.

Kalman, Bobbie. What Is a Marsupial? New York: Crabtree, 2000. Print.

Odgers, Sally, and Darrel Odgers. Tasmania: A Guide. 2nd ed. New York: Simon, 2000. Print.

Owen, David, and David Pemberton. Tasmanian Devil: A Unique and Threatened Animal. Sydney: Allen, 2011. Print.

Paddle, Robert. The Last Tasmanian Tiger: The History and Extinction of the Thylacine. New York: Cambridge UP, 2001. Print.

Zimmer, Carl. "Raising Devils in Seclusion." New York Times. New York Times, 21 Jan. 2013. Web. 5 Oct. 2016.

Zimmer, Carl. "Scientists Discover Origin of a Cancer in Tasmanian Devils." New York Times. New York Times, 31 Dec. 2009. Web. 5 Oct. 2016.