Tasmanian Devil
Oceania
The Tasmanian devil is a small but fierce meat-eating marsupial found only on the Australian island of Tasmania. It got the name "devil" from the frightening screeches it makes when it's angry. Its bite is very strong for its size.
Quick facts
- Habitat
- It lives in the forests and scrub of Tasmania, Australia.
- Diet
- It eats dead animals, bones and all.
- Size and weight
- Length 50–65cm, weight 6–12kg.
- Lifespan
- About 6 years
- Conservation status
- Endangered
- Fun facts
- For its size, its bite is among the strongest of any mammal!
It eats its food down to the bones, cleaning up completely.
Learn more
The forest's small but bone-crushing cleanup crew
The surprising charm of the Tasmanian devil
- Despite the name "devil," it's actually a small marsupial.
- It lives only on Tasmania, Australia's beautiful island.
- Let's discover the real animal behind its frightening reputation.
Why is it called a "devil"?
A chilling voice that echoes through the forest at night
- Every night, it lets out a tremendous, ear-piercing scream in the forest.
- It makes this sound when threatened or fighting over food.
- This bizarre cry led early settlers to call it a "devil."
- The contrast between its black fur and red ears only fueled the "devil" misconception.
The size of a small dog, with the strongest bite
The most powerful bite force relative to body size among mammals
- Even fully grown, it's small — only about 60cm long and 8kg.
- But with 42 teeth and a large head, it generates a remarkable bite force (BFQ of 181).
- It can instantly crush thick metal wire or even bone.
- With its sturdy claws, it can even hunt a wombat weighing over 30kg.
The surprising secrets of its body
A survival strategy hidden in its tail and pouch
- It stores nutrients as fat in its tail, so the healthier it is, the plumper its tail.
- Like a kangaroo, it has a pouch to raise its young, but it faces backward to keep dirt out.
- Despite its round build, it can sprint short distances at up to 25km/h.
- It's surprisingly athletic — climbing trees well and even swimming across rivers.
A perfect cleanup crew for the forest
A diet that keeps the ecosystem healthy
- It mainly acts as a scavenger, seeking out and eating the carcasses of dead animals.
- It cleans the forest thoroughly, eating fur and bones and leaving nothing behind.
- By quickly clearing carcasses, it helps prevent the spread of insects or diseases harmful to livestock.
- With its keen sense of smell, it can detect the scent of food from up to 1km away.
A noisy dinner party
It lives alone, but eats together
- Normally, it's an independent animal that spends most of its time strictly alone in the forest.
- But when it finds a large carcass, up to 12 devils can gather to enjoy a buffet-style meal together.
- The loud noise it makes while eating is a signal calling nearby friends over.
- Though it may look like a fierce fight, it's actually a kind of peaceful ritual for establishing rank.