Marsupial devil. Tasmanian marsupial devil (sarcophilus harrisii). Diseases of the marsupial devil
Touching upon the topic of marsupials, it is impossible to ignore one of the most famous inhabitants of the island of Tasmania - the Tasmanian (Tasmanian) devil. Due to its black coloring, stocky powerful body, huge mouth with sharp teeth, terrible taste preferences and increased aggressiveness, Europeans called this animal the “devil”. And, you know, it’s not in vain. Even its Latin name has something sinister - Sarcophilus translated as “lover of flesh.”
This devil can now only be found on the island of Tasmania, in the central, northern and western parts of the island. Although it previously inhabited mainland Australia, where it disappeared 400 years before the appearance of the first Europeans. But with the appearance of Western people on the island, the fight against this animal began. Although, probably, there was a reason - the Tasmanian devil was widely engaged in the destruction of chicken coops. I want to eat. In addition, the meat of this animal, which tasted like veal, was to our liking local residents.
As a result of the extermination that began, marsupial devils were forced to settle in the undeveloped forest and mountainous areas of Tasmania. Its numbers continued to decline steadily. But apparently the lesson benefited the people, and they came to their senses in time. In June 1941, a law was passed banning the hunting and destruction of this animal. The population was restored. Now the Tasmanian devil is quite widespread in areas allocated for sheep pastures (closer to places of food), as well as in national parks Tasmania.
The “devil” himself doesn’t look like a devil at all. Except he has a very bad character, and he growls so loudly that it sends goosebumps down your spine. Currently, the Tasmanian devil is the largest marsupial predator. Previously, this status belonged to . It is the size of a small dog, however, thanks to its dense, squat body and dark, almost black color with white spots on the throat and sides, it can resemble a brown bear cub.
Sleeping "bear cub" The body length does not exceed 80 centimeters, followed by a 25-30 centimeter tail, sometimes thick and fluffy, and sometimes thin and hairless. This part of the body is a kind of “storehouse” for fat for the devil. In a starving animal, it becomes thin and long hairs often fall out.
Limbs are strong and short. The front legs are slightly longer than the hind legs, which is unusual for marsupials. The head is large, but their jaws are a different story altogether. They are so strong and powerful that an animal can easily bite and crush bones with them. The devil can easily bite through the spine or skull of his prey.
Powerful and strong jaws The marsupial devil is very gluttonous and indiscriminate in food. It feeds on almost everything: small and medium-sized animals, birds, insects, amphibians, snakes, plant tubers and edible roots. Carrion is also included in his diet, and, moreover, is almost one of the main dishes. They eat any corpses, preferring already decomposed rotten meat. Only the largest bones remain from the animal's corpse. Thus, the Tasmanian devil serves as the island's natural orderly.
Division of spoils The female carries 2-4 cubs in her pouch. Although initially she brings up to 20-30 cubs, most of which die before reaching the pouch. The “lucky ones” develop quickly; by the age of 3 months they are covered with fur and their eyes open. Feeding of the cubs continues until 4-5 months of age, but 7-8 months after birth the babies finally leave their mother and begin to live independently. Puberty in females it occurs in the second year of life.
Female with cubs 
These animals lead night look life, and in daytime most often they take refuge in the crevices of stones, in empty holes, or in bushes and make a nest for themselves from bark, leaves and grass. Sometimes they can be seen basking in the sun. At night they walk around their properties in search of prey, most often carrion.
Devils are loners. They gather in small groups only when eating occurs. large production. Sometimes during such feasts, skirmishes occur between males, accompanied by fights with a terrifying growl, which has given this animal a bad reputation.
But, despite its terrible character, some residents keep the marsupial devil as a pet. They can be tamed, although you should do it carefully and it’s better to start with the cubs, otherwise you may be left without fingers.
In the note about the thylacine, we said that in addition to extermination by humans, this species of marsupial was attacked by canine plague, which claimed the lives of many animals. This is how the Tasmanian devil developed its own disease. It's called "devil's face disease" devil facial tumor disease) or DFTD.
The disease was first reported in 1999. It causes numerous malignant tumors on the animal's head, which then spread throughout the body. Tumors block the animal's vision, hearing and mouth. It can no longer hunt or eat and dies of hunger. The disease is caused by a virus transmitted to a healthy animal during fights and bites. According to sources, DFTD is unique to these animals and its outbreaks recur every 80-150 years.
Various anti-epidemic measures are being carried out, including the capture of sick animals, as well as the creation of “reserve” populations in case the animal dies out from this disease. Unfortunately, there is no cure for it yet.
The Tasmanian devil got its name because it is believed to be very aggressive. In addition, it makes a characteristic frightening sound. In fact, it is quite shy, feeds mainly on carrion and rarely hunts live prey. Previously, even before the dingo dog spread to Australia, the animal we are considering lived on the mainland. Today the Tasmanian devil is an animal that lives only in Tasmania, where it has no natural enemies, but is still an endangered species. The animal hunts at night and spends its days in the thickets. Lives on trees in hard leaves, also appears on rocky areas. Sleeps in different places: from a hollow in a tree to a cave in the rock.
The Tasmanian devil is an aggressive marsupial
Most of us associate this animal primarily with a cartoon character. In fact, this animal is as uncontrollable as its fairy-tale counterpart. But facts suggest that even one individual can kill up to 60 poultry in just one night.
Tasmanian devils are unique animals. They are small marsupials with rat-like features, sharp teeth and thick black or brown fur. The animal is short, but do not be deceived: this creature is very fighting and is quite frightening.
Description of the Tasmanian devil
The real Tasmanian devil, in fact, is completely different from the famous cartoon character. It is not the same size and does not create a storm close to the surrounding area like a swirling tornado. The Tasmanian devil ranges from 51 to 79 centimeters in length and weighs only 4 to 12 kg. These animals exhibit sexual dimorphism: males are larger than females. Their life expectancy is on average 6 years.
It is the largest carnivorous marsupial currently in existence. The animal's body is strong, strong and disproportionate: a large head, the tail is almost half the length of the animal's body. This is where most of the fat accumulates, which is why healthy individuals have very thick and long tails. The animal has five toes on its front paws: four simple and one directed to the side. This feature gives them the ability to hold food in their paws. On hind limbs four fingers with very long and sharp claws.
The animal - the Tasmanian devil - has very strong jaws, reminiscent in its structure of the jaws of a hyena. They have prominent canines, four pairs of upper incisors and three lower ones. The beast can open its jaw to a width of 80 degrees, this allows it to generate a very large bite force. Thanks to this, he is able to bite through a whole carcass and thick bones.
Habitat
Tasmanian devil lives in Australia, which has an area of about 35,042 square miles (90,758 square kilometers). Although these animals can live anywhere on the island, they prefer coastal scrub and dense, dry forests. Often drivers can meet them on the roads where devils feed on carrion. Because of this, they often die under the wheels of cars. Very common in Tasmania road signs, warning drivers about the possibility of the Tasmanian devil. But no matter what area of the island these animals inhabit, they sleep under stones or in caves, hollows or holes.
Habits
Between the animal and the cartoon character of the same name there is one common feature: bad temperament. When the devil feels threatened, he goes into a rage, in which he growls violently, lunges, and bares his teeth. It also emits otherworldly, eerie screams that can seem very frightening. The last feature can be explained by the fact that the Tasmanian devil is a solitary animal.
This unusual animal is nocturnal: it sleeps during the day and is awake at night. This feature may be explained by their desire to avoid predators that are dangerous to them - eagles and people. At night when hunting, it can cover a distance of more than 15 km thanks to its long hind limbs. The Tasmanian devil also has long whiskers, allowing it to navigate the terrain well and search for prey, especially at night.
The habit of hunting at night is explained by their ability to see everything in black and white. Therefore, they react well to movement, but have problems with clearly seeing stationary objects. Their most developed sense is hearing. They also have a well-developed sense of smell - they can smell odors at a distance of more than 1 km.
Young devils can climb well and anchor themselves in trees, but with age this ability is lost. Most likely, this is the result of adaptation to conditions environment Tasmanian devils, whose lifestyle is also marked by cases of cannibalism. Adults, during times of severe hunger, can eat young ones, which, in turn, defend themselves by climbing trees.
Nutritional Features
As already mentioned, Tasmanian devils are carnivorous animals. Most of They eat birds, snakes, fish and insects. Sometimes their victim can even be small kangaroo. Often, instead of hunting live animals, they feast on dead carcasses, called carrion. Sometimes several animals can gather near one carcass, and then fights between them are inevitable. While eating, they absorb everything without loss: they eat bones, wool, internal organs and the muscles of their prey.
The Tasmanian devil's favorite food, due to its high fat content, is the wombat. But the animal may well feast on any other mammals, fruits, frogs, tadpoles and reptiles. Their diet depends primarily on the availability of dinner. At the same time, they have very good appetite: per day they can eat, equal to half their weight.
Reproduction and offspring
Tasmanian devils usually mate once a year, in March. Females choose their partners very carefully, and the latter can start real fights for her attention. The female has a gestation period of about three weeks and babies are born in April. The litter can be up to 50 cubs. Young devils are pink and hairless, the size of a grain of rice, and weigh approximately 24 grams.
Reproduction of Tasmanian devils is closely related to strong competition. At birth, the young are in their mother's pouch, where they compete for one of her four teats. Only these four will have a chance to survive; others die due to malnutrition. The cubs remain in the mother's pouch for four months. Once they come out, the mother carries them on her back. After eight or nine months, the cubs are fully grown. Tasmanian devils live from five to eight years.
Conservation status
According to the Red List of Threatened Species, the Tasmanian devil is endangered, its numbers are declining every year. In 2007, the IUCN estimated that the distribution of the Tasmanian devil is declining. At that time, about 25,000 adults were counted.
The animal's population has declined by at least 60% since 2001 due to a cancer called facial tumor disease (DFTD). DFTD causes swelling on the surface of the animal's face, making it difficult for it to feed normally. Ultimately the animal dies of starvation. This infectious disease, because of which the species was on the verge of extinction. Today, the Devil Conservation Program is a movement created at the initiative of Australia and the Tasmanian government to save animals from a terrible disease.
The Tasmanian devil is a marsupial animal; in some sources the name “marsupial devil” is even found. This mammal got its name for the ominous screams it makes at night.
The rather ferocious character of the animal, its mouth with large, sharp teeth, its love for meat, only cemented the unflattering name. Tasmanian devil, by the way, is related to the marsupial wolf, which has long been extinct.
In fact, the appearance of this animal is not at all repulsive, but, on the contrary, quite cute, reminiscent of either a dog or a small one. Body size depends on diet, age and habitat; most often, this animal is 50-80 cm, but larger individuals are also found. Females are smaller than males, and males reach a weight of up to 12 kg.
The Tasmanian devil can bite through the spine of its victim with one bite
The animal has strong bones, a large head with small ears, the body is covered with short black hair with a white spot on the chest. The devil's tail is especially interesting. This is a kind of warehouse for fat deposits. If the animal is full, then its tail is short and thick, but when the devil is hungry, its tail becomes thin.
If we consider pictures with image Tasmanian devil, then you get the feeling of a cute, nice animal that is pleasant to cuddle and scratch behind the ear.
However, do not forget that this cutie is capable of cutting through the skull or spine of its victim with one bite. The devil's bite force is considered to be the highest among mammals. Tasmanian devil– marsupial animal, therefore, in front of the females there is a special fold of skin, which turns into a pouch for the young.
For its interesting and peculiar sounds, the animal was called the devil.
From the name it is already clear that the animal is common on the island of Tasmania. Previously, this marsupial could be found in, but, as biologists believe, dogs completely exterminated the devil.
The man didn't play either last role– he killed this animal for the destroyed chicken coops. The Tasmanian devil's numbers declined until a hunting ban was introduced.
Character and lifestyle
The devil is not a big fan of company. He prefers to lead a solitary lifestyle. During the day, this animal hides in bushes, in empty holes, or simply buries itself in the foliage. The devil is a great master of hiding.
It is impossible to notice it during the day, but capturing a Tasmanian devil on video is a huge success. And only with the onset of darkness does he begin to stay awake. Every night this animal walks around its territory to find something to eat for dinner.
For each such “owner” of the territory there is a fairly decent area - from 8 to 20 km. It happens that the paths of different “owners” intersect, then you have to defend your territory, and the devil has something to do with it.
True, if a large prey comes across, and one animal cannot handle it, its brothers may join in. But such joint meals are so noisy and scandalous that screams of Tasmanian devils can be heard even several kilometers away.
The devil generally uses sounds very widely in his everyday life. He may growl, bark and even cough. And his wild, piercing screams not only forced the first Europeans to give the animal something resounding to them, but also led to the fact that about the Tasmanian devil They told terrible stories.
Listen to the cry of the Tasmanian devil
This beast has a rather angry character. The devil is quite aggressive with his relatives and with other representatives of the fauna. When meeting rivals, the animal opens its mouth wide, showing serious teeth.
But this is not a way of intimidation; this gesture shows the devil’s uncertainty. Another sign of uncertainty and anxiety is strong bad smell, which devils emit just like .
However, due to his unkind nature, the devil has very few enemies. They were hunted by dingo dogs, but the devils chose places where the dogs were uncomfortable. Young marsupial devils can still become prey for large birds, but adult individuals are no longer able to do so. But the enemy of the devils was an ordinary fox, which was brought to Tasmania illegally.
Interestingly, adult devils are not very dexterous and agile, but rather clumsy. However, this does not prevent them from reaching speeds of up to 13 km/h in critical situations. But young individuals are much more mobile. They can even climb trees with ease. This animal is known to swim wonderfully.
Tasmanian devil nutrition
Very often the Tasmanian devil can be seen near livestock pastures. This can be explained simply - herds of animals leave behind fallen, weakened, wounded animals, which go to feed the devil.
If such an animal cannot be found, the animal feeds on small mammals, birds, reptiles, insects and even plant roots. The devil has to eat a lot, because his daily diet is 15% of his own weight.
Therefore, its main diet is carrion. The devil has a very well developed sense of smell, and he easily finds the remains of all kinds of animals. After dinner this animal has nothing left - meat, skin, and bones are eaten. He doesn’t disdain “savoury” meat; he’s even more attracted to it. Needless to say, what a natural orderly this animal is!
Reproduction and lifespan
The devil's aggressiveness does not subside even in mating season. In March and early April, pairs are created in order to conceive offspring, however, no moments of courtship are observed in these animals.
Even during mating moments they are aggressive and pugnacious. And after mating has taken place, the female drives the male away in anger in order to spend the 21st day of pregnancy alone.
Nature itself controls the number of devils. The mother has only 4 nipples, and about 30 cubs are born. They are all small and helpless, their weight does not even reach a gram. Those that manage to cling to the nipples survive and remain in the pouch, while the rest die, being eaten by the mother herself.
After 3 months, the babies are covered with fur, and by the end of the 3rd month their eyes open. Of course, compared to kittens or rabbits, this is too long, but devil babies do not need to “grow up”; they emerge from their mother’s pouch only by the 4th month of life, when their weight is about 200 grams. True, the mother continues to feed them until 5-6 months.
Pictured are baby Tasmanian devils
Only in the second year of life, towards the end, do devils become fully grown and can reproduce. In the wild, Tasmanian devils do not live longer than 8 years. It is known that these animals are very popular, both in Australia and abroad.
Despite their grumpy disposition, they are quite tamed, and many keep them as pets. You can find many on the Internet photo of Tasmanian devil in a home environment.
The Tasmanian devil runs and swims well
The unusual nature of this animal is so fascinating that there are many people who want to buy Tasmanian devil. However, exporting these animals is strictly prohibited.
Very rare zoo can boast of such a valuable specimen. And is it worth depriving this grumpy, restless, angry, and yet wonderful inhabitant of nature of freedom and his usual habitat?
The mammal marsupial devil or Tasmanian devil belongs to the family of predatory marsupials; it is the only species of this genus. The first European settlers named this animal because of its huge mouth with sharp teeth, ominous night cries and ferocious disposition. And from Latin the name of the species is even translated as “lover of flesh.”
The Tasmanian devil is the largest among modern marsupial predators. It has a dense and squat body, the size of a small dog, but its heavy build and dark coloring are more reminiscent of a small bear cub. The body length is from 50 to 80 cm, the tail length is from 23 to 30 cm. Males are larger in size than females. Weight large males reaches 12 kg, height at the withers is 30 cm.
The animal is quite clumsy and massive. The legs are short, the front legs are slightly longer than the hind legs. The head is large, the muzzle is flattened. Ears are small pink color. The fur is short, black, there are white semi-lunar spots on the chest and rump, sometimes they are also found on the sides. The tail is short, with a significant layer of fat deposits. It's covered long hair, but they can wipe themselves off, and then the tail becomes naked. There is no first toe on the hind legs, the claws are large.
The skull is large, the jaws are strong, the teeth are sharp, massive, and the molars are capable of crushing and biting bones. One bite from a marsupial devil can pierce the spine or skull. Females have a pouch made in the form of a horseshoe-shaped fold of skin that opens backwards.
The Tasmanian devil is highly voracious ( daily norm food constitutes 15% of body weight). Its diet includes small and medium-sized mammals and birds, insects, snakes, amphibians, edible roots and plant tubers. On the banks of reservoirs the animal also finds frogs and crayfish, small sea creatures. Most of the marsupial devil's prey is carrion, and he uses his developed sense of smell to find the carcasses of animals from fish to sheep and cows. The more decomposed the meat is, the better it is for it. Dead wombat, kangaroo rat, rabbit - the Tasmanian devil eats all of these. It eats its prey entirely, including skin and bones. Thanks to this diet, the risk of infection of sheep by blow flies is reduced. The Tasmanian devil is also distinguished by its indiscriminate eating - echidna needles, pieces of rubber, silver foil, leather shoes, and dish towels are found in its secretions.
Now marsupial devils are distributed exclusively on the island of Tasmania, but previously they lived throughout Australia. They disappeared from the mainland about 600 years ago, possibly driven out and exterminated by dingoes. Residents of Tasmania also began to exterminate marsupial devils to protect poultry. As a result, the animal retreated to regions of undeveloped forest and mountainous areas Tasmania, and its population is constantly declining. Since the mid-20th century, hunting for this species has been prohibited.
Sexual dimorphism in this species of animals is manifested in the fact that males are larger in size than females. And the females have a pouch.
The marsupial devil lives in a variety of territories, except for densely populated regions and those without forests. It is often found in coastal savannas and near livestock pastures, where it is easy for them to find their main food - carrion, and in dry forests. The animal leads an active nocturnal lifestyle, hiding during the day in bushes, among stones, in burrows, and under fallen trees. In such secluded places, the Tasmanian devil builds nests from bark, leaves and grass.
This animal is not territorial, but it usually searches for prey in a certain area with an area of 8 to 20 km2, which overlaps with its relatives. They always live alone and gather in groups only to eat large prey. During such a meal, there are hierarchical clashes and loud noise that can be heard several kilometers away.
Marsupial devils make a lot of frightening sounds: these are monotonous growls and dull “coughing”, and eerie piercing screams, which have become the reason for the animals’ bad reputation. But they are indeed quite aggressive, although they open their mouths wide when they are insecure and afraid of something, and not in order to scare someone. During times of anxiety, like skunks, Tasmanian devils become a source of strong unpleasant odor. But even ferocious adult marsupial devils can be tamed and kept as pets.
Sometimes marsupial devils are seen during the day when they are sunbathing. The calm animal is slow and clumsy, but in case of danger it can run at speeds of up to 13 km/h. Young individuals are dexterous and agile, they can climb trees and swim well.
Mating among marsupial devils occurs in March-April. This process is a demonstration of aggression, after which the female drives the male away. The duration of pregnancy is 21 days; in April-May, 20-30 babies are born, of which up to 4 survive. The female eats the rest of the babies. Usually more females survive than males. Newborns are very small, their weight is 0.18-0.29 g. Their development occurs very quickly: at 3 months they are already completely covered with fur and become sighted. At 4 months, the cubs leave the pouch, but lactation lasts up to 5-6 months. At the end of December, the young animals leave their mother and begin an independent lifestyle. Young animals reach sexual maturity at the age of 2 years. The maximum life expectancy is 8 years.
Due to their aggressive nature and nocturnal lifestyle, adult marsupial devils have few natural enemies. Previously, they were hunted by the marsupial wolf (thylacine) and dingo. Young animals are attacked birds of prey and brindle marsupial martens. New enemy and food competitor of the Tasmanian devil - common fox, which was introduced to Tasmania at the beginning of the 21st century.
The Tasmanian devil caused trouble to European settlers, ravaged chicken coops, ate animals that fell into traps, and attacked lambs and sheep. For these reasons, the animal was actively exterminated. Edible meat, which tastes like veal, was also in demand. By the mid-20th century, the species was on the verge of complete extinction, and hunting was prohibited, but the population was restored. Now it is stable, although subject to seasonal fluctuations.
Tasmanian devils are famous and popular symbolic animals. They became the heroes of many films and books. It is prohibited to export them outside of Australia; the last Californian Tasmanian devil died in 2004.
Being the largest of modern predatory marsupials, this black animal with white spots on the chest and rump, with a huge mouth and sharp teeth has a dense physique and a stern disposition, for which, in fact, it was called the Tasmanian devil (lat. Sarcophilus harrisii). Emitting ominous screams at night, the massive and clumsy beast looks like little bear: the front legs are slightly longer than the hind legs, the head is large, the muzzle is blunt.
Sarcophilus (Greek) lover of flesh) is the name of its genus. These animals reach 50-80 cm in length, up to 30 cm in height and 12 kg in weight, the tail length is up to 30 cm. The female’s pouch opens backwards. Males are larger than females, but in principle a lot depends on age, nutrition and habitat: the size and weight of animals can change in one direction or another.
But what is invariable for everyone is small pink ears, short hair, a strong tail (where fat reserves are deposited), large claws and the absence of the first toe on the hind limbs. , endowed by nature with sharp, strong teeth, is capable of taking a bite and crushing not only the bone, but also the spine of its prey with one bite!
Previously, this amazing animal lived on mainland Australia, but today Tasmanian devil can only be found on the island of Tasmania. It is assumed that it was squeezed out by wild ones brought to the mainland by the aborigines. European settlers also did not spare the Tasmanian devil, mercilessly exterminating its family due to the animal’s habit of destroying chicken coops.
In 1941, an official ban on hunting the Tasmanian devil literally saved these animals from complete extinction from the face of the Earth. They currently live in Tasmania's national parks in the northern, western and central parts of the island, living in almost any landscape conditions, with the exception of densely populated regions.
As for the lifestyle and diet of the Tasmanian devil, inhabiting coastal savannas, dry sclerophyll and mixed sclerophyll-rain forests, they feed mainly on carrion, small animals (rats, rabbits) and birds. Insects, snakes and amphibians are also used.
The Tasmanian devil is very voracious: in a day he must eat 15% of his body weight. If he does not eat enough food of animal origin, he can snack on plant tubers and edible roots. The animal is active at night, hiding in dense bushes and rock crevices during the day.
The animals live in burrows and under the trunk of a fallen tree, making nests out of leaves, bark and grass. Loves to walk along the shore of a pond, eating nearby frogs, crayfish and other small ones aquatic life. Possessing an excellent sense of smell, the Tasmanian devil can smell carrion from a great distance.
Here size doesn’t matter - if necessary, he will eat both a sheep and a cow! I am especially pleased if the meat is properly rotten and decomposed. Going in search of prey, which the Tasmanian devil eats completely, along with bones and wool, he can fight for it with the marsupial marten.
By nature, Tasmanian devils are loners. They gather in groups only in one case - when they need to eat something large. At the same time, they fight and growl loudly, squeak, scream, making a wide variety of sounds, which earns them an additional bad reputation.
Representing scavengers, the Tasmanian devil plays vital role in the Tasmanian ecosystem, significantly reducing the likelihood of blowfly infestation in sheep. Despite its harsh temperament, the Tasmanian devil can be tamed and kept as a pet. But just don’t scare him, otherwise he will emit an unpleasant odor.