Tasmanian devil: affectionate animal or dangerous predator. Tasmanian devil: description, photo, video - the terrible cry of the marsupial devil Where does the marsupial devil live
November 16th, 2013The most large predator Australian island of Tasmania is the Tasmanian devil from the family of marsupials. According to its size, the animal is not more dog; body length adult reaches 50-80 cm, tail - 23-30 cm. It has short, thick black fur with white spots on the rump, sides and chest. Tasmanian devil boasts the strongest jaws and sharp teeth. The predator is able to bite through the spine or skull of its victim with one bite. It feeds mainly on small mammals, birds, insects, reptiles, and does not disdain carrion. Also notable for his ability to imitate a wide variety of sounds, from coughing to high-pitched squeals. There is an opinion that it was thanks to the peculiar screams that the animal received its name “devil”. This animal is endowed with an excellent sense of smell, can reach quite high speeds (up to 15 km/h), climb trees and swim.
But let's talk about it in more detail...
The Tasmanian devil is a marsupial predator that is found in the wild only on the island of Tasmania. The only representative of the genus Sacrophilius, which translated from Greek means “lover of flesh.” After the last of the marsupial wolves disappeared in 1936, the marsupial devil became the largest marsupial predator. It is also called the marsupial tiger. He was a cross between a wolf and a tiger. So, the devil is the wolf tiger's closest relative and is himself something of a cross between the marsupial tiger wolf and the marsupial marten.
Sarcophilus (Greek) lover of flesh) is the name of its genus.
He kills his victims very brutally and smells very bad and squeals loudly when he gets scared. The Tasmanian devil is the size of a small dog, dense and stocky. It hunts at night, helped in this by its black fur, which hides it well in the dark. He sees stationary objects poorly in the dark, but well – moving ones. A small kangaroo can also kill (despite the fact that it hunts alone), but usually does not bother itself with this, preferring to feed on carrion. When eating an animal, Tasmanian devils eat it all, even its fur and bones. In this way they are beneficial because they leave nothing for insects and thus prevent their excessive reproduction.
4These animals accumulate fat in their tail, which is usually thick and long. If the tiger-wolf marten has a thin tail, this indicates that the animal is unhealthy. Previously, the devil was found in Australia, but disappeared from there 400 years ago, even before Europeans settled there; dingoes and indigenous Australians survived them. In Tasmania, many farmers also dreamed of eradicating this beast, because - according to their assumptions - the Tasmanian devil must certainly drag cows from the herd and so on livestock. And the first European settlers in Tasmania not only killed these dogs, but also ate them and praised them.
In Australia, the Tasmanian devil is a very popular animal. They like to depict him on money, coats of arms and all that stuff, sports teams are named after him. The animated series produced by Looney Tunes about this animal brought international fame. Tasmanian devil Teza. In these cartoons, however, the character acts more like a person, but also from an animal, except big head, long fangs and short legs, taken character traits– Taz in the cartoon, like all Tasmanian devils, is noisy, gluttonous and modest.
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.
Live Tasmanian devils can be seen mainly only in Australia, because the export of these animals is now prohibited. The last of the foreign devils died in the United States, in 2004. However, in 2005, the Tasmanian government made an exception and gave two Tasmanian devils to Frederick, crown prince Denmark, and his Tasmanian wife Mary after the birth of their first son. Now these gifts live in the Copenhagen Zoo.
IN calm state The marsupial devil is rather slow and clumsy, but in emergency situations it starts to gallop, reaching speeds of up to 13-15 km/h. Young animals are dexterous and agile, and climb trees well. Adults climb less well, but are able to climb inclined trunks and climb onto perches in chicken coops. Marsupial devils are good swimmers.
Due to its aggressive disposition and nocturnal lifestyle, the adult marsupial devil has few natural enemies. Previously, they were hunted by marsupial wolves and dingoes. Young marsupial devils sometimes become victims of birds of prey and tiger marsupial martens(Dasyurus maculatus). The Tasmanian devil has become a new enemy and food competitor common fox, illegally introduced into Tasmania in 2001.
Tasmanian devils caused a lot of trouble for European settlers, destroying chicken coops, eating animals caught in traps, and allegedly attacking lambs and sheep, which is why these animals were actively persecuted. In addition, the meat of the marsupial devil turned out to be edible and, according to the colonists, tasted like veal. By June 1941, when legislation was passed to protect the Tasmanian devil, it was on the verge of extinction. However, unlike the thylacine (extinct in 1936), the population of marsupial devils was restored and they are now quite numerous. Their population, like that of quolls, is subject to strong seasonal fluctuations, since every year in the summer (December-January) young marsupial devils leave their mothers and disperse throughout the territory in search of food. However, 60% of them die within the first few months, unable to withstand the food competition.
The penultimate sharp decline in the number of marsupial devils occurred in 1950; Before the start of the DFTD epidemic, their population was estimated at 100,000 to 150,000 individuals, with a density of 20 individuals for every 10-20 km².
Tasmanian devil. (Rune Johnsson's snapshots)
The Tasmanian devil (or, as it is also called, the marsupial devil) lives on the Tasmanian island, which is one of the Australian states. Previously, Tasmanian devils lived on the continental territory of the country, but they could not compete with the dingo dogs that the first settlers brought to the continent. Tasmanian devils avoid places inhabited by humans and find refuge near sheep pastures.
The Tasmanian devil is a predator, which is why it has sharp fangs. The size is about the size of a small dog, the weight of an adult Tasmanian devil is about 12 kilograms. The animal has a black color, which becomes lighter in the nose area. The Tasmanian devil can be identified by the horizontal white stripe on its sternum. Males larger than females. Females have folds on the skin similar to a bag. In the tail area of the Tasmanian devil there are body fat, which serve as a reserve of energy in case of prolonged hunger. A fasting Tasmanian devil's tail fat gradually disappears.
The Tasmanian devil feeds on birds and small animals - it can often be seen trying to catch small animals near bodies of water. However, Tasmanian devils do not disdain carrion left by other predators. They can also eat edible plants and roots. When eating food, the Tasmanian devil makes loud noises that can be heard within a kilometer radius.
Tasmanian devils can swim and climb trees. They live mostly alone, meeting each other during mating season which starts in April.
Video: Predator Instinct - Devil's Island: Tasmanian Devil (ASHPIDYTU in 2004)
This animal is perhaps the largest of the modern predatory marsupials. Its coat is predominantly black, with the exception of white spots on the chest and rump area.
The Tasmanian devil's build is dense, it has a huge mouth and sharp teeth. The character is quite severe, which was the reason why he was called the Tasmanian devil.
The Latin name of this animal Sarcophilus harrisii. Appearance this clumsy and massive animal is somewhat reminiscent of a small bear: its forelimbs are also somewhat longer than its hind limbs, its head is large, and its muzzle has a flattened appearance. At night, the Tasmanian devil makes ominous screams.
The genus of Tasmanian devils is called Sarcophilus (from the Greek word for lover of flesh). The length of these animals reaches 50-80 cm, height - up to 30 cm, average weight about 12 kg, tail up to 30 cm long. In females, the pouch opens backwards. But the size of this animal largely depends on its diet, age and habitat, and therefore can be different. Males are larger than females
But what remains unchanged for all individuals of this species are small pink ears, a powerful tail in which fat reserves are deposited, short hair, and large claws. It is noteworthy that the first digit is missing on the hind limbs. The strong teeth of the Tasmanian devil, which nature has endowed it with, are capable of crushing the bones and spine of its victim with one bite.
Previously, this extraordinary animal lived on mainland Australia, but today Tasmanian devils live only on the island of Tasmania. According to experts, they were forced out of the mainland by wild ones, who were brought there by the aborigines. Settlers from Europe also did not stand on ceremony with Tasmanian devils, destroying these animals in order to protect their chicken coops from them.
In 1941, it was officially prohibited to hunt. This measure saved these animals from complete destruction. Now Tasmanian devils live in national natural parks, located in the central, northern and western parts of the island, and they can live in any type of landscape, except for densely populated areas.
And here you can clearly see that this “mini-bear” is a real devil! These can be mixed sclerophyll-rain forests, dry sclerophyll forests, coastal savannas. The Tasmanian devil's diet includes mainly carrion, as well as birds and small animals such as rabbits and rats. These animals do not disdain snakes, insects and amphibians.
The Tasmanian devil has an excellent appetite: in a day he eats a volume of food equivalent to 15 percent of his weight. If he lacks food of animal origin, he does not refuse edible roots and tubers of plants. The Tasmanian devil leads an active lifestyle at night, and during the day it prefers to hide in crevices between stones or in dense thickets.
These animals make nests for themselves, usually in burrows under the trunks of fallen trees. To do this, they use grass, leaves, and tree bark. They love to walk along the banks of reservoirs, hunting for crayfish, frogs and other small creatures along the way. aquatic life. The Tasmanian devil has an excellent sense of smell, which allows him to smell carrion from long distance.
And when he finds it, size will not matter to him; he will eat everything that comes his way, be it a cow or a sheep. And if the meat is already well decomposed and rotten, then the Tasmanian devil will be doubly happy. If it finds prey that this animal eats completely, right with fur and bones, it will defend it in battle. The enemy most often is the marsupial marten.
Tasmanian devils lead a solitary lifestyle. Large group these animals can only be seen if they have discovered big catch and it needs to be eaten urgently. During this process, they fight, squeal, growl, and make other unpleasant sounds, which also contributes to the bad reputation of this animal.
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 completely 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. The weight of large males reaches 12 kg, the 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 colour. 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 The marsupial devil's prey consists of carrion; it uses its 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 regions 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 is active night look life, during the day it hides in bushes, among stones, in burrows, under fallen trees. In such secluded places, the Tasmanian devil builds nests from bark, leaves and grass.
This animal is not territorial, but 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 predator birds and tiger marsupials. 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.
It is no coincidence that the marsupial animal, known for its bloodthirstiness, was nicknamed the devil. The first acquaintance of the English colonialists with the Tasmanian inhabitant was extremely unpleasant - the nightly screams, terrifying, aggression of insatiable creatures formed the basis of legends about the mystical power of the predator.
Tasmanian devil – mysterious inhabitant Australian state, the study of which continues to this day.
Description and features
Predatory mammal the height of a small dog is 26-30 cm. The body of the animal is 50-80 cm long, weight is 12-15 kg. The physique is strong. Males are larger in size than females. The front legs have five toes, four of which are located straight, and the fifth is located to the side to better grasp and hold food.
The hind legs are shorter than the front legs and the first toe is missing. With sharp claws, the animal easily tears fabrics and skins.
The external fullness and asymmetry of the paws do not correlate with the dexterity and agility of the predator. The tail is short. By its condition one can judge the well-being of the animal. Fat reserves are stored in the tail in case of hungry times. If it is thick and covered with thick fur, it means the predator is well-fed and in good health. A thin tail with sparse hair, almost naked, is a sign of illness or starvation of the animal. Bag of individuals female looks like a curved fold of skin.
The head is of considerable size in relation to the body. The strongest jaws of all marsupial mammals are adapted to easily breaking bones. With one bite, the beast is capable of crushing the victim's spine. The ears are small and pink.
Long whiskers and a keen sense of smell make it possible to determine the location of the victim 1 km away. Acute vision even at night makes it possible to detect the slightest movement, but it is difficult for animals to distinguish between stationary objects.
The animal's short fur is black, with elongated white spots located on the chest and rump. Sometimes you can see semilunar stains and small peas on the sides. By appearance Tasmanian devil - animal, similar to little bear. But they only look cute when they are resting. For an active life, terrifying According to the Australian inhabitants, it was not by chance that the animal was called the devil.
The nature of the sounds emanating from ferocious predators, the residents of Tasmania could not determine for a long time. Wheezing, turning into coughing, and a menacing growl were attributed to otherworldly forces. An encounter with an extremely aggressive animal, emitting terrible screams, determined my attitude towards it.
Massive persecution of predators with poisons and traps began, which almost led to their destruction. The meat of marsupials turned out to be edible, similar to veal, which accelerated the elimination of the pest. By the 40s of the last century, the animal was practically destroyed. the meager population after measures taken were able to recover, although numbers are still subject to strong fluctuations.
Brought another threat to the devils dangerous disease, which killed more than half the population by the beginning of the 21st century. The animals are susceptible to epidemics of infectious cancer, which causes the animal's face to swell.
Devils die prematurely from hunger. The causes and methods of combating the disease are not yet known. For now, animals can be saved by relocation and isolation. In Tasmania, scientists are working on the problem of saving the population in specialized scientific centers.
Kinds
The Tasmanian (Tasmanian) devil is officially recognized as the largest carnivorous marsupial on Earth. First scientific description was compiled at the beginning of the 19th century. In 1841 the animal received modern name, got into international classification as the only representative of the family of Australian marsupial predators.
Scientists have proven the significant similarity of the Tasmanian devil to quolls, or marsupial martens. A distant connection can be traced with an extinct relative - the thylacine, or marsupial wolf. In my family Sarcophilus tasmanian the devil is the only kind.
Lifestyle and habitat
Once upon a time, the predator inhabited the territory of Australia unhindered. Gradually, the range decreased due to the spread of dingoes hunting the Tasmanian devil. Europeans first saw the predator in Tasmania, the Australian state of the same name.
Until now, the marsupial is found only in these places. Locals They fought mercilessly against the destroyer of chicken coops until the destruction of marsupials was officially banned.
Tasmanian devil lives among sheep pastures, in savannas, in territories national parks. Predators avoid desert places and built-up areas. The animal's activity manifests itself at dusk and at night, in daytime the animal rests in dense thickets, inhabited burrows, and rocky crevices. The predator can be found on a fine day basking on the lawn in the sun.
The Tasmanian devil is capable of swimming across a river 50 m wide, but does so only when necessary. Young predators climb trees, but this becomes physically difficult for older individuals. This factor becomes vitally important as a means of survival when ferocious relatives persecute the young. Devils do not form groups; they live alone, but they do not lose connections with related individuals; they cut up large prey together.
Each animal lives in a conditional territorial area, although it does not mark it. Neighbors' properties often overlap. Animal dens are located among dense vegetation, thorny grasses, and rocky caves. To increase safety, the animals live in 2-4 shelters, which are constantly used and given to new generations of devils.
The marsupial devil is characterized by amazing cleanliness. He licks himself thoroughly until the smell completely disappears, which prevents hunting, and even washes himself. With its paws folded like a ladle, it scoops up water and washes its face and breast. Tasmanian devil, caught during a water procedure, on photo seems like a touching animal.
In a calm state, the predator is slow, but when in danger it is agile, unusually mobile, and accelerates in running up to 13 km/h, but only over short distances. Anxiety awakens the Tasmanian animal, like skunks, to emit an unpleasant odor.
Natural enemies an aggressive animal has little. The danger comes from birds of prey, marsupial martens, foxes and, of course, humans. The animal does not attack people without reason, but provocative actions can cause retaliatory aggression. Despite its ferocity, the animal can be tamed, transformed from savage to pet.
Nutrition
Tasmanian devils are considered omnivores, unusually voracious. The daily amount of food is approximately 15% of the animal's weight, but a starved animal can consume up to 40%. Meals are short; even large amounts of food are consumed by marsupials in no more than half an hour. The cry of the Tasmanian devil is an indispensable attribute of cutting prey.
The diet is based on small mammals, birds, insects, and reptiles. Along the coasts of reservoirs, predators catch frogs, rats, pick up crayfish, and fish washed up on the shallows. The Tasmanian devil is content with any kind of carrion. He will not waste his energy hunting small animals.
Developed sense of smell helps in searching for dead sheep, cows, wild rabbits, kangaroo rats. Favorite food: wallabies and wombats. Decomposed carrion, rotten meat with worms do not bother carnivorous eaters. In addition to animal food, animals do not disdain to eat plant tubers, roots, and juicy fruits.
Predators take prey from marsupial martens and pick up the remains of the feast of other mammals. In the territorial ecosystem, voracious scavengers play a positive role - they reduce the risk of the spread of infection.
The victims of devils are sometimes animals that are many times larger than predators in size - sick sheep, kangaroos. Remarkable energy allows you to cope with a large but weakened enemy.
The promiscuity of marsupial devils in consuming prey is noteworthy. They swallow everything, including fragments of harness, foil, and plastic tags. Towels, pieces of shoes, jeans, plastic, ears of corn, and collars were found in the animal's excrement.
Creepy scenes of eating prey are accompanied by manifestations of aggression and wild cries of animals. Scientists have recorded 20 different sounds made when devils communicate. Fierce growling and hierarchical showdowns accompany the devil's meals. The feast of predators can be heard several kilometers away.
During periods of drought, bad weather, and hunger, animals are helped out by reserves of fat in the tail, which accumulate during the abundant feeding of voracious predators. The ability of young animals to climb rocks and trees and destroy bird's nests. Strong individuals hunt their weak relatives during periods of famine.
Reproduction and lifespan
Marriage time devils begins in April. The rivalry of males and the guarding of females after mating are accompanied by shrill screams, bloody fights, and duels. Established couples, even during a short union, are aggressive. Marsupials are not characterized by monogamous relationships. The female Tasmanian devil drives away the male 3 days after approaching. Gestation lasts 21 days.
20-30 pups are born. A Tasmanian devil cub weighs 20-29 g. From a large brood, only four devils survive, according to the number of nipples in the mother’s pouch. The female eats the weaker individuals.
The viability of born females is higher than that of males. At 3 months, babies' eyes open and their naked bodies are covered with dark fur. The young make their first forays out of their mother's pouch to explore the world. Maternal feeding lasts for another couple of months. By December, the offspring become completely independent.
The two-year-old young are ready to breed. The life of marsupial devils lasts 7-8 years, so all maturation processes take place quite quickly. In Australia, the unusual animal is considered a symbolic animal, the images of which are reflected on coins, emblems, and coats of arms. Despite the manifestations of a real little devil, the animal occupies a worthy place in the ecosystem of the mainland.