Where does the Tasmanian devil live?
The Tasmanian devil lives only in Tasmania, in the south of Australia. It once lived on the Australian mainland, but became extinct there about 3,500 years ago. It was long seen as a threat to livestock and was hunted mercilessly, until it was given protected status from 1941.
What does the Tasmanian devil eat?
It is a carnivorous marsupial: it hunts prey and also scavenges carrion. With its large head and neck, it has one of the strongest bites per unit of body mass of any living predatory land mammal. It has a stocky, muscular build, black fur, a pungent odour, an extremely loud screech and great ferocity when feeding. It is usually solitary, but sometimes eats together with others.
Is the Tasmanian devil endangered?
Yes: the IUCN lists it as Endangered. Since the 1990s, a large number of devils have suffered from a facial tumour transmitted by biting, which sharply reduces populations. It became the largest carnivorous marsupial in the world after the thylacine went extinct in 1936.
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