Number 5: Attacks on Maria Island In 2012, in an attempt to help the threatened
Tasmanian devil population, several specimens were introduced to the Maria Island environment.
This has been highly beneficial for the small animals, but not so much for the tourists,
residents, and local fauna alike.
The marsupials started to preying on local birds, as well as harassing people who come
too close to their new territories.
In particular, it seems they have been aggressive towards tourists traveling from and to the
island’s ferry.
Being as big as blue heeler dogs, they have become infamous for biting people’s legs
and leaving behind painful gashes.
The Tasmanian devils are also wreaking havoc among the previously prolific bird population
on the island.
This is a cause of great concern for the local government.
The authorities have also taken measures to keep the devils from approaching human beings,
as they seem to be growing more brazen the more they interact with people.
Tourists are warned against attempting to hand-feed these animals, in a bid to keep
the devils from wandering into campsites.
There’s also growing concern about what would happen if a Tasmanian devil encounters
a small child.
Since children are shorter in height, their vital regions are in range of the marsupial’s
ferocious bite.
This makes potential attacks far more life-risking.
This situation has become bad enough that roughly 16 Tasmanian devils were actually
deported back to Mainland Tasmania after they violently attacked several tourists.
What Is It?
Though many might remember the Tasmanian devil from the Looney Tunes cartoon, this animal
is far from funny and cuddly.
Its scientific name is Sarcophilus harrisii, and it belongs to the family Dasyuridae.
The Tasmanian devil is considered to be the largest carnivorous marsupial.
It looks like a dog-sized rat and it can be incredibly vicious.
This animal is easily recognizable thanks to its dark fur, stocky body, large head,
and unpleasant odor.
Another characteristic trait is its high-pitched and unsettling screech.
It can grow as tall as 30 inches and tends to weigh between 9 and 26 lbs.
Males are typically larger than their female counterparts.
This marsupial doesn’t live in groups.
That being said, it’s common for Tasmanian devils to eat close to each other and share
certain areas in which they all defecate.
Its reproduction is as violent as their hunting style.
The male members of the species frequently fight over the attention of the females.
They also remain close to their partners during mating season to keep them from engaging with
other males.
The female goes through around four breeding seasons and can have as many as 30 cubs throughout
its lifespan.
However, it only has four nipples for the newborns to feed on, so competition starts
at birth.
In spite of being part of the dasyurids family, it’s most active during the middle of the
day.
This is due to its ability to thermo-regulate its body and avoid overheating.
The Tasmanian devil is also surprisingly fast and durable as well as capable of climbing
trees and swimming long distances.
Number 4: Tasmanian devil destroys a metal cage
It’s not a myth that Tasmanian devils’ fangs are beyond dangerous.
A tattered metal cage became a poignant proof of their vicious bite.
Fran Trenery, a resident of Hobart, had decided to place a few cages around her property in
order to catch feral cats.
She was a rescuer who intended to rehouse the tiny felines in hopes of helping them
get a better, safer life.
Instead, she was shocked to discover her cage had been torn apart by the bites of a vicious
Tasmanian devil.
The cage was twisted beyond recognition and no longer suited for its intended purpose.
She began investigating the matter and discovered several patches of black hair.
Trenery soon discovered that a Tasmanian devil had gotten trapped in the cage.
It wasn’t long before the creature decided to break free...or rather, bite its way to
freedom.
There have been attempts to create devil-proof cages.
The best way of avoiding these small animals from getting trapped inside is to lift them
off the ground.
Cats can still reach them, but devils usually won’t have such easy access.
This prevents them from both destroying property and getting hurt in the process of escaping.
Where Is It Located?
The exact origin of the Tasmanian devil is not known.
Still, it’s believed that it migrated from South America to Australia millions of years
ago.
This happened during the time when most of the earth was a supercontinent called Gondwana.
Since then, in order to survive Australia’s arid climate, they were forced to evolve and
develop new traits.
Nowadays, this marsupial is extinct in Australia’s mainland and remains mostly in the Tasmanian
territory.
This includes Robbins Islands, which are connected to Tasmania only when the tide is low.
The Tasmanian devil prefers forests and coastal woods, though they’ve been known to roam
the edges of towns and cities.
They prefer dry climate and open areas rather than forests with tall trees.
Even on this territory, it eventually became endangered.
As the Tasmanian devils were regarded as a threat to domestic animals and livestock,
it became common practice to hunt them.
Due to this alarming situation, the government stepped in to protect it in 1941.
Since then, it’s been discovered that they hadn’t been as much of a threat to farmers
as previously believed.
Due to the size of both its neck and head, it’s capable of delivering an incredibly
powerful bite.
The Tasmanian devil feeds mostly on small animals such as wombats, bettongs, sheep,
birds, and reptiles.
Apart from these, they also feed on fruits, insects, carrion, and they’ve even been
known to steal food from houses that border their habitat.
The Tasmanian devil possesses a powerful sense of smell and can be particularly ferocious
when hunting its prey.
It can eat up to 40% of its body weight in a short period of time as well as devour the
bones and fur of its prey.
Because of this, it tends to become lethargic after its meals.
It has a peculiar place to stash its excess body fat.
It’s typically stored in the tail.
This is a common trait among marsupials.
Seeing a Tasmanian devil with a thick and full tail is an indication of good health.
In contrast, a thin tail signifies it’s potentially malnourished.
Number 3: Tasmanian devils’ aggression is actually killing them
There are plenty of animals that are viciously violent towards members of their own species.
That being said, it’s rare that these attacks result in a severe decrease in specimens.
In the case of the Tasmanian devil, its frequent attacks during the mating season might contribute
to its downfall and perhaps, one day, to its extinction.
This is especially true when added to other factors that endanger the devils, as a species.
Hunters and farmers alike indiscriminately kill them because of the reputation they’ve
developed throughout the years.
Unfortunately for Tasmanian devils, they tend to suffer from a lethal type of cancer that
can easily be transmitted through bites and scratches.
This condition is known as the Devil Facial Tumor Disease cancer.
It’s not a risk to other animals or even humans, as it doesn’t seem to be compatible
with other species.
However, as the devil's breeding process can be incredibly violent, it’s all too common
for it to become affected by this condition.
Not only can this cancer be incredibly painful, but it’s also often lethal.
It produces large tumors that grow on the afflicted animal’s head and face.
It may also result in wounds that can easily become infected.
Unfortunately, there is no known vaccine or medication to heal this affliction.
There is a silver lining to this disease.
An evolutionary solution to this problem would be for the Tasmanian devil to become less
aggressive.
If this can be achieved, the condition could affect far fewer specimens each year.
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How Will It Kill You?
The Tasmanian devil, despite being small and stocky, is surprisingly vicious.
It has a powerful bite that can produce severe harm to its victim.
It has been known to bite through metal traps and destroy them.
In captivity, it often escapes its enclosure thanks to this skill.
There’s a local myth in Tasmania that this marsupial will attack and eat people who get
lost in the woods.
This is not true.
Though devils do feed on human corpses left in the woods due to murder or suicide, they
don’t usually attack humans.
In reality, devils tend to react nervously to the presence of people.
It attempts to make the person leave by emitting a terrible stench, not unlike the skunk.
That being said, when they feel threatened, they can respond violently.
Their jaw is powerful enough to cause severe injury to any human being.
Its bite has been calculated at 553 Newtons.
This is the reason why it can easily destroy metal objects.
There is another reason its bite is considered to be extremely dangerous: the bacteria living
in the Tasmanian devil’s mouth can lead to infections.
They should be treated with antibiotics and painkillers to manage the patient’s discomfort.
Number 2: Second lethal disease threatens the Tasmanian devil
As if contagious face tumors aren’t enough, scientists have discovered another fatal disease
that is threatening the Tasmanian devil.
It’s a bacterial infection by the name of leptospirosis.
Leptospirosis is usually fatal in human beings and animals when not adequately treated.
Though this disease is not uncommon in Australia, it has never before affected Tasmanian devils.
This is only worsening the species’ already dwindling population.
The infection begins benign enough.
Its early symptoms are annoying but not dangerous and mostly consist of headaches and nausea.
If treated with antibiotics in this early stage, it remains nothing more than an inconvenience.
However, when left untreated, symptoms get far more grisly.
The victim’s lungs start bleeding, and it can cause liver and kidney damage, as well
as meningitis.
Since it isn’t easy to detect that a Tasmanian devil is infected with this bacterium, in
most cases, the marsupial ends up dying.
There are tests meant to diagnose the infection.
Still, it’s unlikely it’ll be effectively used on these wild animals, as they tend to
stay away from humans.
How to Survive?
The best course of action when encountering a Tasmanian devil is to avoid disturbing it.
It tends to steer clear of human beings, and unless feeling threatened, it won’t engage
people at all.
If, for some reason, contact is inevitable, there are warning signs that indicate if the
Tasmanian devil is scared and ready to attack.
For one, it has a peculiar habit when confronting a potential threat.
It actually yawns at the person or animal that is causing them stress.
This is not a sign that they are tired but rather a warning sign.
They’ll also emit a loud, incredibly high-pitched screech that shouldn’t be ignored.
Another tool at its disposal is releasing a foul smell, usually as a last warning signal.
Their ears also turn a bright shade of red that’s nearly impossible to miss.
If all these signs are ignored, the Tasmanian devil might very well attack.
As discussed, its bite is incredibly powerful.
It can actually bite through bone and muscle tissue causing severe damage to its victim.
When attacked by this marsupial, it’s essential to seek medical help.
This is due to two main reasons.
First and foremost, it’s vital to ensure that no infection develops and no disease
was transmitted.
Secondly, it’s important to ensure that its attack didn’t result in any lasting
damage.
If the bite was severe enough, stitches might be required to close the gash and the victim
might even need to be treated for broken bones.
Number 1: Tasmanian devils and the lack of foxes in Tasmania’s mainland
The fox is not native to Australia, but an effort of introducing this animal to the local
fauna was made back in 1864.
This attempt didn’t work, and the Tasmanian devil was largely to blame.
Since then, there have been several attempts at introduction, both through trade and illegal
smuggling.
None have worked, with the fox population dying out every single time.
The problem was that foxes become easy prey for the vicious Tasmanian devil.
Their dens are incredibly smelly, and the devils can pick up this scent with ease.
According to specialists, a fox doesn’t have a fighting chance against the Tasmanian
devil’s deadly bite.
It has been known to go head-to-head with dingoes in the Australian territories, and
foxes are hardly as threatening.
The Tasmanian devil tends to attack dens since they are easy to locate and usually contain
cubs along with their mother.
Since it’s hardly a fair fight, these dens typically provide the devils with a filling
meal.
Thanks for watching!
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