THE TASMANIAN DEVIL STORY

Tasmanian devils are meat eating marsupials.
While now found only on the island of Tasmania they once roamed widely across Australia and on islands around the coast.

Recently Tasmanian devils have suffered greatly from a mysterious cancer that appears to be passed directly from animal to animal by biting.
The disease causes terrible tumours around the face and is always fatal, killing the host about five months after the first signs of the disease.
Around half the wild devil population has succumbed in the last 10 years.
Tasmanian Devil Conservation Park, which is the only wildlife centre in an isolated disease-free area, is involved in a number of research projects to help solve the problem.
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Devils have very strong jaws capable of crushing large bones. They mostly eat carrion.
Devils also are famous for their snarling aggressive behaviour, especially at feeding and mating time.
Unlike most other pouched mammals devils carry up to four young in their "marsupiums". Up to 15 neonates - new born - only the size of a grain of wheat are born but just four can be fed so it is a case of survival of the fittest from the start of life. The gestation is an amazingly short 19 days.

Seeing a Tasmanian devil in the wild is difficult as it is a nocturnal creature with a furtive nature.
Tasmanian Devil Conservation Park is the ideal place to see these fascinating creatures. It was established in 1978 as the world's first Tasmanian devil centre.

Tasmanian Devil Conservation Park™
e-mail: [email protected]
phone +61 3 62 503 230 fax +61 3 62 503 406
Port Arthur Highway, Taranna, Tasmania, Australia 7180