Why tasmanian devil is called devil

Their oversized heads allow them to open their jaws up to 80 degrees wide and their jaws carry enough brute force to crush bone. They can bite through the strongest of metals; even break the cages of livestock and other animals. Devils use their incredibly strong and powerful jaws to consume game or roadkill without any leftovers — they eat every part of their prey. Like all marsupials, devils store fat in their tails, which thicken up like humans' waistlines.

Tasmanian devils have a bit of a disturbing feeding habit. Though it sounds a little gruesome, by eating animal carcasses, Tassie devils actually help to keep areas hygienic and free from blowfly maggots.

A mother Tassie gives birth to around joeys at once. However, these joeys have to race to her pouch, which only has four teats. Talk about a hard start to life! The Tassie devil has held this title for over 80 years.

Tasmanian devils eat only meat: they hunt birds, snakes and other mammals up to the size of small kangaroos, but they will also eat carrion. They put those tremendous jaws to good use, eating pretty much anything they sink their teeth into, crushing and ravenously ingesting bones and all. Tasmanian devils are shy, timid and not dangerous to people unless attacked or trapped.

This behaviour is actually more a display of fear and anxiety than aggression. Juveniles have left their mother by late summer to find a new home range. Devils are mature and can start breeding at the end end of their second year, sometimes earlier Reptiles, amphibians, insects and even sea squirts have been found in the stomachs of wild devils.

Carcasses of sheep and cattle provide food in farming areas. Tasmanian devils maintain bush and farm hygiene by cleaning up carcasses. This can help reduce the risk of blowfly strike to sheep by removing food for maggots.

Tasmanian devils can swim if required and seem to enjoy love water and will wade and splash about, even sitting or lying down in it to stay cool.

They will often dabble in water with their front paws, somewhat in the manner of racoons. Their bodies are covered in a bristly black hair, with white fur underbellies.

They have a rough appearance, with multiple starches, a coarse muzzle area, and extremely sharp teeth. Its front legs are longer than their rear with its tail short and sharp, making it distantly similar shape to a rat. The males are typically larger than the males, but not by much. In the state, they are usually found in forest areas and woodlands, making lairs in hollow logs, caves, or an abandoned burrow.

Devil facial tumor disease, a rare, contagious cancer found only in devils, has been killing adult devils in recent years. Detected in , the disease is transmitted from one individual to another through biting, a common behavior among devils when mating and feeding. It kills all infected devils within 6 to 12 months, and there is no known cure or vaccine. The program collaborates with research institutes and zoos around the world to save the endangered Tasmanian devil.

For more information on the Save the Tasmanian Devil Program, visit tassiedevil. By supporting San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, you are our ally in saving and protecting wildlife worldwide.

Tasmanian devils have been described as the vacuum cleaners of the forest, as they mainly eat wildlife that has already died. The Tasmanian devil is also called the Australian hyena for its nosy scavenging habits and its powerful bone-crushing teeth.

Would you recognize a quoll, numbat, little red antechinus, fat-tailed dunnart, mulgara, dibbler, kowari, or a wambenger if you saw one? These are all wildlife related to the Tasmanian devil. Main menu. Search form Search. Sarcophilus harrisii. Tasmanian devils have behaviors that may seem odd or scary to us, but they have a different meaning in devil society: A mouth that opens quite wide— While the famous gape, or yawn, of the Tasmanian devil looks threatening, it is more likely to express fear and uncertainty than aggression.

A foul odor— This is produced under stress, not when the devil is calm and relaxed.