Tasmanian Devils are a small, dog size, carnivorous marsupials found only in Tasmania, the island state of Australia.  Tasmanian Devils are black in colour often with white flashes on the chest and the rump. Like most of Australia animals the devils are nocturnal, hunting by night and sleeping during the day. Devils are scavengers, however they will kill, eating anything from an old boot, grubs and insects, small reptiles, birds, eggs and mammals as large as wallaby. Tasmanian devils are known for their very powerful jaws having one of the strongest bites for an animal of their size
Female Tasmanian Devils have a backward opening pouch or marsupium, that has four nipples in it, so they can only raise four young an a time. The females come in season in March (autumn or the fall, in the southern hemisphere.) the young are born 31 days after mating and as many as 20 young may be born, it is only the first four that make it to the nipples in the pouch that will survive. The young 'joeys' stay in the pouch for about 15 weeks and are dependent on the female for about another 15 weeks. Tasmanian Devils are found all over Tasmania, in dry and rain forest habitats. They live in hollow logs, small caves and can dig small cave type 'borrows'. Devils only live for about 5-6 years in the wild. The species is secure in the wild and has probably increased since European settlement.

(Ref. The Australian Museum Complete Book of Australian Mammals.

• FAQ regarding Tasmanian Devils - (From Home page)

• The Tasmanian Devils are about the size of a fox-terrier dog.

• The Tasmanian Devils are black with a white rump flash and a white chest flash However, white markings on  devils vary a great deal; Tasmanian devils can be pure black.

• The markings on  Tasmanian devils have no relationship with the devils sex.

• Tasmanian devils are carnivore and will eat anything for insects to small wallabies. Much of the Tasmanian devils food is carrion (dead animals) however,  devils definitely will kill other animals.

•  Tasmanian devils are only found in Tasmania.

•  Tasmanian Devils were found on Mainland Australia but died about 600 years ago.

•  Tasmanian Devils are  marsupials and the female does have a pouch or marsupium.

• Female Tasmanian Devils have four nipples in the pouch and can rear 4 young however, they give birth to about 20 young as big as a grain of rice and it is the first 4 tiny devils that reach the pouch first that survive.

• Tasmanian devils come in season in February to March. The gestation period of Tasmanian devils is about 30 days.

• Young Tasmanian Devils stay in the pouch for about 15 week and stay with their mother for about 6 months.

•  Tasmanian Devils are the largest of the carnivorous marsupials (Dasyurids) if unfortunately the Tasmanian Tiger is extinct.

• The home range of  Tasmanian Devils is about 10 to 20 hectares.

•  Tasmanian Devils are nocturnal animals hunting at night and sleeping by day.

•  Tasmanian Devils run with a 'rocking horse' motion at a top speed of about 15 k/hr.

• The Tasmanian Devil can travel up to 16 km at night when food is scarce.

• The Tasmanian Devils are not kill sheep but will eat injured or dead lambs. The devil will raid farm poultry sheds.

• Many Tasmanian Devils will feed on a carcass at the same time squabbling amongst themselves as they feed.

•  Tasmanian Devils are at present suffering from an as yet unknown cancer like disease known a Tasmanian Devil Facial Tumour Disease (FTD). The diseases has devastated Tasmanian Devil numbers and a concentrated effort is being made by the Tasmanian government to find the cause and a possible cure for this hideous disease.