Description

Haunted by its chilling nocturnal screeches, it was the early European settlers that gave the Tasmanian devil its alarming name (3) (4) (5). The largest of the carnivorous marsupials, it is robustly built, with a broad head that supports powerful jaws and strong teeth capable of crushing all but the largest bones (3) (4) (5) (6). The hindquarters slope down in a manner reminiscent of its larger African counterpart, the hyena (5), while its tail is short and thick (3) (4). The coarse fur is mostly black, but there are often distinctive white markings across the chest, shoulders and rump (3) (4).