parliamentary debates that were to signal the extermination thylacine. Well over a century later the âwedgieâ continues to be persecuted, with some rural Tasmanians taking a gun to it when they can.
The wedge-tailed eagle, one of the worldâs largest birds of prey, is considered to be Tasmaniaâs top order predator now that the thylacine is extinct. Human alteration to the land, as well as direct persecution, have adversely affected both species for over two hundred years. The parent bird is on the right. (Courtesy W.E. Brown)
If the European red fox becomes established in Tasmania, as it is on mainland Australia as an introduced species, it will compete directly with the devilâfor prey, for dens and as a predator of devil young. In combination with DFTD, the fox may unwittingly hasten the Tasmanian devilâs extinction. (Courtesy W.E. Brown)
Finally, there is the European red fox, long established on the mainland as an introduced species and potentially becoming established in Tasmania. Just as the devil may have inadvertently hastened the end of the thylacine, an ineradicable fox population may do the same to a heavily decreased devil population. But should this eventuate, the highly competitive, efficient fox should not be made the scapegoat for having been introduced to Tasmania.
4
âMADE FOR TRAVELLING
ROUGHâ: DEVIL ECOLOGY
Little Devil only wanted milk for several days given by a bottle while being cradled in my arms and loved being cuddled and would emit the most piercing sound when he had finished feeding. Little Devil lived in an old meat safe near the pot belly stove during the day in the kitchen and at night would come out for his meat and biscuits, but should anyone other than myself be in the kitchen he would retreat until all was quiet . . . Eventually the kitchen door was left ajar so he could come in and out at night, this happened for some time before he decided he was old enough to make it on his own. I guess like all teenagers he grew up. It will always remain one of my most treasured memories.
D ONNA C OLEMAN , G ORDON
I n its evolutionary journey the Tasmanian devil has travelled remarkably well. And quickly: known devil fossils date back no more than 70 000 years and over that time the animal has undergone little change to its body plan other than dwarfism. Its physical and behavioural characteristics helped ensure its success as one of the seven extant large-size marsupial carnivores of Australia and New Guinea.
The squat, muscular body and short strong legs enable it to lope long hours in search of food and, in the case of males, reproductive partners. Because they are large, the head and neck have increased functional significance in feeding. The devilâs profuse, wiry vibrissae (whiskers) grow in patches from the tip of the chin to the back of the jawline, and are long enough to extend beyond shoulder width, acting as sensors during night movement, feeding and communication.
Devils, like dogs, have 42 teeth. (Cats have just 30.) Devils keep their original teeth, which continue to grow very slowly throughout the lifetime of the animalsâthey are not replaced.
The long claws are designed to dig efficiently, for denning and in search of food, and to firmly grip prey to facilitate chewing and gnawing. The sense of smell is acute and can detect food up to a kilometre away.
This structural emphasis on feeding places the devil in the company of one of natureâs iconic loners, the great white shark. A big old male devil has a shark-like forward torso, resulting in a great neck and head with a full but definite taper, providing immense power, out of proportion to the overall body.
The reproductive cycle of the devil is highly synchronised, but not inflexible. Female devils ovulate up to three times during the three-week breeding season, usually in late March, and copulation is almost continuous for up to five days at a time. The male goes to great
The wedge-tailed eagle, one of the worldâs largest birds of prey, is considered to be Tasmaniaâs top order predator now that the thylacine is extinct. Human alteration to the land, as well as direct persecution, have adversely affected both species for over two hundred years. The parent bird is on the right. (Courtesy W.E. Brown)
If the European red fox becomes established in Tasmania, as it is on mainland Australia as an introduced species, it will compete directly with the devilâfor prey, for dens and as a predator of devil young. In combination with DFTD, the fox may unwittingly hasten the Tasmanian devilâs extinction. (Courtesy W.E. Brown)
Finally, there is the European red fox, long established on the mainland as an introduced species and potentially becoming established in Tasmania. Just as the devil may have inadvertently hastened the end of the thylacine, an ineradicable fox population may do the same to a heavily decreased devil population. But should this eventuate, the highly competitive, efficient fox should not be made the scapegoat for having been introduced to Tasmania.
4
âMADE FOR TRAVELLING
ROUGHâ: DEVIL ECOLOGY
Little Devil only wanted milk for several days given by a bottle while being cradled in my arms and loved being cuddled and would emit the most piercing sound when he had finished feeding. Little Devil lived in an old meat safe near the pot belly stove during the day in the kitchen and at night would come out for his meat and biscuits, but should anyone other than myself be in the kitchen he would retreat until all was quiet . . . Eventually the kitchen door was left ajar so he could come in and out at night, this happened for some time before he decided he was old enough to make it on his own. I guess like all teenagers he grew up. It will always remain one of my most treasured memories.
D ONNA C OLEMAN , G ORDON
I n its evolutionary journey the Tasmanian devil has travelled remarkably well. And quickly: known devil fossils date back no more than 70 000 years and over that time the animal has undergone little change to its body plan other than dwarfism. Its physical and behavioural characteristics helped ensure its success as one of the seven extant large-size marsupial carnivores of Australia and New Guinea.
The squat, muscular body and short strong legs enable it to lope long hours in search of food and, in the case of males, reproductive partners. Because they are large, the head and neck have increased functional significance in feeding. The devilâs profuse, wiry vibrissae (whiskers) grow in patches from the tip of the chin to the back of the jawline, and are long enough to extend beyond shoulder width, acting as sensors during night movement, feeding and communication.
Devils, like dogs, have 42 teeth. (Cats have just 30.) Devils keep their original teeth, which continue to grow very slowly throughout the lifetime of the animalsâthey are not replaced.
The long claws are designed to dig efficiently, for denning and in search of food, and to firmly grip prey to facilitate chewing and gnawing. The sense of smell is acute and can detect food up to a kilometre away.
This structural emphasis on feeding places the devil in the company of one of natureâs iconic loners, the great white shark. A big old male devil has a shark-like forward torso, resulting in a great neck and head with a full but definite taper, providing immense power, out of proportion to the overall body.
The reproductive cycle of the devil is highly synchronised, but not inflexible. Female devils ovulate up to three times during the three-week breeding season, usually in late March, and copulation is almost continuous for up to five days at a time. The male goes to great
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