The Tasmanian Devil (Sarcophilus harrisii) is the largest carnivorous marsupial in the world and only found in Tasmania. However, the Tasmanian Devil population is rapidly declining.

Upset a Tasmanian Devil and you’ll quickly learn how it got its name. When threatened, this stocky marsupial is prone to bare its sharp teeth, lunge and growl. This is also part of a typical feeding-time display.

It was this late-night, ‘otherworldly’ howl, heard by early European settlers, which led to its common name.

Tasmanian Devils are the size of a small dog, weighing 4 kg to 14 kg, and standing about 30 cm tall.

Devils have dark brown to black fur (sometimes with a hint of red-brown), with a large white stripe across their breast and the odd spot on their sides. Their faces are compact, with long whiskers, dark eyes and pink on the inner ears.

Like other marsupials, such as Antechinus, Tassie Devils store fat in their tails in times of plenty, to draw on when food is scarce.

Tasmanian Devil being released by researcher.

Their legs are stocky and powerful. With front legs longer than hind legs, they walk a little like a pig. Surprisingly, Tasmanian Devils, especially when young, are agile tree climbers.

Where do Tassie Devils live?

They inhabit most of Tasmania, though they prefer forests and coastal scrublands. Here they create dens in hollow logs, under rocks, in wombat burrows, and in caves.

Once Tasmanian Devils were found all over Australia. It’s possible that the introduction of the Dingo in pre-European times led to their extinction on the mainland.

Tassie Devil behaviour

Primarily nocturnal, carrion (dead animal) eaters, Tasmanian Devils can travel up to 16 km per night to find food.

For their size, Tasmanian Devils have one of the most powerful bites of any mammal! This allows them to tear through meat and crush bones, consuming entire carcasses.¹

They certainly don’t waste food, eating the bones, hair, organs and muscle of the carcass. They’ll even eat spoiled or rotting meat.

Tasmanian Devils. Photo Steve Parish.

Typically solitary, a carcass is one of the few things that will bring devils together. Fighting always follows, as individuals jockey for position.

They can also be predators, eating small birds, snakes, fish and insects.

Tasmanian Devils mate once a year. The female will give birth to more than 20 rice-grain sized young, but given she has only four teats only a few will survive. Being a marsupial, the teats are in the female’s pouch, where she suckles the young for four months.

She then carries them on her back for another few months, and they’re fully grown at nine months. Tasmanian Devils can live five to eight years, though in the wild it's rare to find any older than three or four years.

Sadly, the Tasmanian Devil population has suffered recent, rapid declines, and they’re currently listed as Endangered – at high risk of extinction in the wild – according to state and national legislation, as well as the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN Red List).

Tasmanian Devil. Photo Steve Parish.

Why are Tasmanian Devils endangered?

In the 1800s there was a concerted effort by Tasmanian farmers to eradicate the species, which were thought to kill livestock. While they’re unlikely to take sheep and larger stock, they do take poultry and clean up carcasses of dead stock.

While thousands of Tasmanian Devils were killed, thankfully they didn’t suffer the same fate as the Tasmanian Tiger. Devils are now a protected species, but their survival is threatened by something far more insidious.

How are Tasmanian Devils endangered?

Devil Facial Tumour Disease (DFTD) - a primary threat

This contagious, tumorous cancer was discovered in the mid-1990s. Individuals pick it up through fighting and mating. Cancerous tumours form around the head and neck, growing rapidly so that the animal finds it hard to eat.

An individual can die of starvation within six months of symptoms showing. Tens of thousands of Tasmanian Devils have died from DFTD, which is the main reason they are endangered.

Unfortunately, Tasmanian Devils are also often struck by vehicles when they're on the side of the road eating carrion, which itself resulted from a collision. This is also contributing to population decline.

While they have few natural predators, eagles and quolls may predate on the young. In addition, habitat destruction (due to land clearing) and the resulting loss or disturbance of dens, adds another stress to the species’ persistence.

How many Tasmanian Devils are left?

In 2020, it was estimated that fewer than 25,000 wild Tasmanian Devils remained, a significant decline from previous populations.²

Can the Tasmanian Devil be saved?

Conservation efforts have ramped up to protect the species, including intensive management programs.

What's Bush Heritage doing?

We have suitable habitat and have recorded Tasmanian Devils on all our Tasmanian reserves: Friendly Beaches, Liffey Valley Reserves, South Esk Pine and on Midlands Conservation Partnership properties, though DFTD is present in these areas.

We protect the species' habitat, closely monitoring feral cat populations, which compete with devils for food. We're also working to reduce speed limits around our reserves to prevent vehicle strikes and remove road kill on nearby roads to reduce the likelihood of devils being lured to the roadside.