A dog-sized carnivorous marsupial, now found only on Tasmania, and the largest carnivorous marsupial since the thylacine died out in 1936. It’s known for its black fur, strong smell, ear-splitting screech and ferocity when feeding.
Quick answers
What is it?Mammal
Carnivore?Yes
Dangerous?Can be
It can bite and scratch out of fear when held.
Domesticated?No
Awake when?Night
Nocturnal and usually solitary; early explorers first knew it by its cries at night.
Hibernates?No
Kept as a pet?No
Do people eat it?No
At a glance
Found inAustralia
HabitatForest, Scrub, Farmland
ColoursBlack, White
SizeSmall
Length52.5–80 cm
Weight4–12 kg
Legs4
Covered inFur
Lives alone
Lives for5–8 years
Can swim
In the wild
- Where it lives
- Tasmania only; it died out on the Australian mainland about 3,500 years ago.
- What it eats
- Hunts prey and scavenges carrion.
- Conservation
- Endangered (IUCN Red List)
Did you know
The strongest bite for its size of any mammal, and it eats the bones too.
Devils are usually solitary, but sometimes eat together at a carcass.
Often confused with
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