🐾 LandCare difficulty: AdvancedLegal complexity: High — restricted in many states
Tasmanian devil
Sarcophilus harrisii
The Tasmanian devil is the world's largest carnivorous marsupial, found only on the island of Tasmania. It is endangered largely because of a contagious facial cancer that has devastated wild populations.
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Quick facts
| Size | Stocky carnivorous marsupial ~50-65 cm body, up to ~12 kg. |
| Lifespan | 5–8 years |
| Native region | Tasmania, Australia |
| Climate | 🍂 Temperate |
| Genus | Sarcophilus |
Habitat & enclosure
Inhabits forests, woodlands, and coastal scrub across Tasmania, sheltering in dens by day. A transmissible cancer, devil facial tumour disease, spread by biting during social interactions, is the primary threat. It is strictly protected; insurance populations on the mainland and offshore islands aim to safeguard disease-free animals. This profile is conservation/education only.
Diet
A scavenger and predator that consumes carrion and prey thoroughly, bones included, performing an important clean-up role in its ecosystem. Healthy populations help suppress invasive species.
Behavior & temperament
Famous for loud screeching and gaping threat displays when feeding communally, behaviors that ironically spread the facial tumour through bites. Captive breeding and careful translocation of healthy devils are central to managing the disease.
Reviewed and signed off by: KinStation Editorial — conservation profile (pending DVM/biologist review)