Curious facts about the Tasmanian devil. Tasmanian devil or marsupial devil (lat.
Tasmanian devil(Sarcophilus laniarius or Sarcophilus harrisii) almost impossible to be mistaken for any other species marsupial mammals. His terrible screech, black color and famous bad character, led early European settlers to call this nocturnal predator the devil. Although this animal is comparable in size only to a small dog, it can “sound” and look incredibly intimidating and cruel, which allows it to be confidently identified even by beginners who are unsure of the representatives of the fauna of Australia and Tasmania.
The Latin name for the animals is Sarcophilus harrisii, which literally means “Harris’s meat lover,” named after the researcher who first described Tasmanian devil.
The world's largest extant carnivorous marsupial mammal, Tasmanian devil is a predator of a dense, stocky build, with a relatively large, wide head and a short, thick tail. The fur color of this animal is mostly completely black, but white markings are often found, most often located on the rump and chest. The Tasmanian devil's body size also varies greatly, depending on its diet and habitat. Adult males are usually larger than adult females. Large males can weigh up to 12 kg and be about 30 cm tall at the withers.
The historical place of origin of the current Tasmanian devil is mainland Australia. Fossils of the ancestors of this animal have been found over a wide area of the mainland. However, scientists believe that devils died out on the mainland itself about 400 years ago, long before European settlement began. These animals most likely disappeared there as a species due to the increasing aridity of the region and the expansion of the dingo's habitat, which only the Bass Strait prevented from entering Tasmania.
Today the devil is symbol of Tasmania. But it was not always so. The first European settlers in Tasmania considered devils a nuisance and a serious nuisance, constantly complaining of these predators raiding people's poultry houses. In 1930, Van Diemen's Land Co. was even forced to offer the public and hunters very generous payments for animals killed to remove devils, as well as Tasmanian tigers (marsupial wolves) and wild dogs, from their habitat in the northwest region: 2/6 (25 cents) for a male devil and 3/6 (35 cents) for a female of the species.
These measures led to the fact that by the middle of the 20th century, almost the entire population of devils was caught in traps and poisoned. These animals became very rare and their species seemed to be on the way to complete extinction. But the numbers of these animals began to gradually increase after they were protected by law in June 1941.
Despite declines in the species over the past 15 years due to widespread cancer, devil populations remain widespread across Tasmania, from the coast to the highlands. They successfully take root in coastal heaths, and in open dry (sclerophyllous) and mixed, sclerophyllous-tropical forests. In fact, these animals are quite versatile and unpretentious; they can hide in almost any place and find shelter for the day, as well as find food for themselves at night.
Devils usually conceive in March, with cubs born as early as April. Pregnancy lasts, on average, 21 days. Newborns are always born somewhat more than the mother’s pouch, which has only four nipples for feeding the cubs, can accommodate. Although the mother's pouch is adapted to fully raise and feed four puppies, it is rare for such a number of young individuals to survive. The average number of cubs that survive and grow up is usually two or three puppies. Each of the newborns is firmly attached in the pouch to the mother's nipple and remains in this position for about 4 months. After this time, young and strong puppies begin to occasionally crawl out of the bag, and then leave it altogether, remaining in a spacious hole - most often, this is a hollow log.
Young individuals are weaned from breastfeeding at five to six months of age and are believed to not leave their mother, who continues to live with them until about the end of December. Tasmanian devils probably begin breeding at the end of their second year of life. The average longevity of individuals of this species reaches 7-8 years.
The devil is primarily a scavenger and feeds on whatever is available. Nature has equipped this predator with powerful jaws and teeth so that it can completely devour its prey, including bones, furs, horns and hooves. The basis of the Tasmanian devil's diet is the wallaby kangaroo, as well as various small mammals and the birds that these predators eat either as carrion or prey. In the stomachs of these wild "demons" reptiles, amphibians, insects and even sea crustaceans were found. Sheep and cattle carcasses provide food for the Tasmanian devil in agricultural areas. Devils play a significant role in maintaining proper sanitation around livestock farms by clearing the area of the carcasses of dead domestic animals. By removing food for the larvae in this way, it significantly helps reduce the risk of blowflies spreading and prevent sheep deaths.
Devils are famous for their noisy gatherings that accompany the process of devouring a large carcass. Loud noise and specific sounds produced by individuals are used to establish individual dominance among members of the pack.
The devil leads night look life (they are most active after dark). During the day, they usually hide in a den, or in dense bushes. While hunting, these animals travel significant distances per day, up to 16 km, along clearly defined paths, walking around their possessions in search of food. They tend to move rather slowly, with a characteristic gait, but can also jump quickly, using both hind legs to push off the ground at the same time. Young devils are more flexible and can even climb trees, although this is not the species' immediate habitat.
Eyewitnesses are well aware of the appearance of a yawning devil, which looks so menacing that it can be misleading. Appearance An animal in this state can provoke the development in the observer of more fear and uncertainty than even the direct manifestation of aggression on the part of this predator.
When under stress and taking defensive measures, devils emit a strong, repulsive odor, but when calm and relaxed, they are not offensive. The devil makes a variety of threatening sounds, from a sharp, specific cough to a high-pitched screech. Sharp sneezing is used by the individual as a challenge to other devils, which often leads to a fight. Many of these exciting behaviors are bluffs and part of a ritual designed to minimize the effects of harmful fighting that often occurs during communal feeding around a large carcass.
In May 2008, the Tasmanian devil's status was officially upgraded from endangered to endangered.
The Scientific Advisory Committee's (SAC) endangered species expert has completed its five-year review of the species listed under the National Act and has recommended that the Tasmanian devil's species status be moved up the list due to its increasing vulnerability.
Traditionally, the population size of this species is controlled by food availability, competition with other devils, habitat loss, and persecution by predators and poachers. But today greatest threat Tasmanian devils are dying from a spreading cancer called Devil Facial Tumor Disease (DFTD).
Since 1941, the Tasmanian devil has been chosen as the symbol of Tasmania. national parks And hunting farm. IN currently Tasmanian devils are fully protected by law as a potentially endangered species.
Tasmanian devils are known to start eating dead animals from their digestive system, since these are the softest organs.
Devils can eat 5-10 percent of their body weight in food per day own body, and even more if they are very hungry. Given the opportunity, the devil can eat food that is 40 percent of his weight, and in record short time- in half an hour.
Devils have several natural enemies. Small individuals can fall prey to eagles, owls, and even their relative the spotted-tailed marsupial.
These animals can emit a disgusting odor when under stress.
Animals can open their mouths very wide when they want to express fear or hesitancy. To challenge another devil to a duel, animals make shrill sounds.
The tail of a healthy devil has good reserves of fat, so sick animals have very skinny and flabby tails.
The Taman devil is a marsupial mammal. He is a predator, as evidenced by his toothy mouth and eerie screams at night. Despite its relatively small size, this living creature instilled fear in the first settlers in Europe, for which it was called the “devil.”
Appearance of the Taman devil.
The Taman devil is one of the largest marsupial predators. But in fact, its size does not exceed the size of an average dog. The body shape and color of the animal resembles a bear cub. Its body is no more than 90 cm in length, plus a long tail up to 35 cm. Males are larger and more weight than females.
The Taman devil has very strong paws, but the forelimbs are slightly shorter than the hind limbs, which adds clumsiness to the animal. The head appears large and out of proportion, the muzzle is blunt. The ears are short and have pink color. In the area of the chest and rump the fur is white; on the rest of the body it is short, stiff and black. The tail of the Tasmanian devil can change its thickness, as fat reserves are deposited in it and during periods of hunger the tail becomes thin. Another feature of this animal is the absence of the first toe on its hind legs.
Very strong jaws are covered with sharp and large teeth. The animal is able to bite and crush bones with its molars.
Only females have a bursa, and it is a fold of skin in the form of a horseshoe on the abdomen, in which 4 nipples are located.
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Habitats
Nowadays, the Tasmanian devil can only be found on the island of Tasmania, but it once lived in Australia. From there he disappeared about 500 years ago. According to scientists, the Tasmanian devil was supplanted by dingo dogs, which were brought by the aborigines of the mainland.
In Tasmania, devils were first exterminated because they ravaged chicken coops. Animals began to move to mountainous and undeveloped areas, their population was rapidly declining, and in 1941 a law was passed banning hunting of the Tasmanian devil. Now these animals lead a quiet lifestyle in almost all parts of the island.
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Lifestyle and diet
The devil can never be found in areas where there are no forests and a lot of people. Most of them live in coastal savannas, near pastures, and sclerophyll-rain forests.
During the day, the marsupial devil prefers to rest in a hole or crevices between stones, where he brings grass, bark, leaves and makes a real bed for himself. And at night he goes hunting.
In order to feel good, the Tasmanian devil needs to eat a volume of food equal to 15% of its body weight. Its diet includes lizards, birds, insects, small mammals, roots and tubers of plants. He also loves river and sea food, such as frogs. But most often the animal is content with the carrion of fish, rabbits, sheep, and rats. He is not so willing to eat fresh corpses, but prefers slightly decomposed ones, such as strange tastes. The bloodthirsty Tasmanian devil eats its prey along with its fur and bones.
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The Tasmanian devil, thanks to its love of carrion, will save sheep from infection by blow flies, because it eats rotten meat in which these flies multiply and develop.
Within a radius of up to 15 km from its refuge, the Tasmanian devil considers its territory to be its own. He regularly inspects the property at night. These are solitary animals; they will not share either land or prey with their relatives.
The Tasmanian devil makes growling, raucous sounds near danger and high-pitched screams to scare away uninvited guests from his hole.
If there is no danger nearby, the marsupial devil becomes clumsy, but when the slightest threat he takes off running, developing speeds of up to 15 km/h. These animals swim very poorly.
The Tasmanian devil has virtually no natural enemies. They were once part of the diet of marsupial wolves and dingoes, but after migrating to Tasmania, their only enemy was the fox, which was illegally brought to the island in 2000.
These animals are quite tame and can be kept as pets.
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Reproduction
The mating period occurs at the beginning of spring. Pregnancy lasts only 3 weeks, and ends with the birth of 20 cubs, but only 4 survive, because there are only 4 nipples in the female’s pouch. After 3 months, the babies are completely overgrown with hair and their eyes open. At 4 months they leave the pouch, but periodically feed on milk for another couple of months. 6 months after birth, the cubs leave their mother for good, entering an independent life.
The lifespan of the Tasmanian devil is about 8 years.
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There are few animals in the world named after evil spirits. Apart from the Tasmanian devil, the only thing we can remember is fish " angler" It is clear that an ordinary representative of the fauna will not be called that. So for what sins did the beast receive such an unflattering nickname?
Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii).
This story began 400 years ago, when Europeans discovered Australia and nearby islands. The range of the marsupial devil then covered all of Tasmania and probably parts of Western Australia. The first settlers of these lands were exiled to distant lands British criminals, that is, an illiterate people and, like all Englishmen, deeply superstitious. Moving inland, the convicts behaved warily: you never know what danger awaits them in unknown lands, here every tree, every berry can be fraught with danger. What was the horror of the colonialists when one day dark night a heartbreaking cry of an unknown creature was heard in the bushes. They had never heard such sounds in their homeland! They never found out what kind of animal made that sound that night, but from that moment they were sure that someone terrible lived here. Subsequently, they heard such screams more than once, but what is interesting is that they were heard only at night, and during the day there was no trace of the unknown creature. Over and over again, at rest stops, travelers discussed these oddities, adding fictitious details, until, in the end, they agreed that only the devil himself could scream like that.
Later, having settled in the first settlements, they began raising chickens and sheep. Now, at night screams, the colonialists were no longer surprised, but only prayed to themselves to scare away the evil spirits. And then the hour came when the veil of secrecy was torn off. One of the newly minted farmers found a dead chicken in the barn in the morning, and a killer near the corpse. An unprecedented black beast screamed at the man and... oh horror, everyone recognized this scream. Yes, it’s him - the Tasmanian devil! Later, similar animals were repeatedly found near the corpses of sheep, poultry and even near the murdered convicts. People were not at all embarrassed by the small size of the beast: the predator took away their food, destroyed the results of hard work, and only for this was worthy of the title of killer of livestock and... people. After all, it was much easier to blame the death of a fellow tribesman on a dumb beast than to call the police. Thus the death penalty the “criminal” was guaranteed. And when it turned out that the meat of the “executed” was not inferior in taste to beef, Tasmanian devils began to be destroyed everywhere and were so successful that 19th century these animals survived only in remote areas of Tasmania. So, we told about the prejudices that played a fatal role in the fate of this beast, and now it’s time to find out the truth...
The Tasmanian devil belongs to the order Marsupials and this moment is its largest predator. Even with their fellow order mates, these unusual mammals have little in common; its only relatives are the spotted marsupial martens and the now exterminated thylacines ( marsupial wolves). As already mentioned, the size of marsupial devils is small, they do not exceed 50 cm in length and weigh 6-8 kg. Their appearance intricately intertwines the features of different animals: at first glance, the Tasmanian devil resembles a squat dog, although its paws are flat like a bear’s, and its elongated muzzle with long mustaches makes it look like a giant rat. This combination external features testifies to the antiquity and primitiveness of these animals.
Tasmanian devils are black in color; 75% of individuals have two white crescent markings: one on the chest, the other on the lower back.
They do not have protected individual areas, but one individual, as a rule, moves around certain territory, resting in 3-4 permanent dens. Tasmanian devils hide in dense bushes, holes they dig themselves, or small caves. On the outskirts of villages, these animals sometimes steal blankets and clothes and line their shelters with these things. Animals lead a solitary lifestyle because they have a grumpy and quarrelsome character. The only thing that can bring Tasmanian devils together is large prey. For the sake of food, they are ready to tolerate their neighbors, but only after they have had a good time yelling at each other and finding out who is more important. The muzzles of older individuals are covered with scars, reminiscent of such skirmishes. Marsupial devils go hunting only at night and at dusk, but in captivity they are active during the day.
Baby marsupial devils take a sunbath.
These animals are voracious; the maximum weight of prey they can absorb at a time is 40% of their own weight. Powerful jaws, as strong as those of a hyena, allow them to kill prey larger than the predator itself, such as wombats and sheep. In addition, Tasmanian devils catch small kangaroos, kangaroo rats, possums, parrots, insects, adults can encroach on the life of the young. At the same time, whenever possible, they prefer a bloodless and lazy way to get enough, namely, they pick up carrion, dead fish, toads and frogs. Often, animals caught feasting on the corpses of fallen ungulates are unfairly blamed for the death of the victims. I wonder what marsupial devils They prefer well-rotted meat and eat the carcass without leaving any residue, including skin, entrails and small bones. Apparently, animals are not afraid to experiment with unfamiliar foods; pieces of food have been found in their stomachs and droppings leather boots, harnesses, denim, echidna needles, pencils.
When running, Tasmanian devils can accelerate up to 12 km/h.
In search of prey, these animals slowly walk around the territory, sometimes climb the lower branches of trees, and confidently cross rivers by swimming, including cold mountain streams. During the night they can cover from 8 to 30 km. Their main senses are touch, a very keen sense of smell and well-developed night vision. If it is not possible to escape, the Tasmanian devil resorts to a psychological attack - that very heartbreaking cry. It must be admitted that their voice is indeed very loud for animals of this size. small size. It sounds unpleasant, in some places it resembles a loud roar, in others a hoarse or high-pitched screech. Tasmanian devils know the power of their weapons and do not forget to remind their enemies and fellow tribesmen of it with a wide, threatening yawn. Behind these hysterical screams lies another secret of these animals - in fact, they are very cowardly. When frightened, these mammals emit bad smell.
Tasmanian devil in a threatening pose.
The breeding season for Tasmanian devils begins in the Australian autumn, that is, in March-April. The males start fights, after which the female mates with the strongest of them. However, she can change partners, and a male can also have several chosen ones. Pregnancy, like that of all marsupials, is short, lasting 21 days.
It is also surprising that in such tiny, essentially underdeveloped newborns, gender can already be distinguished.
Tasmanian devils are one of the most prolific mammals, they can have 20-30 cubs in one litter! True, only the first four babies who manage to attach to the nipples have a chance of life. The flow of mucus released during birth helps the cubs get into the pouch, which opens backwards. After 2 months they begin to squeak, and after 3 months they are completely covered with fur. Gradually, the babies begin to crawl out of their mother’s pouch; as a rule, the female leaves them in the den when she goes hunting. Young individuals become independent by January. They reach sexual maturity by 2 years, but no more than half of the animals survive to this date. In general, Tasmanian devils do not live long; in nature, the age of the oldest individuals did not exceed 5 years, and in captivity - 7.
In nature, the natural enemies of Tasmanian devils were eagles and marsupial wolves (the latter killed cubs in their dens). With resettlement Australian Aboriginals Dingo dogs came to the continent and finally destroyed marsupial devils in Australia, and European colonialists helped complete this process. Now the animals are protected and no one hunts them, but new troubles are preventing the complete restoration of their numbers. Firstly, foxes were brought to the island of Tasmania, which began to do the same thing here as dingoes do in Australia. Secondly, the animals turned out to be very susceptible to a viral form of cancer, which is called “devil face tumor disease” (DFTD). In sick animals, tissue begins to grow on the eyelids, cheeks, and throat so that they eventually lose the ability to eat and breathe normally. For now, the only way to combat this virus is to remove infected individuals from wild populations.
Tasmanian devil cubs in mother's pouch.
Captured Tasmanian devils are difficult to tame, low level intelligence and natural aggressiveness make contact with people difficult; animals often bite, rush around in the cage and even chew through the bars. However, offspring born in captivity react calmly to their caregivers.
The Tasmanian devil is a marsupial predator that is found in the wild only on the island of Tasmania. The only representative of the genus Sacrophilius, which translated from Greek means “lover of flesh.” After the last of the marsupial wolves disappeared in 1936, the marsupial devil became the largest marsupial predator. It is also called - marsupial tiger. He was a cross between a wolf and a tiger. So, the devil is the wolf tiger's closest relative and is himself something of a cross between the marsupial tiger wolf and the marsupial marten.
He kills his victims very brutally and smells very bad and squeals loudly when he gets scared. The Tasmanian devil is the size of a small dog, dense and stocky. It hunts at night, helped in this by its black fur, which hides it well in the dark. He sees stationary objects poorly in the dark, but well – moving ones. A small kangaroo can also kill (despite the fact that it hunts alone), but usually does not bother itself with this, preferring to feed on carrion. When eating an animal, Tasmanian devils eat it all, even its fur and bones. In this way they are beneficial because they leave nothing for insects and thus prevent their excessive reproduction.
These animals accumulate fat in their tail, which is usually thick and long. If the tiger-wolf marten has a thin tail, this indicates that the animal is unhealthy. Previously, the devil was found in Australia, but disappeared from there 400 years ago, even before Europeans settled there; dingoes and indigenous Australians survived them. In Tasmania, many farmers also dreamed of eradicating this beast, because - according to their assumptions - the Tasmanian devil must certainly drag cows from the herd and other livestock. And the first European settlers in Tasmania not only killed these dogs, but also ate them and praised them.
However, in 1941, the marsupial devil was taken under protection. At the end of the 20th century, an epidemic that suddenly broke out among marsupial devils significantly reduced their numbers and brought the species to the brink of extinction. But the Tasmanian government accepts everything possible measures to mitigate the effects of the disease.
In Australia, the Tasmanian devil is a very popular animal. They like to depict him on money, coats of arms and all that stuff, they call him after sports teams. The animated series produced by Looney Tunes about the Tasmanian devil Taz brought international fame to this animal. In these cartoons, however, the character acts more like a person, but in addition to the large head, long fangs and short legs, they are also taken from the animal. character traits– Taz in the cartoon, like all Tasmanian devils, is noisy, gluttonous and modest.
Live Tasmanian devils can be seen mainly only in Australia, because the export of these animals is now prohibited. The last of the foreign devils died in the United States, in 2004. However, in 2005, the Tasmanian government made an exception and gave two Tasmanian devils to Frederick, crown prince Denmark, and his Tasmanian wife Mary after the birth of their first son. Now these gifts live in the Copenhagen Zoo.
The analysis showed a close relationship of the Tasmanian devil with quolls and a more distant relationship with the extinct marsupial wolf thylacine ( Thylacine cynocephalus).
Appearance
The Tasmanian devil is the largest living marsupial predator. This is a dense and squat animal the size of a small dog, but with a heavy build and dark color more reminiscent of a miniature bear. The length of its body is 50-80 cm, tail - 23-30 cm. Body size depends on age, habitat and nutrition. Males larger than females. Large males weigh up to 12 kg with a height at the withers of up to 30 cm.
The body of the Tasmanian devil is clumsy and massive. Limbs are strong, shortened; the front legs are slightly longer than the hind legs, which is not typical for marsupials. The head is disproportionately large, with a blunt muzzle. The ears are small and pink. The coat is short, black; white crescentic spots are common on the chest and sacrum; small round spots are also found on the sides. The tail is short and thick; In it, the Tasmanian devil stores fat reserves, and the tail of a sick or starving animal becomes thin. It is covered with long hair, which is often wiped off, leaving the tail almost bare. The first digit on the hind limbs is missing; claws are large.
The skull is massive with strong jaws and sharp, massive teeth; molars, like those of a hyena, are adapted for biting and crushing bones. With one bite, the marsupial devil is able to bite through the spine or skull of its prey. The bite force of the marsupial devil, related to body weight, is the highest among mammals. The bursa in females looks like a horseshoe-shaped fold of skin that opens backwards; nipples - 4.
Spreading
Lifestyle and diet
Marsupial devils are found in almost any landscape, with the exception of densely populated and deforested areas. They are most numerous in coastal savannas and near livestock pastures, which “supply” their main food - carrion, as well as in dry sclerophyll and mixed sclerophyll-rain forests. This animal is active at night, during the day it hides in dense bushes, in crevices among stones, in empty holes, under the trunks of fallen trees, where it makes a nest of bark, leaves and grass.
Very gluttonous (his daily norm food is equal to 15% of body weight), the marsupial devil feeds on small and medium-sized mammals and birds, as well as insects, snakes, amphibians, edible roots and tubers of plants. Often wanders along the shores of reservoirs, finding and eating frogs and crayfish, and on the coast - small sea inhabitants washed ashore. However most The marsupial devil receives prey in the form of carrion; using your developed sense of smell, he finds and devours any corpses - from fish to dead sheep and cows, and prefers already decomposed, rotten and wormy meat. Its constant prey consists of dead wombats, wallabies, kangaroo rats, rabbits, etc. Perhaps the Tasmanian devil used to eat the carrion left over from the thylacine's meals; Now he often fights off prey from marsupial martens. It eats the prey entirely, along with the skin and bones (except for the largest ones). Like scavengers and large predators, marsupial devils play important role in the Tasmanian ecosystem. In particular, they reduce the risk of blowfly infestation in sheep by removing carrion in which the larvae develop. In addition to its gluttony, this animal is distinguished by its indiscriminate eating - echidna needles, pieces of rubber, silver foil, pieces of leather boots and harness, dish towels and undigested carrots and ears of corn were found in its excrement.
Devils are not territorial, but have certain territories that they walk around at night in search of prey. Their area ranges from 8 to 20 km2, and the possessions of different animals overlap. Tasmanian devils lead a strictly solitary lifestyle; the only situation where several devils get together is to devour them together large production. The meal is accompanied by hierarchical clashes and loud noise, sometimes heard several kilometers away.
The marsupial devil makes a large number of frightening sounds: from monotonous growls and dull “coughing” to creepy piercing screams, which created a bad reputation for him. It was the nightly terrifying screams of an as yet unknown animal that led the first Europeans to give it a “devilish” name.
Marsupial devils are very aggressive, but their habit of opening their mouths wide, as if in a yawn, is not a way of intimidation and aggression, but rather a sign of uncertainty. When alarmed, Tasmanian devils, like skunks, emit a strong, unpleasant odor. Despite their ferocity, even adult marsupial devils are tameable and can be kept as pets.
In a calm state, the marsupial devil is rather slow and clumsy, but in emergency situations goes into a gallop, reaching speeds of up to 13 km/h. Young animals are dexterous and agile, and climb trees well. Adults climb worse, but are able to climb inclined trunks and climb onto perches in chicken coops. Marsupial devils are good swimmers.
Due to its aggressive disposition and nocturnal lifestyle, the adult marsupial devil has little natural enemies. Previously, they were hunted by marsupial wolves (thylacines) and dingoes. Young marsupial devils sometimes become victims birds of prey and tiger marsupial martens ( Dasyurus maculatus). The common fox, illegally introduced into Tasmania in 2001, has become a new enemy and food competitor of the Tasmanian devil.
Reproduction
Marsupial devils mate in March-April. Even their mating is a demonstration of aggression. After 3 days, the female drives the male away with genuine aggression. Pregnancy lasts on average 21 days; in April-May, the female brings 20-30 cubs, of which no more than four survive, having managed to attach to the four nipples in the pouch. The remaining cubs are eaten by the female. Survives on average more females than males. Like other marsupials, cubs are born very small: their weight is 0.18-0.29 g. Young marsupial devils develop quite quickly: by 90 days they are completely covered with hair, and between 87 and 93 days their eyes open. At the 4th month, the grown cubs (weighing about 200 g) leave the pouch, but the female’s lactation continues for another 5-6 months. At the end of December, the cubs finally leave their mother and live independently. By the end of the second year of life, young females begin to reproduce. The maximum lifespan of marsupial devils is 8 years.
Population status
Tasmanian devils caused a lot of trouble for European settlers, destroying chicken coops, eating animals caught in traps, and allegedly attacking lambs and sheep, which is why these animals were actively persecuted. In addition, the meat of the marsupial devil turned out to be edible and, according to the colonists, tasted like veal. By June 1941, when legislation was passed to protect the Tasmanian devil, it was on the verge of complete disappearance. However, unlike the marsupial wolf, which became extinct in 1936, the population of marsupial devils was restored, and they are now quite numerous. Their population, like that of quolls, is subject to strong seasonal fluctuations, since every year in the summer (December-January) young marsupials leave their mothers and disperse throughout the territory in search of food. However, 60% of them die within the first few months, unable to withstand the food competition.
The penultimate sharp decline in the number of marsupial devils occurred in 1950; Before the start of the DFTD epidemic, their numbers were estimated at 100,000 - 150,000 individuals, with a density of 20 individuals per 10–20 km 2 .
Diseases
For the first time, a fatal disease called devil facial tumor disease(Devil Facial Tumor Disease, "Devil Facial Tumor"), or DFTD, was reported in 1999. Behind past period According to various estimates, from 20 to 50% of the population of marsupial devils died from it, mainly in the eastern part of the island.
DFTD begins with small tumors around the mouth that become malignant and gradually spread from the animal's head to the rest of the body. Overgrown tumors block the animal's vision, hearing and mouth, depriving it of the ability to obtain food and leading to starvation. The mortality rate for this disease is 100% (within 12-18 months). One hypothesis suggests that DFTD is caused by a virus, but it is also possible that tumor cells themselves are the source of infection ( transmissible malignant tumor [remove template]); Presumably, the disease is transmitted through bites when animals fight over territory and females. Judging by historical data, the disease is endemic to Tasmanian devils, and its epizootics recur at intervals of 77-146 years. Ongoing anti-epidemic measures include the capture and isolation of infected individuals, as well as the creation of isolated “insurance” populations in case of extinction of marsupial devils in nature.
In 2006, researchers were able to discover that the chromosomes in tumors of different individuals of devils undergo the same rearrangements. In addition, scientists caught a sick individual with a rare genetic defect that was absent in the tumor cells. All this indicated that tumor cells are “external”, that is, they are transmitted from a sick organism to a healthy one.
There is currently no cure for DFTD, so the devils have to look natural mechanisms fight the disease. As it turns out, these animals have them. First, the devils' sexual maturation has accelerated. In July 2008, scientists from the University of Tasmania were able to establish that the number of pregnant females under the age of one year has increased significantly (in some control populations the increase was more than 80%). Usually females don't start sex life up to two years, but further analysis showed that they now mature 6-12 months earlier. Considering that average duration The life of the devil is six years, this is a significant “shift”. Secondly, the devils began to multiply all year round, while previously the mating season lasted only a couple of months. According to the researchers, changing the breeding strategy is intended to compensate for the damage caused by the disease.
To date, the tumor has wiped out more than seventy percent of the devil population.
Export
The export of the Tasmanian devil is prohibited; the last Tasmanian devil outside Australia died in California in 2004. The question of assigning this marsupial predator status "vulnerable" ( Vulnerable) in the IUCN Red Book. However, in 2005, the Tasmanian government made an exception and gave two Tasmanian devils to Frederik, Crown Prince of Denmark, and his wife Mary (born in Tasmania) after the birth of their first son. Now these gifts live in the Copenhagen Zoo.
Animal protection
In 2009, the Linux OS developer community decided to draw public attention to the problem of endangered species. In version Linux 2.6.29 it received a new logo: the place of the penguin Tux was temporarily taken by the Tasmanian devil Tuz.
Tasmanian devil in culture
The Tasmanian devil is a symbolic Australian animal, in particular its image is present on the emblem of the Tasmanian National Park Service and wildlife And former team Australian football, Tasmanian Devils. The former NBL Gobart Devils basketball team was also named after the animal. The Tasmanian devil is one of six endemic Australian animals featured on commemorative coins issued between 1989 and 1994.
Tasmanian devils are very popular among both Australian and foreign tourists. Because of his characteristic behavior and this animal is the subject of numerous documentaries and children's books. Last documentary, Terrors of Tasmania, was filmed in 2005. It tells about the fate of a female devil during mating season and the period of caring for offspring. The film also talks about DFTD and the measures taken to conserve the species. The film was shown on both Australian television and the American National Geographic Channel.
The Tasmanian Devil is also widely known outside of Australia thanks to a Looney Tunes cartoon character named Pelvis. Genetics also called the Tasmanian devil a mutant mouse characterized by a disorder in the development of sensitive cells of the inner ear. This results in behavioral disturbances in the mutant, including head tossing and running in circles, which is more reminiscent of a cartoon character than an actual Tasmanian devil.
The Tasmanian devil also appeared in one of the episodes of the animated series “Chip and Dale to the Rescue.”
Notes
- BioLib Profil taxonu - druh ďábel medvědovitý Sarcophilus harrisii Boitard, 1841 (Czech)
- Sokolov V. E. Five-language dictionary of animal names. Mammals. Latin, Russian, English, German, French. / under the general editorship of academician. V. E. Sokolova. - M.: Rus. lang., 1984. - P. 16. - 10,000 copies.
- Wroe, S.; McHenry, C.; Thomason, J. (2005). “Bite club: comparative bite force in big biting mammals and the prediction of predatory behaviour in fossil taxa” . Proceedings of the Royal Society B-Biological Sciences. 272 (1563): 619-625.