Tasmanian Devil

Many people are familiar with the Tasmanian Devil from its depiction in Looney Tunes cartoons as a foil for Bugs Bunny. But the cartoon depiction bears little actual resemblance to the now endangered animal. Like most animals, this one is an interesting reminder of the diversity of species that roam the Earth.

First let's get to that looney and tuney Tasmanian Devil, also called Taz. This stylized version of the marsupial was first featured in Devil May Hare, a cartoon short released in 1954. He stalks Bugs Bunny, trying to eat him, but is no match for the quick witted hare. The character wasn't popular at the studio, and so was quickly set aside for being too obnoxious. But so many fans wrote in wondering what had become of the character that Warner Brothers that he was revived for a number of shorts in the late 1950's and early 1960's. It wasn't until the 1990's that the character was repackaged as “Taz.” This sent it soaring to new popularity as one of the most recognized Warner Brothers cartoon characters. He even spawned a kid version, “Dizzy Devil,” who was featured in Tiny Toon Adventures.

As stated earlier the cartoon Tasmanian Devil resembled the real thing only in a general way, and in it's wild behavior while eating. The cartoon version also incorporated elements of the horned devil. In reality these animals look a lot like stout, strong dogs. Their tail is almost as long as the rest of the body, and is also where the animal stores fat. Thus a thin tailed one is generally unhealthy.

The Tasmanian Devil is pretty fast. They can run at about 8 miles per hour for short distances. They have long, sensitive whiskers used to find food at night, when they usually hunt. As a result of this habit, their hearing and smell are far more developed than their sense of sight. In fact, they have trouble seeing objects that aren't moving.

Relative to its size the Tasmanian Devil has the strongest bite of any mammal. This is due in large part to their relatively large head and to teeth that continue to grow throughout its life. As far as lifespan, they generally live about six years in the wild, but longer in captivity.

The largest mammal remaining in Australia, not counting man, is the Tasmanian Devil. It is found only on the island of Tasmania, although it once thrived on mainland Australia. After the Thylacine became extinct in the 1930's, the threat to the Tasmanian Devil was recognized. They were hunted to near extinction by people who felt they were a nuisance. They were even eaten, described as having a veal taste.

Today the Tasmanian Devil is protected. And thanks to cartoons, well known in the world.

News About the Tasmanian Devil