(no subject)
Well, I checked the tags, and I'm pretty sure there is nothing on either the Tasmanian Devil or DFTD. And there should be, so here you go. =P
The Tasmanian Devil (Sarcophilus harrisii), also referred to simply as 'the devil', is a carnivorous marsupial now found in the wild only in the Australian island state of Tasmania. The Tasmanian Devil is the only extant member of the genus Sarcophilus. The size of a small dog, but stocky and muscular, the Tasmanian Devil is now the largest carnivorous marsupial in the world (after the recent extinction of the Thylacine in 1936). It is characterised by its black fur, offensive odour when stressed, extremely loud and disturbing screech, and viciousness when feeding. It is known to both hunt prey and scavenge carrion and although it is usually solitary, it sometimes eats with other devils.
(From wiki)
Interesting facts:
-It has the strongest bite (relative to size) of any living mammal
-Its pouch opens backwards, like a wombat
-Taz from the Looney Tunes is (very loosely) based on them
DEVIL FACIAL TUMOUR DISEASE:
DFTD has more than halved the devil population since the first discovered case in 1996. I have heard estimates that unless something serious is done soon, they may be extinct by 2020. DFTD is one of only three known contagious cancers. Devils can be aggressive, and fighting over food often bite each other on the face and shoulders, causing cancer cells to be transmitted.
Recent research has shown that there may be a particular gene which makes devils more resistant to DFTD, but limited funding is making it difficult for scientists to learn more about this and whether a breeding program would be feasible.
Devil facial tumour disease is just what its name says. It causes large, unpleasant tumours to grow on the faces of the devils, often making normal activity difficult or impossible and eventually resulting in death. No devils have been known to recover from the disease.
I've seen much more gruesome photos but wasn't able to find many online. In fact, there isn't much information online at all- lots of what I said here is stuff I knew from local newspapers. There's a website dedicated to it HERE if you're interested.
I am Tasmanian and I think it would be tragic if these guys die out.
EDIT:
Youtube vids: Screaming/Feeding
The Tasmanian Devil (Sarcophilus harrisii), also referred to simply as 'the devil', is a carnivorous marsupial now found in the wild only in the Australian island state of Tasmania. The Tasmanian Devil is the only extant member of the genus Sarcophilus. The size of a small dog, but stocky and muscular, the Tasmanian Devil is now the largest carnivorous marsupial in the world (after the recent extinction of the Thylacine in 1936). It is characterised by its black fur, offensive odour when stressed, extremely loud and disturbing screech, and viciousness when feeding. It is known to both hunt prey and scavenge carrion and although it is usually solitary, it sometimes eats with other devils.
(From wiki)
Interesting facts:
-It has the strongest bite (relative to size) of any living mammal
-Its pouch opens backwards, like a wombat
-Taz from the Looney Tunes is (very loosely) based on them
DEVIL FACIAL TUMOUR DISEASE:
DFTD has more than halved the devil population since the first discovered case in 1996. I have heard estimates that unless something serious is done soon, they may be extinct by 2020. DFTD is one of only three known contagious cancers. Devils can be aggressive, and fighting over food often bite each other on the face and shoulders, causing cancer cells to be transmitted.
Recent research has shown that there may be a particular gene which makes devils more resistant to DFTD, but limited funding is making it difficult for scientists to learn more about this and whether a breeding program would be feasible.
Devil facial tumour disease is just what its name says. It causes large, unpleasant tumours to grow on the faces of the devils, often making normal activity difficult or impossible and eventually resulting in death. No devils have been known to recover from the disease.
I've seen much more gruesome photos but wasn't able to find many online. In fact, there isn't much information online at all- lots of what I said here is stuff I knew from local newspapers. There's a website dedicated to it HERE if you're interested.
I am Tasmanian and I think it would be tragic if these guys die out.
EDIT:
Youtube vids: Screaming/Feeding