Tasmanian Devil

Our Tasmanian Devil is ready for some action!

Our Tasmanian devil toy animal is made of solid plastic and measures 2 1/2 inches from nose to tail. Its name is molded into the underside. This plastic animal toy is great for school projects, educational toys, novelties, animal collections, party favors and more. Our plastic marsupial is for decoration or play only. The Tasmanian devil comes only from the island of Tasmania in Australia, and you can make a marvelous Australian animals shoebox diorama using this and other plastic creatures from our gift shop. Be sure to see our other Tasmanian devil toys and gifts.

About Tasmanian Devils

Although ours is rather sweet looking, real Tasmanian devils are the world's largest surviving carnivorous marsupial. The body size varies greatly depending on the diet and habitat. Adult males may stand up to 30 centimeters (almost 9 inches) at the shoulder and are usually larger than the females. Tasmanian devils are widespread throughout their habitat and live from the seacoast to the mountains. They live in coastal heath, open dry forest, and mixed rainforest. They seek homes where they can hide and take shelter by day and find food at night. Mainly scavengers, they feed on whatever is available. Their powerful jaws and teeth allow them to completely eat their food, grinding up bones, fur, and all. The Tasmanian devil makes a variety of noises, from rough coughs and snarls to high-pitched screeches. A sharp sneeze is used as a challenge to other devils.

I was once fortunate enough to visit behind the scenes at the medical center of the San Diego Zoo. In the nursery they had a Tasmanian devil in an incubator, only a few days old. The tiny animal had pink skin and only a few very long black hairs. It was like nothing I'd ever seen. I guess you could say it was ugly, but then what baby animal isn't cute in its own weird way? I like them better with hair, but it was such a treat to get this unusual view of a baby Taz!

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.