Hi, I’m Taz. I am a Tasmanian Devil, and I can’t wait to tell you about my life!
First off, I look like a little black bear. I also have a white stripe across my chest. About the size of a large housecat, I am fast and ferocious, but we’ll get to that later. I have a long tail and excellent eyesight. I have a strong nose too. Us, devils, weigh 9 to 26 pounds, and we are mammals.
I woke up this morning (which for you is this evening), in my log that is located in Tasmania, which is an island right next to Australia. It is considered part of the continent Oceania, and it is pretty warm there. My friends and I live all over the island, not concentrating on any particular part. I live in a coastal woodland, and I sleep in my hollow log. Some of my friends live in dry forests in caves or burrows.
Once I yawned and scratched my belly, I decided that I could go for a snack. I went hunting for my breakfast, and I am a nocturnal animal, which means that I come out during the night. I’m a carnivore, so I only eat meat. My very ferocious bite helps me eat all of my favorite meals. My favorite foods are frogs, fish, birds and insects. I also eat carrion (a fancy word for dead animal) that I find lying around, but some other devils in my area fight over the carrion, which makes it hard to get a bite. The reason we are called devils is because of our super strong bite. We have the strongest bite of any mammal on Earth. When I eat, I consume everything, that means that I eat the meat, hair, organs, bones and all other parts of my catch. Speaking of which, it’s now lunch time! I’ll be right back!
That frog was delicious! Anyways, I am on the way to visit my friend, Sammy, who was pregnant for 3 weeks, and just had 26 babies! They are all hairless and raisin-sized cuties. They stay nice and warm in her pouch when they aren’t drinking her milk, just like our cousin: the kangaroo. Sadly, since she only has 4 nipples, only a handful of them will survive.
One of my neighbors, Dylan, who is walking by my house right now, is suffering from a disease called Devil Facial Tumor Disease, also known as DFTD. It is a type of cancer very popular among our kind. Because of this sickness, Tasmanian Devils are considered an endangered species. DFTD is a cancer where tumors grow all around Dylan’s face, and many other devils across Tasmania. A tumor is a growth that takes place because of a disease. In this case, DFTD. He got it when fighting over food, so I make sure to be very careful not to end up like him.
Time for dinner! I am very loud. I communicate with others in a series of raspy screams, shrieks, growls, snorts and grunting calls, and I, normally, make these sounds when trying to scare off other animals to avoid a fight when finding food.
Today was amazing, but now it is time for bed. Good Night! (Or in your case – Good Morning!)
Thank you so much for letting me tell you what a day in the life of a Tasmanian Devil is like! I had so much fun telling you about it! Now, where is my leftover bird from breakfast? I need my midnight feast. I could have sworn I left it here…
The Lighthouse 