Post #14677

Tasmanian Devil: Scream and kill. A violent predator with a lot of oddities The Tasmanian devil is the largest of the modern marsupial predators, and, at the same time, the most interesting of them. He manages to combine the dimensions of a small lynx, the endurance of a wolf, a funny thick tail and a downright obsessive attachment to holes. Well, how could the Book of Animals pass by such a handsome guy? Although the devil is a relatively large predator - its mass reaches 12 kilos, it does not look very dangerous. The massive and clumsy short-legged body looks more funny than dangerous. In addition, during the day, devils hide in holes, to which they have a ridiculously strong attachment. Every self-respecting devil has 3-4 holes, usually taken from wombats, and not dug with his own paws. And unlike other predators, which change their location at the first sign of danger, the devil holds on to his holes until the last, without changing them throughout his life. Especially good and comfortable minks can even be passed down from generation to generation, remaining in business for centuries. Но это всё днём, а ночью неуклюжие и занятные домовладельцы превращаются в удивительно ловких и быстрых хищников. Tasmanian devils can climb trees, swim well, run at a speed of 13 kilometers per hour and walk 8-10 kilometers per night. And this is far from the limit; some smart people can walk 50 kilometers per night! It’s just not clear: why? Because getting food can be difficult. Devils live in dry, sparse forests and heather moors, where there is not much prey, so they have to walk far to get it. Moreover, about half of the prey of Tasmanians are wombats, large and strong animals, which can be difficult to cope with. However, predators can feed on carrion, frogs, tree kangaroos and small dogs - the choice of prey depends on its availability and, of course, health status. And here’s what’s remarkable: to assess the health status of the Tasmanian devil, you don’t need to be a veterinarian; anyone can handle it. Just look at his tail. If the tail is straight fat, powerful and more like a sausage, then the animal eats well and does not suffer from diseases. And if instead of it there is a dull rope hanging, this is a clear indication of health problems and malnutrition. The condition of the tail is looked at not only by environmental biologists, but also by the Tasmanian devils themselves during the breeding season. Females, for example, don’t really worry about relationships and choose the fattest male possible. Males, of course, do not like this behavior. They have to defend their females so that they are not taken to the left. The Tasmanian devil's bite is one of the most powerful of any mammal relative to body size. As a result, most adults have scars on their faces and necks. Naturally, kids train in small fights from an early age. During the mating season, the female is ready for fertilization up to 3 times, and each time a new bat