VERY INTERESTING: TASMANIAN DEVIL

 Hello ladies and gents this is the Viking telling you that today we are talking about

TASMANIAN DEVILS

Discover the myths, truths and totally wild trivia of these mysterious marsupials. 

Among Australia's collection of one-of-a-kind creatures, the Tasmanian “Tassie” devil is high on the list of stand-out members. Get ready to become an expert on these elusive, sometimes misunderstood cheeky little devils.

1. THEY HAVE A LOUD, DISTURBING SCREAM

If you thought frogs and crickets make the loudest evening noises, think again – Tasmanian ‘devils’ are named for the sound they make. In fact, the first European settlers to enter Tasmania (the southern state where they are found) began hearing unearthly, blood-curdling shrieks and growls from deep within the bush, making them imagine that demons surrounded them in the wilderness. Hence: Tasmanian ‘devils’. They make lots of strange sounds (coughs, growls, snorts, sniffs, screeches and even sneezes) usually to scare off other animals to avoid fights.

2. THEIR BITES ARE SO POWERFUL THEY COULD CRUSH YOUR BONES

That’s right – Tasmanian devils deliver the strongest bite for its size of any mammal in the world. Their oversized heads allow them to open their jaws up to 80 degrees wide and their jaws carry enough brute force to crush bone. They can bite through the strongest of metals; even break the cages of livestock and other animals. Devils use their incredibly strong and powerful jaws to consume game or roadkill without any leftovers – they eat every part of their prey. 

3. THEY STORE FAT IN THEIR TAILS

Like all marsupials, devils store fat in their tails, which thicken up like humans' waistlines. A particularly plump tail is a sign of a healthy Tassie devil and, considering they can eat up to 40% of their bodyweight in one day, their tails can get mighty plump!

4. THEY SLEEP INSIDE THE BODIES OF THEIR PREY

Tasmanian devils have a bit of a disturbing feeding habit. These mischievous little critters like to fall asleep inside a rotting carcass (called ‘carrion’) so they can wake up and continue eating. Though it sounds a little gruesome, by eating animal carcasses, Tassie devils actually help to keep areas hygienic and free from blowfly maggots.

5. A DEVIL JOEY IS BORN THE SIZE OF A RICE GRAIN

A mother Tassie gives birth to around 20-40 joeys at once. However, these joeys have to race to her pouch, which only has four teats. Talk about a hard start to life! Because of their tiny birth size, the ones that make it will live in their mother’s pouch for roughly three months.

And as always have a chilled day from the Viking