Off the south coast lies by far the biggest of them, Tasmania. And that has its own special marsupial. One that seldom appears until after dark. The Tasmanian devil. Many predators inhabit a territory packed with prey, but here there’s nothing like that for them. Each may travel for miles, night after night, prepared to eat anything it can find, dead or alive. The shoreline is a good place to search. There might be some small creatures to catch here, or maybe something that the tide has brought in. The carcass of a wallaby has been washed ashore. Tasmanian devils can eat 40% of their bodyweight in one session and they have hugely powerful jaws. They tackle everything, even bones. Back at the den, there are other hungry mouths. Her two youngsters are six months old. They still rely on their mother’s milk, but they’re feeling peckish. There must be something solid they could find for themselves, while they’re waiting for a drink. Is this food? That possum smells tasty. But it’s a little high up. This looks more promising. At last, a giant stick. Not bad for a first go. Their mother will protect and feed these youngsters for another three months. Their survival is important to her, but also for us. Because these are one of the last devil families in the world. Tasmanian devils are now endangered, found in only a few places, such as this remote islet off the coast of Tasmania.
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