How does the Tasmanian devil adapt to its habitat?

Answer 1

Tasmanian devils occupy a very unique niche in their habitat. They are assisted by numerous adaptations.

• The most noticeable adaptation of Tasmanian devils is its excellent senses. It will use its great sense of smell to locate carrion during the day, but especially at night.
• The Tasmanian devil is nocturnal, and an animal that prefers dense bushland shelter. Its black coat with white stripe provides excellent camouflage in both the night, and in dense bushland and undergrowth.
• Tasmanian devils can also emit a pungent odor as a defence mechanism when threatened.
• It has a frightening devil-like shriek, enough to scare away a curious predator, even though this noise is usually emitted during territorial fights, rather than as a defence.
• The Tasmanian devil is a scavenger, eating dead animals already killed by other animals, and on roadkill. There no dingoes on the island of Tasmania, so the Tasmanian devil is the largest carnivorous marsupial on Tasmania. Devils also hunt live prey.

Answer 2

Tasmanian devils occupy a very unique niche in their habitat. They are assisted by numerous adaptations.

• The most noticeable adaptation of Tasmanian devils is its excellent senses. It will use its strong sense of smell to locate carrion during the day, but especially at night. This is how it feeds.
• The Tasmanian devil is nocturnal, and an animal that prefers dense bushland shelter. Its black coat with white stripe provides excellent camouflage in both the night, and in dense bushland and undergrowth.
• Tasmanian devils can also emit a pungent odor as a defence mechanism when threatened.
• It has a frightening devil-like shriek, enough to scare away a curious predator, even though this noise is usually emitted during territorial fights, rather than as a defence.
• The Tasmanian devil is a scavenger, eating dead animals already killed by other animals, and on roadkill. There are no dingoes on the island of Tasmania, so the Tasmanian devil is the largest carnivorous marsupial on Tasmania. Devils also hunt live prey.

Answer 3

Much of the Tasmanian devil's natural habitat has been decimated by clearing of bushland and the cool temperate rainforest in which it lives. Its habitat has been encroached upon by farmland and residential housing, leading to less availability of prey. In addition, the building of roads through the Tasmanian devil's habitat has meant that more of these animals are hit by cars as they feed on road kill during the night and in the early morning. Carrion is a substantial part of the Tasmanian devil's diet, but feeding on road kill means they, too, become victims.

Another way in which the Tasmanian devil's habitat has changed is the increase in introduced fauna and flora. Exotic species often force out native species. Foxes, for example, are gradually taking hold in the Tasmanian devil's habitat, leading to more competition for food, and predation on Tasmanian devil joeys.