Marsupial species ( Sarcophilus harrisii or S. ursinus , family Dasyuridae), now extinct on the Australian mainland, that survives in remote rocky areas of Tasmania.
It is 30–40 in. (75–100 cm) long, with a stocky body, large head and jaws, and long bushy tail. The coat is usually black and brown with a white-marked breast. Named for its devilish expression and husky snarl, it is mainly a scavenger of wallaby and sheep carcasses but also eats beetle larvae and occasionally poultry. Its three or four young remain in the mother's pouch about five months.
Tasmanian devil ( Sarcophilus harrisii ).
John Yates/Shostal Associates