Ahoy all,
What about those Tasmanian Devils? I have received some flack for not introducing these feisty little creatures earlier. There is a lot of talk about Tazzies being incredibly rowdy, so I thought I would get to the bottom of the rumors and have a chat with Taz myself.
Marcella: Hi Tazzie, how are you doing?
Taz: Very busy. I have to scavenge 1/4 my body weight in food today.
Marcella: Wow! So I guess you burn all the calories just looking for more food?
Taz: I am naturally a pacer…so I may as well forage for food and expend a little energy. I am also known as being very oppotunistic. I won’t just leave a carcass rotting away - that is wasting food!
Marcella: What do you think about people describing you as “the Australian hyena?”
Taz: I find that hilarious! Just because I make a little noise doesn’t make me a hyena. Have you ever met one of those animals…they are relentless?!
Marcella: I find it very interesting that you are related to other marsupials like the kangaroo, possum and koala.
Taz: Yes, imagine that! But those fellas don’t eat much meat. I am the largest carnivorous marsupial in the Dasyuridae Family now that the Tasmanian Tiger is extinct.
Marcella: What is your favorite food?
Taz: I love wombat. But every now and again I go for fish, birds, insects, frogs and reptiles. Sometimes if the opportunity arises I will take a bite out of a sheep.
Marcella: What about sharing?
Taz: No way Jose! I don’t like giving up my meal…I even get into some pretty nasty fights with other Tasmanian Devils. Check out this scar on my cheek…
Marcella: That is a real nasty cut. Aren’t you worried about getting that Devil Facial Tumor Disease?
Taz: Yes a little. This is a non-viral transmittable parasitic cancer that has infected many of us devils. However, I am confident that the Tasmanian government will take care of us. They implimented a program to protect endangered devils in 2008.
Marcella: I hear that you store fat in your tail?
Taz: Yeah it’s true, I have a lot of junk in my trunk….
Marcella: So what’s with you and that stinky smell?
Taz: Well I can’t have those skunks one up-ing me! I just happen to have this perfume to warn others that I am irritated, that’s all.
Marcella: What do you think about corporations using you as a logo on jackets and such?
Taz: No comment.
Marcella: Well Tazzie, as always it was a pleasure catching up with you.
Taz: Ditto. Marcella while you are at it can you please plug my organization to save us devils?
Marcella: HELP SAVE THE TASMANIAN DEVIL - http://www.tassiedevil.com.au/
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March 11th, 2009
Hi Marcella,
Doug and I have voted for your application on islandreefjob and are telling all our friends to do the same! We’re so excited for you - of course, you should win. When Doug and I were in Australia, we went to Tasmania and saw tasmanian devils. They’re like little pigs, grunting and snorting. 2 of them were in the process of tearing a dead rabbit apart, so they each got half, working there way through, bones and all. They’re jaws are suppose to be more powerful than a shark’s! They’re not very big, but cute and I think they get a bad wrap.
Ciao for now…Janice