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The '''Tasmanian Devil''' is another marsupial. Although a carnivore, it is primarily a scavenger. Devils stand up to 30cm tall and have a squat thickset build. They are generally black but often have white markings on their chest and rump. Devil numbers have been depleted due Tasmanian Devil Facial Tumour Disease (DFTD), a unique contagious cancer, which is spread when the devils fight each other. There has been little success in combatting this disease, which results in death by starvation. Efforts to protect the devils consist mainly of maintaining strict quarantine of cancer-free captive populations with a view to repopulation if the wild devils all die off.
The '''Tasmanian Devil''' is another marsupial. Although a carnivore, it is primarily a scavenger. Devils stand up to 30cm tall and have a squat thickset build. They are generally black but often have white markings on their chest and rump. Devil numbers have been depleted due Tasmanian Devil Facial Tumour Disease (DFTD), a unique contagious cancer, which is spread when the devils fight each other. There has been little success in combatting this disease, which results in death by starvation. Efforts to protect the devils consist mainly of maintaining strict quarantine of cancer-free captive populations with a view to repopulation if the wild devils all die off.
The average weight varies considerably from 15-44 kgwith males generally being larger than females<ref name="ABRS">{{cite web|url=http://www.deh.gov.au/biodiversity/abrs/publications/fauna-of-australia/pubs/volume1b/16-ind.pdf#search=%22platypus%20pelt%201700%22|title=Fauna of Australia chap.16 vol.1b|author=J.R.Grant|publisher=Australian Biological Resources Study (ABRS)| accessdate = 2006-09-13}}</ref>
The average weight varies considerably from 15-44 kgwith males generally being larger than females<ref name="ABRS">{{cite web|url=http://www.deh.gov.au/biodiversity/abrs/publications/fauna-of-australia/pubs/volume1b/16-ind.pdf#search=%22platypus%20pelt%201700%22|title=Fauna of Australia chap.16 vol.1b|author=J.R.Grant|publisher=Australian Biological Resources Study (ABRS)| accessdate = 2006-09-13}}</ref>. Before the arrival of European settlers Australia's only endemic [[mammal]]s were three species of [[bat]]s and the other marsupials.
==Notable Tasmanians==
==Notable Tasmanians==