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Many people are familiar with the Tasmanian Devil from its depiction in Looney Tunes cartoons as a foil for Bugs Bunny. But the cartoon depiction bears little actual resemblance to the now endangered animal. Like most animals, this one is an interesting reminder of the diversity of species that roam the Earth.

Taz is the name of the cartoon Tasmanian Devil.  This stylized version of the marsupial was first featured in Devil May Hare, a cartoon short released in 1954.  He stalks Bugs Bunny, trying to eat him, but is no match for the quick witted hare .  Many of the studio people disliked Taz, so he was shelved.  But so many fans wrote in wondering what had become of the character that Warner Brothers that he was revived for a number of shorts in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s.  He raceived the name Taz in the 90’s.  This sent it soaring to new popularity as one of the most recognized Warner Brothers cartoon characters.  Tiny Toons created a child version known as “Dizzy Devil”.

As stated earlier the cartoon Tasmanian Devil resembled the real thing only in a general way, and in it’s wild behavior while eating. The cartoon version also incorporated elements of the horned devil. In reality these animals look a lot like stout, strong dogs. Their tail is almost as long as the rest of the body, and is also where the animal stores fat. Thus a thin tailed one is generally unhealthy.

Don’t call a Tasmanian Devil slow.  They’ve been known to sprint at 8 MPH.  They use their whiskers as detection devices for night hunting.  They don’t see very well.  Stationary objects are nearly invisible to them.

Relative to its size the Tasmanian Devil has the strongest bite of any mammal. This is due in large part to their relatively large head and to teeth that continue to grow throughout its life. As far as lifespan, they generally live about six years in the wild, but longer in captivity.

The largest mammal remaining in Australia, not counting man, is the Tasmanian Devil. It is found only on the island of Tasmania, although it once thrived on mainland Australia. After the Thylacine became extinct in the 1930’s, the threat to the Tasmanian Devil was recognized. They were hunted to near extinction by people who felt they were a nuisance. They were even eaten, described as having a veal taste.

Today the Tasmanian Devil is protected. And thanks to cartoons, well known in the world.