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.  Davil May Hare, a cartoon short released in 1954, was its first appearance.  He stalks Bugs Bunny, trying to eat him, but is no match for the quick witted hare .  Many people didn’t like him, so the studio ditched the character.  Bu fans wrote in demanding to see the creature, so the studio resurrected him in the late 50’s.  It wasn’t until the 1990’s that the character was repackaged as “Taz.”  This sent it soaring to new popularity as one of the most recognized Warner Brothers cartoon characters.  He even spawned a kid version, “Dizzy Devil,” who was featured in Tiny Toon Adventures.

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.  The animal is somewhat dog-like.  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.  For short spurts they can reach 8 miles per hour.  They use their whiskers as detection devices for night hunting.  As a result of this habit, their hearing and smell are far more developed than their sense of sight.  Stationary objects are nearly invisible to them.

The Tasmanian Devil has the strongest bite, pound for pound, of any mammal.  Their large head provides the power.  They can live 6 years in the wild, but longer in a zoo.

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.