The Tasmanian devil cannot be mistaken for any other marsupial. Although only the size of a small dog, it can sound and look incredibly fierce. The world's largest surviving carnivorous marsupial, the devil has a thick-set, squat build, with a relatively large, broad head and short, thick tail. The fur is mostly or wholly black, but white markings often occur on the rump and chest. Body size also varies greatly, depending on the diet and habitat.
Adult males are usually larger than adult females.
Large males weigh up to 12 kg, and stand about 30 cm high at the shoulder. Distribution Devils once occurred on mainland Australia, with fossils having been found widely. Today, however the devil is only found in Tasmania. The dingo, which was brought into Australia by Aboriginal people, is believed to have ousted the devil from the mainland. Tasmanian devils can be seen in many rural and wilderness areas by slowly driving at night along secondary roads.