While the latest additions to the Los Angeles Zoo don’t look or act much like their Looney Tunes counterpart, they could cause a frenzy among guests.
The famous zoo located in Griffith Park recently received two male Tasmanian devils (Sarcophilus harrisii) named Danny Zuko and Crush from the Australian government.
“We are honored to provide an experience that will help people better understand these wonderful animals and the challenges they face in the wild. It will be exciting to see our guests connect with this endangered species,” L.A. Zoo Curator of Mammals Candace Sclimenti said.
While the cartoon version of “Taz” appeared as a wild, spinning, destructive creature, these scavengers are mostly solitary and might appear clumsy at first glance.
The devils do reign as Tasmania’s top predator and have “the strongest bite force relative to body size of any mammal,” the L.A. Zoo stated in its news release. “While mostly solitary, devils will gather around a carcass, often leading to noisy, dramatic feeding frenzies filled with growls and screeches.”
Tasmanian devils are classified as Endangered due to threats that include human-wildlife conflict, conflicts with dogs and dingos, and a rare disease known as Devil Facial Tumor Disease that only affects Tasmanian devils.
“The L.A. Zoo has a long history of caring for this species and we are thrilled to once again have the opportunity to share them with our guests,” Sclimenti said.
Visitors can view the two Tasmanian devils at the ‘Animals of Australia’ habitat.