Tasmanian Devils

When I was in India earlier this year, I met two doctors from Launceston in Tasmania. Bruce and Jennifer invited us to Bruce's  60th birthday party and a couple of days later, took us to a wildlife sanctuary near Mole Creek.

We stopped at the small town of Deloraine which is a pretty town with some lovely of buildings like this one.

The train line is still used.

You can see somebody fishing in the river.

Hopefully we can come back some time to see more of this town.

However we continued on through green fields. Tasmania gets most of its rain in winter. In summer, this will turn brown.

We arrived at the Trowunna Wildlife Park.

It has quite a number of Australian animals but it is most famous for its Tasmanian Devils.

Click on the photos to see the enlarged version.

The ears look red in the sun and the fur feels like cat fur.

Our guide picked one up and let us touch the fur. It's ok to touch the back but not the head. You could get bitten and this animal has a very strong bite.

We had to wait a while until the Devils would be fed so we wandered around looking at the other animals. Here is a wombat. They are usually nocturnal so I was a bit surprised to see one wandering around.

One of the fenced in areas. They look reasonably natural.

Kookaburras, Australia's national bird. Here is a close-up video of one laughing.

As usual, I have forgotten the type of bird this is so perhaps somebody could remind me.

A sulphur crested cockatoo.

Our guide told us that the spots of white on a Devil help to camouflage it.

Visitors taking photos.

The water helps to cool the animals down.

The guide carried a dead wallaby which was to be lunch.

She had to hang on to the dead animal so that the Devils would not drag it away. 

One of them checked out the bucket.

They eat the entire animal however they don't attack live animals.

They all just tear away at the flesh with their strong jaws.

After watching lunch we headed off to see some of the other animals.

Spotted tail quoll.

Some of the habitats are quite interesting.

There are glass windows for small children. Robin is no longer small.

Toilet block. Notice the signs.

Cape Barren Geese.

White Goshawk eating a mouse.

Swamp Marsh Harrier.

More about the eagle.

Wombats sleep in the tunnels which they dig underground.

Time for a nap after lunch.

The park is on a hill with great views over the surrounding countryside.

These are a couple of older tigers, probably about 10 years old.

Notice the legs of the baby in the pouch.

Echidna.

Pademelon, a small variety of kangaroo.

Jennifer, Marianne, Robin and Bruce. Notice how Jennifer and Bruce wear hats. Tasmania is close to a hole in the ozone layer so wearing a hat is a good idea.

Synchronized.

Not synchronized.

Jennifer had prepared a picnic lunch so we ate in this shed.

I liked the composition of the photo.

Delicious Riesling from the Clare Valley.

We helped clean up after the delicious meal. Of course I was ready for a nap but I struggled on.

Bruce and Jennifer used this vehicle to journey into central Australia. Note the fridge.

It's quite a substantial vehicle. For travel in the outback you need two spare tires.

It was a wonderful day and it was a pleasure to meet up with Bruce and Jennifer again. They commiserated with Marianne and Robin about having to put up with me.