We all grew up watching Bugs Bunny and Taz. Those grunts, growls and rasps provided hilarious cartoon scenes for young kids like us. The thought of seeing a real Tasmanian devil had always interested me. And the opportunity finally came when I decided to fly to Tasmania. I would not leave Tasmania without seeing a real Tasmanian devil!
I was driving to the
Port Arthur Historic Site from Hobart. And on the way was the
Tasmanian Devil Conservation Park in Tarrana.
Entrance fee to the park is $33. I made it just in time for the 10 a.m. feeding of the Tasmanian devils. They have other scheduled feedings. And it's best to check these time before heading over so you get to see them in action.
In one pen, they threw in wallaby meat which two Tasmanian devils feasted on. They made serious grunts and hisses as they devoured their meal. No wonder Taz made those sounds! They have a really nasty bite. And the spinning while the two Tasmanian devils were biting on the meat must have influenced the creators of Taz.
After they were done feeding, we moved to the kangaroo and wallaby pen for the 10:30 a.m. hand feeding. I was surprised that the kangaroos at the park were really friendly. They must be used to visitors since they allow you to come close and pet them. The wallabies were a different story. They were quite shy.
We fed them pellets and grass. The kangaroos immediately went over to use and ate the pellets from our hands. It took a little bit more time before the wallabies finally approached us. But they did!
The feeding times for the Tasmanian devils, kangaroos, wallabies and quolls happen several times a day. So if you miss the morning feeding times, you can catch the ones in the afternoon.
Tasmanian Devil Conservation Park
5990 Arthur Hwy, Taranna TAS 7180
Phone No. +61 1 800 641 641
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