The Tasmanian Devil, endemic to Tasmania, is often characterized by its stocky build and ferocious reputation, leading to the misconception that it is slow. As the world’s largest surviving carnivorous marsupial, the devil has a squat physique and large head, suggesting it is built for power rather than pace. Despite this heavy-set appearance, the devil’s body is surprisingly capable of generating short, explosive bursts of velocity when necessary. This unexpected capacity for speed is a specialized adaptation that plays a distinct role in its unique ecology.
The Top Running Speed
The maximum running speed for a Tasmanian Devil on typical, uneven terrain is approximately 13 kilometers per hour (8.1 mph). This speed is achieved in short, explosive sprints, often covering distances of less than 100 meters. The devil’s movement allows for rapid acceleration when a sudden burst of momentum is required. On flat, stable surfaces like roads, researchers have clocked them reaching nearly 25 kilometers per hour (16 mph), though this speed is not typical of their normal habitat movement. The ability to quickly mobilize this amount of mass is a testament to the powerful musculature concentrated in their forebody.
Physical Adaptations for Movement
The devil’s body structure facilitates short-burst movement, favoring quick power over sustained endurance. Their massive head and neck provide leverage for a strong bite, but this weight also creates a low center of mass. This low stance increases stability when navigating dense underbrush. Unusually for a marsupial, the devil’s forelegs are slightly longer than its hind legs, resulting in a lopsided, shuffling gait during casual movement.
When moving at higher speeds, the anatomical difference results in a characteristic bounding motion, sometimes appearing as a gallop with both hind feet coming together. The stocky build biases movement toward the front half of the body, enabling rapid shifts in direction and powerful acceleration. Furthermore, the tail stores body fat and acts as a counterbalance, aiding stability when the animal is moving quickly and maneuvering. This physical arrangement is a specialized design for quick, forceful action rather than long-distance travel.
Using Speed in the Wild
The devil’s sprint speed is applied strategically within its ecological niche as a nocturnal scavenger and opportunistic predator. While capable of quick bursts, their diet primarily consists of carrion, meaning high-speed pursuit is rarely necessary. The rapid sprint is most often deployed in social contexts, such as defending a hard-won carcass from rival devils during a communal feeding event. This explosive pace is also useful for quickly closing the gap on slow or injured prey, or for rapid evasion from a perceived threat. Although the devil can sprint, its typical movement while foraging is a slow, energy-conserving waddle or trot, relying on its keen sense of smell to find food. Despite their lumbering appearance, devils are capable travelers, often covering up to 16 kilometers in a single night.