Tasmanian Devil (Wildlife by CollectA)

Review and photographs by Suspsy; edited by bmathison1972

Contrary to what was shown in Looney Toons, a Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii) doesn’t have brown fur, doesn’t have a short muzzle or tufts of fur resembling horns, doesn’t walk upright, and doesn’t travel around by spinning rapidly like a tornado. But that’s not to say that it isn’t a fascinating and vicious beast all the same!

CollectA released this Tasmanian devil in 2014. Measuring 7.5 cm long (roughly 1:10 in scale), it is posed with its tail held erect, its feet planted, its head turned to the right, and its mouth wide open in a snarl, exposing all of its savage teeth. Looks as though it’s either in a spat with another devil or attacking some prey. With the tragic extinction of the thylacine, the Tasmanian devil became the largest extant carnivorous marsupial, growing up to around the size of a spaniel. Once found on mainland Australia, it is now restricted to the state island of Tasmania.

Black is the predominant colour on this toy, along with a little bit of pink on the muzzle, the feet, and inside the large ears. A single white stripe is located on the back and the chest. The eyes, nose, and claws are black, the mouth is light pink, and the teeth are white. All precisely what you’d expect to see on a real Tasmanian devil, although they don’t always feature the white stripes.

The short, finely sculpted fur on this devil gives it a sleek appearance, although they’re not known for being swift critters. The small claws are sharp and the soles of the feet have faint grooves. And the wide open mouth allows for a perfect view of the formidable teeth, from the sharp incisors to the thick molars. For its size, the Tasmanian devil possesses the strongest bite of any extant carnivorous land mammal. Like a hyena, it can crunch right through bone in order to get the maximum amount of nourishment out of a carcass. It is both a scavenger and a predator, with wombats being its main food source. And while it will readily consume a ‘wascawwy wabbit’ given the opportunity, such a meal is usually too speedy to catch!

Much like the real Tasmanian devil, this toy is small but sensational, with both top notch sculpting and anatomical accuracy. This is yet another CollectA product definitely worth adding to one’s Australian assortment.