Patrick Carcaise, age 12, of Rochester, Pennsylvania for his question:

Is there really a Tasmanian devil?

Oh, yes, indeed there is a Tasmanian devil    and he lives in Tasmania. His furry coat is a midnight black, though his neat round ears are petal pink. He opens his enormous toothy jaws to utter most fearsome snarls. His body resembles a small bear, about two feet long plus a 12 inch tail. His total weight may be anywhere between 12 and 20 pounds.

He is by nature a fierce meat eater, strong and brave enough to bring down animals larger than him. Some say he also devours dead meat. He earned his name because of his savage behavior to almost all other animals. However, he rarely if ever bothers people and may become an affectionate pet. He dozes by day and hunts at night. Four little devils are born in May and, since these animals are marsupials, they are nursed in their mother's pouch.