Where would be best to spot Tassie devils, tigers and duck-billed platypuses in Tasmania?
Robbie Gayle, via email Although quite common, Tassie devils are threatened by a facial tumour epidemic spread by their vicious brawling over food and sex – not unlike humans really. These adorable little creatures are often seen near highways feasting on fresh road kill, while their hideous screeching is commonly heard all over the island. The platypus is a more difficult critter to spot, living an amphibious, nocturnal life chasing insects and crustaceans on the banks of waterways. Latrobe, near Davenport, is turning itself into a platypus Mecca, with a visitors centre explaining all about the life of this strange animal and nightly ‘pus spotting tours in a nearby nature reserve. The best place to see a thylacine (Tassie tiger) is in Hobart, where a museum shows grainy film of the last known tiger in Hobart Zoo in 1936. The unfortunate animal is officially extinct, although numerous sightings around the state give hope to those who believe otherwise. For guaranteed sightings of these
