Cute Animals Series #1: Tasmanian Devil 可爱动物系列 #1：袋獾

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These black, dog like animals are Tasmanian Devils. They are marsupials that are native to Tasmania, Australia. They might look cute but they are pretty fierce and like to fight each other. They are the largest carnivorous marsupials in the world.

这种黑色的，有些像狗的动物叫袋獾，更被熟识为塔斯馬尼亞惡魔。它们只分布在澳大利亚的塔斯馬尼亞，是一种有袋类的动物。也许你会觉得塔斯馬尼亞惡魔看起来很可爱，可实际上它们非常凶猛好斗，是世界上最大型的有袋类的食肉动物。

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Their black fur allows them to roam pretty easily during dawn and dusk, hunting for small animals. Their jaws are very strong, with their bites being the most powerful of any mammals by body size. This is their main weapon of choice. Their claws are pretty strong too, with their front toes bent in a way that allows them to hold food.

塔斯馬尼亞惡魔黑色的皮毛便于它们出没于黎明和黄昏时分，进行捕猎。它们的下颚非常强壮，以相对的体积来说，它们是哺乳动物中撕咬力量最强的，这也是它们最强的武器。塔斯馬尼亞惡魔的爪子也非常有力，前趾弯曲易于抓住食物。

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Tasmanian Devils are socially awkward animals. They hunt alone, yet they eat in groups. They also fight each other a lot, especially the males, biting and clawing each other. Many male Tasmanian Devils would have lots of scars on their body. They also communicate by yawning.

塔斯馬尼亞惡魔之间的互动比较奇怪。它们独自捕猎，但集体进食。它们之间经常打斗，尤其是雄性之间，互相撕咬对方，所以雄性的塔斯馬尼亞惡魔身体上会有很多伤疤。它们用打哈欠来互通信息。

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Tasmanian Devils are endangered animals. Initially they were driven out of mainland Australia by Dingoes and other predators. Recently, the Tasmania Devil is on sharp decline due to the devil facial tumour disease, a fatal disease that is spread through biting and fighting between devils. They also have low genetic diversity which make them especially vulnerable to diseases like this. Luckily a cure is on the horizon. Hopefully we can help them fight this terrible disease and make them strive again.

塔斯馬尼亞惡魔是濒危动物。很久之前因为澳洲土狗和其它的天敌的威胁，它们早就在澳州大陆绝迹。近年来它们的数量又因为脸部肿瘤骤减。这是一种致命的传染病，通过互相撕咬而传播。因为它们的基因多样性低，这种传染病对它们整个物种的生存是个很大的威胁。幸好治疗方法指日可待。希望我们可以帮助它们战胜这种可怕的疾病，让它们继续繁衍生存。

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