The Tasmanian Devil and The.Kangaroo

Author notes:
It is believed the Tasmanian Devil became extinct on the mainland of Australia some 400 years ago, and today can only be found on the island of Tasmania. Early European settlers considered them a nuisance and complained of raids on poultry yards. In 1930 a bounty was placed on the heads of Devils and Tasmanian Tigers and wild dogs. For a while they were headed for extinction, but have been protected since 1941.
In 1996 we identified the devastating, 'Devil Facial Tumour Disease,' a fatal condition in Tasmanian Devils, characterised by cancers around the mouth and head. Scientists are working as we speak to combat this disease. To hear a chilling recording of the ferocity of the bad-tempered Tasmanian devil, search Tasmanian devil on Google and click on Parks and Wildlife service. (Tip: don't have the volume up too high!) Enjoy...


The Tasmanian Devil.

I'm tot'ly black, marsupial,
Carnivorous and nocturnal,
My screech, your spine, can utt'ly chill
Fur, bird,and bones, I crunch my fill

Don't argue with me please, you see
I'm angry, and I'll always be,
I live in bush or den in day
At night I'm out in search of prey.

I sound like one big ugly hog,
But really I'm like one small dog,
I'm shy to tell you I'm an icon
No bounty now my head upon

Tasmania is my only home
O'er centre, North and East I roam,
In March I mate and I'm no slouch,
She suckles young in backward pouch.

Once more I struggle for my life,
For Devils battle through much strife,
Disease is claiming many now,
Our faces ooze beneath the brow.

But man is on our side at last
And working to erase the past,
Our hope is for a brighter time
When Devils live, our lives sublime.



THE KANGAROO
I am a macropod, a kangaroo,
But don’t wear shoes on my big feet, like you.
To leap and bound in giant strides so high
Is joy, if I go higher, I will fly!

 We are the super-fam’ly that is true,
 There’s Padeemelon, and there’s wallaroo,
 Besides tree kangaroos and wallabies
  Our bettongs, range along with more of these.

 My baby is called joey, females-doe
 And what they call us in a group, I know,
 That’s called a mob, a largish group of us,
 It’s quite a spectacle when we all rush

 Across the grasslands of the dry inland,
 Sometimes it’s Reds that form an awesome band.
  They’re famous for their colour, but we greys
 Outnumber them, from East to West we’ll graze.

Forty miles per hour is easy speed,
And leaping ten feet high is just my need,
 At ninety kilograms don’t pick me up
 For if I fall I’m sure to try to jump.

 All kangaroos are herbivores and graze
 and I can swim so well I do amaze!
Though hopping backwards can’t at all be done;
I balance on my tail and that is fun!