# Could a Tasmanian Devil kill a human adult? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 30, 2019, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-tasmanian-devil-kill-a-human-adult/837879 "2019-07-30T16:05:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Patch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@Patch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patch)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2019, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-tasmanian-devil-kill-a-human-adult/837879/21 "2019-07-31T15:20:26Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > The answer is no, if you are talking about anything resembling normal circumstances. > Although the Tasmanian Devil has an extraordinarily strong bite, males only weigh about 18 lb. A healthy adult human should be able to fend one off just by kicking it away. They aren’t particularly agile and adults don’t climb very well. The only way one could kill a human rapidly would be to clamp down on the neck, and a devil isn’t going to be able to do that if the human is able to fight back. Yeah, but we’re talking about humans here. I can see someone trying to pick one up and hug it for a selfie. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2019, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-tasmanian-devil-kill-a-human-adult/837879/22 "2019-07-31T15:38:56Z")
> [@GIGObuster](#): > > **Do they form packs?** > > As far as we know Tasmanian devils do not form packs … I love it. “As far as we know …” Which obviously implies it probably does happen, but no witnesses have survived to tell the tale. They’re like big drop bears. ---
**Author:** ![Trancephalic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trancephalic/32/380_2.png) [@Trancephalic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trancephalic)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2019, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-tasmanian-devil-kill-a-human-adult/837879/23 "2019-07-31T15:45:05Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > It’s doubtful that even a thylacine , aka Tasmanian Tiger, would be much of a threat to a aware man. However, not much is known of them. They are considered extinct but a few possible sightings gives some hope.:dubious: Doubtful. ☹ > > The marsupial lion (_Thylacoleo carnifex_) (very extinct) would likely give you a nasty time, sure. Largest meat-eating mammal known to have ever existed in Australia, and one of the largest marsupial carnivores that ever existed anywhere. [A URL=“[Thylacosmilus - Wikipedia](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thylacosmilus)”]thylacosmilus could probably ruin a human’s day (though it isn’t a true marsupial, and likely went extinct long before their ecosystem was encroached). ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2019, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-tasmanian-devil-kill-a-human-adult/837879/24 "2019-07-31T18:26:07Z")
> [@Trancephalic](#): > > [A URL=“[Thylacosmilus - Wikipedia](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thylacosmilus)”]thylacosmilus could probably ruin a human’s day (though it isn’t a true marsupial, and likely went extinct long before their ecosystem was encroached). Yeah about the size of the Aussie Marsupial Lion, and likely about as bad to run into, unless there’s a couple of you and you have good spears. Well, as far as true land animals go (the salty isnt really a land animal, imho) the only Australian animal that would _totally_ ruin your day (not counting the hundreds or thousands of venomous critters) was the Megalania, a 18 foot (5.5M) 1200 pound (575kg) Komodo dragon cousin. It also could have been venomous, just to add insult to injury. :eek: > **[Megalania](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megalania)** > > Megalania (Varanus priscus) is an extinct species of giant monitor lizard, part of the megafaunal assemblage that inhabited Australia during the Pleistocene. It is the largest terrestrial lizard known to have existed, reaching an estimated length of 3.5 to 7 metres (11.5 – 23 ft), and weighing between 97–1,940 kg (214–4,277 lb), but the fragmentary nature of known remains make estimates highly uncertain. > Megalania is thought to have had a similar ecology to the living Komodo dragon (Varanus k... ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2019, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-tasmanian-devil-kill-a-human-adult/837879/25 "2019-07-31T18:29:40Z")
> [@Sangahyando](#): > > … > I recall with some affection, a poster some years ago on a cryptozoology-related site; who per his account, lived a back-to-nature life in the depths of the north Queensland rain forest. This guy was totally convinced that up there, the thylacine _and_ the thylacoleo were still alive and well in the wild, though he admitted that he had never himself seen a specimen of the latter. There was a fair amount of evidence to suggest that he was permanently off his head on assorted mind-altering substances. The thylacoleo ??:eek: Yeah, he was on drugs. They have been extinct for 40000 years at least. Now, altho it is _very doubtful_, a thylacine sighting wouldnt necessarily require a drug test, IMHO.:D:cool: **GreedySmurf** : thank you for that, but ☹ ---
**Author:** ![gytalf2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ac91a4/32.png) [@gytalf2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gytalf2000)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2019, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-tasmanian-devil-kill-a-human-adult/837879/26 "2019-07-31T18:53:45Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > It’s doubtful that even a thylacine , aka Tasmanian Tiger, would be much of a threat to a aware man. However, not much is known of them. They are considered extinct but a few possible sightings gives some hope.:dubious: Doubtful. ☹ > > The marsupial lion (_Thylacoleo carnifex_) (very extinct) would likely give you a nasty time, sure. Largest meat-eating mammal known to have ever existed in Australia, and one of the largest marsupial carnivores that ever existed anywhere. Yeah, I’ve always had an interest in cryptozoology, and am aware of the sightings. Would be great news if true, but I kinda doubt it… ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2019, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-tasmanian-devil-kill-a-human-adult/837879/27 "2019-07-31T21:44:42Z")
> [@Inigo\_Montoya](#): > > I love it. “As far as we know …” Which obviously implies it probably does happen, but no witnesses have survived to tell the tale. Given the social nature of Devils, if they happened to find themselves in a pack, rather than conducting an organised hunt for prey they’d probably start a brawl among themselves. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2019, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-tasmanian-devil-kill-a-human-adult/837879/28 "2019-07-31T22:22:03Z")
Has anyone tried giving them beer? Or taking theirs away? ---
**Author:** ![Sangahyando](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f14d63/32.png) [@Sangahyando](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sangahyando)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2019, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-tasmanian-devil-kill-a-human-adult/837879/29 "2019-08-01T10:11:10Z")
> [@Sangahyando](#): > > I recall with some affection, a poster some years ago on a cryptozoology-related site; who per his account, lived a back-to-nature life in the depths of the north Queensland rain forest. This guy was totally convinced that up there, the thylacine _and_ the thylacoleo were still alive and well in the wild, though he admitted that he had never himself seen a specimen of the latter. There was a fair amount of evidence to suggest that he was permanently off his head on assorted mind-altering substances. > [@DrDeth](#): > > The thylacoleo ??:eek: Yeah, he was on drugs. They have been extinct for 40000 years at least. > > Now, altho it is _very doubtful_, a thylacine sighting wouldnt necessarily require a drug test, IMHO.:D:cool: The chap concerned was comedy gold, while he lasted; but I don’t think anyone on the site believed his stuff, anyway as regards the matter of marsupial carnivores in Queensland at the present day. ---
**Author:** ![Wallaby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/dc4da7/32.png) [@Wallaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallaby)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2019, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-tasmanian-devil-kill-a-human-adult/837879/30 "2019-08-01T20:56:56Z")
I love cryptozoology. It seems to tap into people’s ideas about ‘Nature is more mysterious than we know’ and ‘Out there are things that have never been seen by the eyes of men’. And they are always big, glamorous animals - you rarely hear debates about a slug that was declared extinct, even though some researchers (keen amateurs, of course) are convinced is still roaming around. I am still trying to find a lake that doesn’t have a monster in it. [Here’s a list](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_lake_monsters) which obviously doesn’t include all those ones where ‘the locals don’t like to talk about it to outsiders’. And black panthers are _everywhere_. ---
**Author:** ![Banksiaman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banksiaman/32/3334_2.png) [@Banksiaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banksiaman)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2019, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-tasmanian-devil-kill-a-human-adult/837879/31 "2019-08-02T00:15:34Z")
> [@Wallaby](#): > > … > > I am still trying to find a lake that doesn’t have a monster in it. … > . Albert Park Lake? [Albert Park Lake is in an urban park in Melbourne. Any cryptids who ever lived there would have likely choked on abandoned shopping trolleys and food wrapper litter long ago]. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2019, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-tasmanian-devil-kill-a-human-adult/837879/32 "2019-08-03T03:10:26Z")
> [@Wallaby](#): > > I love cryptozoology. It seems to tap into people’s ideas about ‘Nature is more mysterious than we know’ and ‘Out there are things that have never been seen by the eyes of men’. And they are always big, glamorous animals - you rarely hear debates about a slug that was declared extinct, even though some researchers (keen amateurs, of course) are convinced is still roaming around. > > I am still trying to find a lake that doesn’t have a monster in it. [Here’s a list](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_lake_monsters) which obviously doesn’t include all those ones where ‘the locals don’t like to talk about it to outsiders’. > > And black panthers are _everywhere_. [QUOTE= The new Mystery Science Theater 3000] Jonah: ♪ Every country has a monster ♪ ♪ They’re afraid of in their nation. ♪ All: ♪ Every monster has a country. ♪ ♪ Yeah a station they call their home! ♪ [/QUOTE] ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2019, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-tasmanian-devil-kill-a-human-adult/837879/33 "2019-08-03T04:08:37Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Yeah, and Roadrunners don’t actually move so fast they blur and make the sound of a jet taking off when they accelerate.😃 But hey, they do like roads, and are pretty quick. I’ve followed one down the road at about 25 MPH in a subcompact, and he didn’t really seem concerned. And yeah, **lingyi** they’re not purple, either. It’s just a skinny, fast, brown chicken. If most chickens had to live in an area populated by coyotes, they’d probably evolve in to roadrunners. They’re still pretty cool, even if they don’t live up to the hype. It’s a _very_ fast chicken. ---
**Author:** ![Trancephalic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trancephalic/32/380_2.png) [@Trancephalic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trancephalic)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2019, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-tasmanian-devil-kill-a-human-adult/837879/34 "2019-08-03T05:22:31Z")
No, roadrunners are a type of cuckoo. On the subject of WB’s Roadrunner, Chuck Jones made a set of rules governing a proper “Roadrunner and Coyote” cartoon. Number 5 stipulates: > [@Chuck Jones](#): > > 1. The Road Runner must stay on the road — otherwise, logically, he would not be called a roadrunner. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-tasmanian-devil-kill-a-human-adult/837879.md?page=1)