Tour guide Gail Scudder cradled the Tasmanian devil in her arms as if it were her own child. Before Scudder brought the carnivorous marsupial, named Malaga, into the viewing center, she instructed all visitors on our after-dark feeding tour to remain seated, not to put a camera near the animal's face, and definitely to take no flash photography.

Only Malaga's exceptionally gentle temperament allowed people to get close enough to gently touch him.

At feeding time, we watched as several devils scurried around the gated alpine facility. When Scudder offered raw wallaby meat to these secretive and elusive nocturnal feeders,all hell let loose. The scavengers grabbed the meat with long claws and sharp, piercing teeth. Solitary by nature, the animals fell on the carcass in a feeding frenzy. A devil can digest flesh, bone and fur.

Early European settlers in Tasmania were the first to describe their behavior. The name is thought to have come from the ferocious sounds Tasmanian devils make, which led to the belief that something in the bush was demonic, writes zoologist Chris Coupland.

Today, the animals face threats not only from humans encroaching on their habitat but also a tumor disease that can be transmitted between animals. Find out more at www.devilsatcradle.com or www.discovertasmania.com.

Advertiser photographer Deborah Booker, a lifelong animal lover, visited Tasmania in May. Tasmanian devils were high on her list of things to see.

Reach Deborah Booker at (Unknown address).