UCLA

The Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii) is a nocturnal carnivorous marsupial that has suffered precipitous decline in the past 20 years due to a contagious fatal cancer. To provide the best management practices to help re-establish wild populations it is crucial to understand the behavioral ecology of this species. Initial studies proved that, despite their classification as a solitary, non-territorial species, olfactory communication plays a significant role in Tasmanian devil social structure and scent cues deposited at shared latrine sites provide important social cues. To better understand the role of the latrine sites, we tested whether Tasmanian devils communicate sex, season and individual differences through scent cues. Specifically, we analyzed the chemical composition of anal scent gland secretions using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, which revealed significant differences between seasons (breeding/non-breeding), sexes, and individual males. To determine if conspecifics could perceive these differences, we presented feces to captive devils and found that the devils can habituate to a conspecific’s feces after repeated presentations and distinguish it from that of a novel conspecific, as indicated by significantly higher rates of investigation. This proves to also be true for familiar conspecifics as compared to unfamiliar conspecifics. This is the first documentation of specific semio-chemical information in Tasmanian devil scent cues and suggests evidence of sociality previously not described for this species. Application of these results can be used to improve captive breeding and reintroduction efforts for this endangered species and inform management strategies for other carnivore restoration efforts.