Representing one of the world’s most remote and hard-to-reach corners, Tasmania is Australia’s southernmost province that’s rich with a wide variety of, well, pretty much every exotic animal and plant you can think of.
And three snake species, each of which could kill you if you were unfortunate enough to stomp on it. But, let’s not start on the wrong food here – there are plenty of positives here as well, and in this article, we’ll describe 5 of them to you. (Hey, if you’re an avid zoologist, you may like the snakes, as well.)
As you will see, Tasmania represents one of the most impressive places on Earth when it comes to natural beauty and rare species, so chances are – even if you’re completely disinterested in these types of things, you’re going to have a blast if you head over to the last stop on Earth before reaching Antarctica. (… and then being denied entrance there by armed men belonging to a secretive organization.)
Right then, without further ado, here’s the deal, folks.
5 Fun Facts About Tasmania
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Tasmanian Devil
Often seen enraged and fighting everyone’s favorite red beard ‘n’ mustache-sporting ranger Yosemite Sam, not many people know that Tasmanian devil is an actual animal that inhabits the south of Australia in an area named Tasmania. (Hence its name.)
Interestingly, the Tasmanian devil is the world’s largest carnivorous marsupial, so it’s Looney Tunes representation is not just a pure figment of the imagination. Tasmanian devils do get quite aggressive and are especially dangerous for small rodents called potoroos as well as bettongs, who don’t stand a chance against a vicious and aggressive predator such as a Tasmanian devil.
Rather than hunting for prey all the time, Tasmanian devils prefer to look for roadkill and then devour the remains of whatever unfortunate animal got hit by a passing truck. Also, they will eat almost anything else just as gladly, as long as it’s dead and not entirely rotten, so as to be inedible.
When they do hunt, however, these dodgy marsupials are perfectly capable of taking down an animal as large as a smaller kangaroo, and it’s a well-known fact that Tasmanian devils don’t shy away from attacking larger prey than themselves.
Their only downside as predators, so to speak, would be that they’re relatively slow, so they can’t really run down a rabbit or a hare that effectively – even at full sprinting speed. (Which amounts to about 16 MPs.)
A theory’s been posed by zoologists that Tasmanian devils used to be faster, but that the amount of roadkill present in the area, as well as the number of animal carcasses abandoned by other predators, have increased, thus leaving Tasmanian devils plenty of food they don’t have to chase around.
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World Heritage Poster Child
Other than its rich fauna, Tasmania also boasts a rich flora, too, as well as an interesting climate and some of the best-preserved patches of untouched nature anywhere in the world. In fact, Tasmania r a spot of the Earth that is thoroughly covered by national parks, which is a fact that many Australians are particularly happy with.
There are many non-governmental organizations out there praising Tasmania’s unique natural and cultural landscape, so you won’t need to worry about a lack of information regarding this impressive region – in case you want to know more about it.
Most of the national parks and other forested areas on this island are located to the west, and there are plenty of different tours of the place you can take, provided by various organizations. So, if you want to see the magnificent sights of nature across this island, you can either jump aboard a local tour or drive yourself and see the many wonders of this place at your own pace and in your own good time.
That said, driving in Tasmania can be challenging, so it’s advised you check your car thoroughly before you set off. (Of course, if you’re going for a rent-a-car solution, you won’t have to worry about this.)
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The Cleanest Air in the World
Possibly due to a staggering percentage of forested areas on this island, Tasmanian devils, those poor ole potoroos, as well as all Tasmanian boys ‘girls also enjoy the cleanest air on the entire planet. Behind these merry folks and marsupials come clean air giants such as Iceland, Hawaii, and other poorly-inhabited areas around the world.
Measured at the Cape Grim weather station on the north of this island, the amount of air pollution has turned out to be by far the lowest on the planet. The chemicals the scientists were looking for were the ones made by exhaust fumes of automobiles and other pollutants typically found in big cities. To the joy of both the scientific community and the common folk of Tasmania, the result that came back confirmed that this place has, indeed, got the world’s cleanest air.
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Plenty of Islands
While one of the biggest appeals of Tasmania would be the fact that it’s one big island, not many people know that Tasmania is actually a collection of many islands with one large island and then a curious archipelago of 334 smaller ones.
So, if you’re an explorer in search of some adventure, getting to see these islands in their full glory can be an interesting bucket-list challenge.
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Island –State
Tasmanian curiosities don’t just end with its impressive wildlife. In fact, its government and status are just as cheeky as its wildlife and can be a proper sight to behold for folks interested in politics and government.
The thing is, Tasmania is a so-called island state. It’s not fully independent as it is a part of Australia, but it does have some jurisdiction of its own through the special body of politicians and leaders that get elected through democratic elections.
All things considered, Australia represents one of the most interesting places on Earth thanks to its spot on the globe, its unique wildlife, and natural wonders. That said, if you like mainland Australia, you’re going to be in love just as much if not more – with its southern province of Tasmania.
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