The devil in Tasmania

"Those who have observed devils gorging on a possum carcass will need no reminder of how efficiently they dispose of offal, fur and bones. A bone-dissolving enzyme in their stomach enables them to approach practically everything with an open mouth. Nick Mooney, the Parks and Wildlife biologist who is regarded as a foremost authority on devils and thylacines, once listed the unusual items he had found in devil scat:


:part of a woollen sock; a wallaby foot complete with snare; part of a dog or cat collar; 27 whole echidna quills; stock ear tags and rubber lamb "docking" rings; head of a tiger snake; aluminium foil, plastic and Styrofoam; ring off a bird's leg; half a pencil; leather jacket (fish) spine; boobook owl foot; cigarette butt; part of a "steelo" pot scraper.:"