Ancient bones reveal Tasmanian devils visited human camps
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Archaeologists in Western Australia’s Pilbara region discovered evidence that Tasmanian devils once frequented shelters used by people, around 7,000 years ago and even as far back as 43,000 to 47,000 years ago.
Paleontologist Tim Churchill and his team uncovered devil remains while excavating the Juukan Gorge, alongside human artifacts like shell beads and stone tools. The findings suggest the marsupials acted as scavengers, consuming animal remains and scraps left by people living in the area.
Researchers believe this created a unique relationship between the devils and the ancient Australians of the Pilbara. The study indicates the devils had access to carcasses gathered by humans, indicating they benefited from human activity. These bones were found alongside other evidence of human life, including woven hair and bone tools. The Juukan Gorge is a particularly important archaeological site because it contains animal remains directly connected to evidence of human presence, a rare find in northern Australia.
Around 4,000 years ago, dingoes arrived in the Pilbara, likely disrupting this relationship. Scientists are investigating whether dingoes competed with the devils for food or actively preyed on them, eventually leading to the devils’ disappearance from the Australian mainland approximately 800 years later. Climate change may have also played a role in the decline of the Tasmanian devil population.
The Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura Aboriginal Corporation continues excavation and restoration work at Juukan Gorge, a site that gained international attention in 2020 when Rio Tinto detonated explosives near significant rock shelters.
