Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Environment
Petra Stock

Tasmanian devils lived alongside humans in Pilbara for millennia, Juukan Gorge fossils reveal

A Tasmanian devil.
A Tasmanian devil. Fossils found during excavations at the Juukan Gorge rock shelter destroyed by Rio Tinto in 2020 show the carnivorous marsupials were present thousands of years ago alongside humans. Photograph: Ulrich Hollmann/Getty Images

Tasmanian devils lived alongside humans in Western Australia’s Pilbara region for tens of thousands of years, according to fossils uncovered at Juukan Gorge.

These squat and sable marsupials, now restricted to Tasmania, were once abundant right across Australia, becoming extinct on the mainland about 3,200 years ago.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.