The horrible grunt of the Tasmanian devil

Tasmanian Devil (Click image for enlargement and see update below)

Jim Mitchell sez: "There's an unbelievably good audio file of a howling Tasmanian Devil in the travel section Sunday's SFGate.com. This may be the worst sound ever emitted by a carbon-based life form." Link

UPDATE: Boing Boing reader Mike has requested that someone make a ringtone out of this. Great idea. I just uploaded it to freeloader.com. Link

UPDATE:Lesley Miller sez: "The photo you used to accompany today's post on the Tasmanian Devil doesn't do them justice. I visited the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary in
Queensland last year, and took the attached photo of one their Devils.
I used to say that all animals with snouts are cute, but I've had to
adjust that view in light of seeing the Tasmanian Devil in person.

"The zookeeper said that when they find road kill on the way to work,
they pick it up, freeze it for 6 months to kill any bacteria, then feed
it to the Devils. While they didn't have any to feed them the day I was
there, I did witness a regular feeding: a chicken carcass in a cardboard
box, securely taped shut. They tossed the box in the Devil's habitat,
and he attacked it, shredding bits of cardboard with his teeth and
claws. It only took about 15 seconds before his head was in the box,
crunching on the chicken bones. It was absolutely horrific watching
this little mammal go into such a feeding frenzy."

(Photograph CC by Lesley Miller)

UPDATE: Charming video of Tasmanian devils devouring a roadkill wallaby. Link