A female Tasmanian devil can give birth to a relatively large litter of joeys at a time. The average litter size ranges from around 4 to 5 joeys, but it is not uncommon for a female to have up to 20 or more joeys in a single litter. However, it's important to note that not all of the joeys typically survive due to competition for limited teats within the mother's pouch for attachment and nourishment.
Tasmanian devil joeys are born in an underdeveloped state, blind and hairless, and they immediately crawl into their mother's pouch where they attach to one of her four teats. As they grow and develop, they continue to rely on the mother's pouch for protection, nourishment, and further growth.
The ability to produce large litters is an adaptive strategy for Tasmanian devils, as it compensates for the high rate of mortality among joeys due to factors such as limited resources, intra-species competition, and predation. The survival of the fittest ensures that at least some of the joeys have a chance to mature and carry on the next generation.
It's worth noting that the exact litter size can vary among individual females and is influenced by factors such as the health and condition of the mother, availability of resources, and environmental factors.