I Am 'McLovin': Tasmanian Devils Join San Diego Zoo

Two devilishly cute new faces have joined the San Diego Zoo: a couple of Tasmanian devils from Australia – including one named “McLovin.”The marsupials, who hail from Taronga Zoo Sydney, are now living at the San Diego Zoo’s Australian Outback exhibit, an area that showcases critters like koalas, laughing kookaburras and wombats. Smuggled Tiger Cub Undergoes Emergency Surgery With the addition of the Tasmanian devils, there are now three of these animals in San Diego. The San Diego Zoo said its facility is currently one of only two zoos in the United States with Tasmanian devils.For some pop culture background, the name “McLovin” might ring a bell for fans of the Judd Apatow-produced 2007 comedy, “Superbad.” Things to Do This Weekend: March 15-18 One of the flick’s geeky yet endearing high school characters adopts the moniker “McLovin” while buying a fake ID. With his new identity in hand, the character proudly proclaims, “I am McLovin.”The name might also touch the hearts of fans of the TV doctor drama, “Grey’s Anatomy,” which famously nicknamed some of its biggest heartthrobs “McDreamy” and “McSteamy.” San Diego’s Cutest Critters Either way, the Tasmanian devil’s name should be easy for visitors to remember. The zoo said the second devil’s name is Quirindi.According to the San Diego Zoo, the unusual mammals are found only on the island state of Tasmania, which is a part of Australia.The fiery name of the species is derived from their temperament and lively feeding habits. The zoo said that when a group of Tasmanian devils feeds together on a carcass, chilling screams often follow.The San Diego Zoo is a partner of a program called the Save the Tasmanian Devil, which works with research institutes and zoo across the globe to save the unique mammal from extinction. Wild Tasmanian devils face a rare, contagious cancer called “devil facial tumor disease,” which has killed much of the population. The zoo said its devils are free of this disease.Visitors can gaze at McLovin and Quirindi during regular zoo hours, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.Photo Credit: San Diego Zoo
Source: NBC San Diego