# Biggest Bite

An episode of [Animal Tales: The Kids' Story Podcast](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1644596989), 17 May 2026, 18 min.

Audio: https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/72020180/at496_biggestbite_mixdown.mp3

There's a new predator at the zoo, opposite the lion and the tiger. But another creature appears to be getting in the way. Written especially for this podcast by Simon. If you enjoyed this story, please do leave us a review. And, if you'd like to suggest an animal for a future Animal Tales story, you can do so by emailing podcast@animaltales.uk. We would love to hear from you. Animal Tales Books! Collections of Animal Tales children’s stories are available to buy exclusively at Amazon. Simply search for Animal Tales Short Stories or follow this link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CLJQZ9C9?binding=paperback&ref=dbs_dp_sirpi Become a PREMIUM Subscriber You can now enjoy Animal Tales by becoming a Premium Subscriber. This gets you: • All episodes in our catalogue advert free • Bonus Premium-only episodes (one per week) which will never be used on the main podcast • We guarantee to use one of your animal suggestions in a story You can sign up through Apple Podcasts or through Supercast and there are both monthly and yearly plans available. Discover a brand new story every Monday, Wednesday and Friday – just for you! You can find more Animal Tales at www.animaltales.uk A Note About The Adverts In order to allow us to make these stories we offer a premium subscription and run adverts. The adverts are not chosen by us, but played automatically depending on the platform you listen through (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc) and the country you live in. The adverts may even be different if you listen to the story twice. We have had a handful of instances where an advert has played that is not suitable for a family audience, despite the podcast clearly being labelled for children. If you’re concerned about an advert you hear, please contact the platform you are listening to directly. Spotify, in particular, has proven problematic in the past, for both inappropriate adverts and the volume at which the adverts play. If you find this happening, please let Spotify know via their Facebook customer care page. As creators, we want your child’s experience to be a pleasurable one. Running adverts is necessary to allow us to operate, but please do consider the premium subscription service as an alternative – it’s advert free.

## Transcript

[0:12] Speaker 1: Yea, hello. My name's Josephine and this is the Animal
[0:18] Speaker 1: Tales podcast where you suggest the animals featured in our stories.
[0:22] Speaker 1: There are new tales to enjoy every Monday and Wednesday,
[0:25] Speaker 1: with a third premium only story every Friday. Do let
[0:30] Speaker 1: your friends know about Animal Tales so they can enjoy
[0:33] Speaker 1: our stories too. Ruby is from Cape Town, South Africa,
[0:38] Speaker 1: and she would like a story featuring a Tasmanian devil,
[0:41] Speaker 1: a lion, and a tiger. You can learn more about
[0:45] Speaker 1: these creatures in the Animal facts after the story. Okay,
[0:50] Speaker 1: are you ready? That's good, then I'll begin Biggest Bite.
[0:57] Speaker 1: It was early morning, long Befo, before the zoo was open,
[1:01] Speaker 1: when Amberley, the zookeeper, was doing her morning rounds. It
[1:06] Speaker 1: was her job to make sure that the animals were
[1:08] Speaker 1: fed and watered, that their enclosures were clean, and that
[1:12] Speaker 1: the zoo was tidy. She had stopped before a newly
[1:17] Speaker 1: built enclosure, which the previous evening had received a new
[1:20] Speaker 1: addition to the zoo. She was hoping to catch a
[1:24] Speaker 1: glimpse of the animal before the people arrived, and yet
[1:27] Speaker 1: there was no sign of the new creature. Opposite were
[1:31] Speaker 1: two of Amberley's favorite animals, so she wandered across to
[1:35] Speaker 1: wish them good morning. I'm expecting it to be another
[1:39] Speaker 1: busy day, she said to Teagan. A fierce looking lion
[1:43] Speaker 1: with a big, bushy mane. Try a bit of roaring
[1:47] Speaker 1: to day. The crowds love it when you do that.
[1:51] Speaker 1: In the next enclosure was an equally large tiger. You're
[1:56] Speaker 1: looking handsome to day, Tyler said Amberley. Be sure to
[2:00] Speaker 1: do lots of walking so that the people can see
[2:02] Speaker 1: your fine coat of stripes. Amberley checked her watch and
[2:08] Speaker 1: saw she still had plenty of jobs to get done
[2:10] Speaker 1: before the people flooded. In a final hopeful look into
[2:15] Speaker 1: the new enclosure showed that it was still empty. Oh well,
[2:20] Speaker 1: she said, I'll just have to come back after I've
[2:23] Speaker 1: given everyone their breakfast. I thought she'd never go and
[2:27] Speaker 1: get it, complained Teagan. The lion. My belly needs filling.
[2:33] Speaker 1: What do you think Amberley tastes like? Wondered Tyler. The
[2:37] Speaker 1: tiger hard to know, replied the lion. I imagine she's
[2:43] Speaker 1: a bit like Biltong. Shall we have a bite each
[2:48] Speaker 1: to see? Suggested Tyler. We could go halves, proposed Tagan.
[2:55] Speaker 1: Don't you think that's a little rude, said a new voice.
[2:59] Speaker 1: It was coming from the new enclosure, from a small
[3:02] Speaker 1: animal with black fur. Rude, repeated the tiger in surprise.
[3:08] Speaker 1: What do you mean that zookeeper brings you food every
[3:13] Speaker 1: day and keeps your home clean and tidy. She looks
[3:17] Speaker 1: after you, and yet you're talking about eating her up
[3:21] Speaker 1: half each I suppose it was a little rude, confessed
[3:26] Speaker 1: the big lion. All right, said Tyler. We promise we
[3:31] Speaker 1: won't eat Amberly. We can't help it, said Teagan. You see,
[3:38] Speaker 1: we're ferocious predators. All the animals in this section of
[3:42] Speaker 1: the zoo are like us. Yeah, agreed Tyler. So you'd
[3:49] Speaker 1: better get out of that new enclosure before the new
[3:52] Speaker 1: predator comes out of his house and eats you up.
[3:55] Speaker 1: A little animal like you would make a nice snack.
[3:59] Speaker 1: But I am the new predator, said the black fury animal.
[4:05] Speaker 1: The lion and the tiger just laughed. You're very funny,
[4:10] Speaker 1: chuckled Teagan. I've seen Cappy bar as bigger than you. Now,
[4:15] Speaker 1: run along quick, or you're going to regret it if
[4:20] Speaker 1: you say so, said the animal, and it disappeared amongst
[4:23] Speaker 1: the enclosure's long grass. Amberley soon returned, pushing a big
[4:30] Speaker 1: trolley loaded down with big red steaks. Breakfast ready, Teagan,
[4:35] Speaker 1: she shouted to the lion, tossing a steak inside. Get
[4:40] Speaker 1: your teeth into this, she called to the tiger, throwing
[4:44] Speaker 1: his steak to him. When she stopped at the new enclosure,
[4:49] Speaker 1: she paused for a moment, her eyes searching for the
[4:52] Speaker 1: new creature. Still no sign of it, she sighed, I'll
[4:58] Speaker 1: leave breakfast though, just in case. With that done, she
[5:02] Speaker 1: headed off to feed the other animals. Teagan and Tyler
[5:08] Speaker 1: gulped down their steaks quickly, but because they were always hungry,
[5:12] Speaker 1: their attention was soon drawn to the steak lying in
[5:15] Speaker 1: the new enclosure. I could eat that right up, said Teagan.
[5:21] Speaker 1: The lion, me too, agreed Tyler the tiger. We could
[5:27] Speaker 1: have half each. Their attention drifted to the animal house
[5:31] Speaker 1: at the enclosure's rear, where, no doubt, the new arrival
[5:36] Speaker 1: was sleeping. Do you think that predator would mind if
[5:40] Speaker 1: we ate its steak, wondered Teagan. Might be dangerous, warned Tyler.
[5:47] Speaker 1: Supposing it's an enormous predator and it finds out what's happened,
[5:52] Speaker 1: we could be next on the menu. Don't be daft,
[5:57] Speaker 1: said Teagan, I'm a liar. I've got one of the
[6:01] Speaker 1: biggest bites in the whole animal kingdom. No animal is
[6:05] Speaker 1: going to mess with me me neither, said Tyler, opening
[6:11] Speaker 1: his mouth wide. Check out these teeth. As the two
[6:16] Speaker 1: big cats spoke, the small black animal re emerged and
[6:21] Speaker 1: picked up the steak. OHI you, I wouldn't take that
[6:25] Speaker 1: if I was you, shouted Teagan. Yeah, called out Tyler.
[6:31] Speaker 1: The new predator won't be happy with you. I'm not scared,
[6:36] Speaker 1: said the black animal. I'm hungry, so I'm going to
[6:40] Speaker 1: have this steak for myself. And with that said, she
[6:44] Speaker 1: hauled the steak into the long grass. Foolish little animal,
[6:50] Speaker 1: said Teagan. The new predator isn't going to be happy
[6:53] Speaker 1: about that. If she took my steak, I'd eat her
[6:58] Speaker 1: right up, pointed out. They were interrupted by Amberley, returning
[7:04] Speaker 1: with a sign. She spent a few minutes fixing it
[7:07] Speaker 1: to the outside of the new enclosure. Once done, she
[7:12] Speaker 1: had another look inside, seeing that the stake was gone.
[7:17] Speaker 1: Oh bananas, she said, I missed it. Never mind, best
[7:22] Speaker 1: get on and she hurried away again. What does it say,
[7:28] Speaker 1: asked Teagan, squinting at the sign. The writing's too small
[7:32] Speaker 1: from over here. Brush your mane out of your eyes,
[7:37] Speaker 1: said Tyler. It says Tasmanian devil. What's one of those,
[7:45] Speaker 1: queried Teagan. I've never heard of them. Me neither, said Tyler,
[7:51] Speaker 1: looking weary. But I don't like the sound of it.
[7:55] Speaker 1: Tasmanian devil sounds a bit scary to me. Can you
[8:00] Speaker 1: read anything else, asked the lion er. Hold on, let
[8:04] Speaker 1: me see, said the tiger, leaning forward. It says it's
[8:09] Speaker 1: got one of the strongest bites of any mammal. That's impressive,
[8:16] Speaker 1: nodded Teagan. It must be gigantic, then, I think you're right,
[8:22] Speaker 1: agreed Tyler. It's probably bigger than the both of us
[8:26] Speaker 1: put together. Once again, the long grass parted and the
[8:31] Speaker 1: small black animal reappeared. Excuse me, she asked politely. What
[8:38] Speaker 1: time do people arrive? That would be soon, answered the lion.
[8:44] Speaker 1: You'll definitely want to be out of thereby then. They'll
[8:47] Speaker 1: be expecting a huge and terrible Tasmanian devil, not a
[8:52] Speaker 1: scrawny little pip screak like you. Go on, encouraged the tiger.
[8:58] Speaker 1: You've had your fun, Now get out of there while
[9:01] Speaker 1: you've still got the chance. But I quite like it. Here,
[9:06] Speaker 1: announced the animal. I've decided I'm going to stay. You
[9:12] Speaker 1: can't do that, shrieked Teagan. When the Tasmanian devil wakes
[9:17] Speaker 1: up and sees you, it will tear you to pieces.
[9:21] Speaker 1: You won't stand a chance against a mighty predator like that,
[9:25] Speaker 1: insisted Tyler. They've got one of the strongest bites of
[9:29] Speaker 1: any mammal. Every one knows that. Do you know lots
[9:35] Speaker 1: about Tasmanian devils, then asked the animal. Oh yes, said Teagan, knowingly.
[9:43] Speaker 1: I'm practically an expert. We both are, added Tyler. All
[9:49] Speaker 1: us giant predators know all about other giant predators, and
[9:53] Speaker 1: predators don't come much bigger than the Tasmanian devil. Scary names,
[10:00] Speaker 1: gary animal. That's what I always say, said Teagan. Of
[10:05] Speaker 1: course it couldn't beat a tiger, announced Tyler. Tasmanian devils
[10:11] Speaker 1: are big and tough, but they're nothing compared to the
[10:14] Speaker 1: power and strength of a tiger like me. WHOA not
[10:19] Speaker 1: so fast, growled Teagan. You're forgetting that it's me that's
[10:25] Speaker 1: known as the king of the jungle. I'm the toughest
[10:28] Speaker 1: of them all. In fact, I'm quite sure that Tasmanian
[10:32] Speaker 1: devils all say that they're a little bit frightened of me.
[10:37] Speaker 1: Just a little bit frightened, scoffed Tyler. I think you'll
[10:42] Speaker 1: find that Tasmanian devils are terrified of me. Gates open
[10:48] Speaker 1: in five minutes, called out Amberly, as she rushed past
[10:52] Speaker 1: with a broom. She took a second to peek into
[10:55] Speaker 1: the new enclosure, but the black animal had already disappeared.
[11:01] Speaker 1: Oh bananas, she grumbled. Now I won't get a chance
[11:05] Speaker 1: to come back for hours. There was no time left
[11:09] Speaker 1: to worry about that, though, so she dashed on. Seconds later,
[11:15] Speaker 1: the black furry animal appeared up against the enclosure's wire fence.
[11:21] Speaker 1: I don't think that either of you have met at
[11:24] Speaker 1: Tasmanian devil before, she said to the two big cats. Outrageous,
[11:30] Speaker 1: spluttered the lion. Of course I have. How dare you
[11:35] Speaker 1: suggest that I'm lying, snorted the tiger. I'll have you
[11:40] Speaker 1: know that some of my very best friends are Tasmanian devils.
[11:44] Speaker 1: They're always telling me what a wonderful stripey coat I've got.
[11:50] Speaker 1: Is that because Tasmanian devils only have little green spots?
[11:54] Speaker 1: Asked the animal. Er Yes, that's right, replied the tiger,
[12:00] Speaker 1: sounding unsure. Well now I know you're definitely lying, said
[12:06] Speaker 1: the animal. Tasmanian devils don't have any spots. Their fur
[12:11] Speaker 1: is black, just like mine, ha, laughed the lion. She
[12:17] Speaker 1: caught you out there, Tyler, you wouldn't catch a lion
[12:21] Speaker 1: falling for a trick like that. You are so big
[12:26] Speaker 1: and tough, after all, said the animal. Didn't you say
[12:30] Speaker 1: that all Tasmanian devils are a little bit frightened of you? Um? Yes,
[12:36] Speaker 1: I did, said a suddenly flustered Teagan. And that's despite
[12:41] Speaker 1: them being so huge. Well you're definitely lying, too, said
[12:47] Speaker 1: the animal, confidently, because Tasmanian devils are the same size
[12:53] Speaker 1: as me. I don't believe her, sniffed Tyler. If anyone's
[13:00] Speaker 1: telling FIBs, it's that little black impostor over there. If
[13:05] Speaker 1: it wasn't for these fences, I'd march straight over there
[13:08] Speaker 1: and gobble you up, said Teagan sternly. Me too, agreed
[13:14] Speaker 1: Tyler firmly. Hey we could have half each. I'm not
[13:20] Speaker 1: the least bit frightened of either of you, stated the animal, calmly.
[13:26] Speaker 1: That's easy for you to say from behind that fence.
[13:30] Speaker 1: Snarled the lion. Yeah, nodded the tiger. But you wouldn't
[13:36] Speaker 1: be so bold if we were face to face. We'll
[13:40] Speaker 1: see about that, said the animal. To the big cat's astonishment,
[13:46] Speaker 1: the small black animal opened its mouth wide and bit
[13:50] Speaker 1: straight through the wire fence. Two more bites were enough
[13:55] Speaker 1: to make a hole big enough for it to step through.
[13:59] Speaker 1: How did you do that, yelped Teagan. Not even a
[14:04] Speaker 1: tiger can bite through a fence, squealed Tyler, as the
[14:08] Speaker 1: animal marched over to them. Which one of you wants
[14:13] Speaker 1: me to bite through their fence first? She asked For Once,
[14:18] Speaker 1: the lion and the tiger were lost for words. Eventually
[14:23] Speaker 1: Tyler managed who who are you? I'm Ruby, said the
[14:29] Speaker 1: small black animal, and I'm a Tasmanian devil. Now, if
[14:35] Speaker 1: you'll excuse me, I think I can hear the visitors coming.
[14:40] Speaker 1: She turned around and climbed back through her fence, fixing
[14:44] Speaker 1: it shut with a length of wire she had chewed off.
[14:49] Speaker 1: The predator section of the zoo, whilst always popular, was
[14:53] Speaker 1: even busier that day. Everyone wanted to catch a glimpse
[14:57] Speaker 1: of Ruby, the new Tasmanian death. Her enclosure was so
[15:02] Speaker 1: crowded with people peering in that whenever Amberley called by,
[15:07] Speaker 1: she couldn't get anywhere close. It wasn't until after the
[15:11] Speaker 1: zoo had closed for the day that Amberley got her
[15:14] Speaker 1: first proper look at the new animal. Ah, there you are,
[15:19] Speaker 1: she said, beaming happily at Ruby. It looks like you've
[15:24] Speaker 1: settled in nicely. That's good. Well, I'm off home now,
[15:28] Speaker 1: but I look forward to seeing you again in the morning.
[15:33] Speaker 1: With the zoo keeper gone, the lion and the tiger
[15:36] Speaker 1: were surprised to see the Tasmanian devil climbing back through
[15:39] Speaker 1: the hole in her fence. She's not coming over here,
[15:44] Speaker 1: is she worried the lion. I hope not, whimpered the tiger. Instead.
[15:51] Speaker 1: Ruby vanished off up the path, returning five minutes later
[15:57] Speaker 1: with three ice creams. Are those for us, asked an
[16:02] Speaker 1: astonished Teagan one each smiled Ruby. I thought we could
[16:08] Speaker 1: have them while we got to know each other better.
[16:11] Speaker 1: After all, you two Tasmanian devil experts have clearly got
[16:16] Speaker 1: a lot to learn animals. Fact, despite their small size,
[16:27] Speaker 1: Tasmanian devils are the largest marsupial carnivores. They both hunt
[16:32] Speaker 1: and scavenge, and they really do have an astonishing bite
[16:37] Speaker 1: capable of chomping through bone. Lions have a strong bite
[16:42] Speaker 1: force too, but it's only half that of a Tasmanian devil.
[16:47] Speaker 1: Lions also have a spiny tongue, which they can use
[16:51] Speaker 1: as a comb or to help strip off scraps of meat.
[16:55] Speaker 1: A typical tiger's bite force is somewhere in between that
[16:59] Speaker 1: of a life ions and a Tasmanian devil. Because tigers
[17:03] Speaker 1: don't chew their food, they can only move their lower
[17:07] Speaker 1: jaw up and down, not side to side like we can.
[17:11] Speaker 1: Thank you for your suggestions, Ruby. We hope you enjoyed
[17:15] Speaker 1: the story, and thank you to all of you across
[17:18] Speaker 1: the world for listening to it. There are over one
[17:21] Speaker 1: hundred extra stories on our premium service, available through Apple
[17:27] Speaker 1: or Supercast, and for a tiny fee, all the stories
[17:31] Speaker 1: are advert free. Join us next time for another great
[17:36] Speaker 1: animal tale. Good Bye,

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