Tasmanian Tiger

EXTINCT? FACT OR FICTION

The Tasmanian Tiger or Thylacine took on the appearance of a large dog with an elongated body supporting a large head and a long tail thick at the base and tapering along its length. The soft short fur was brown, the distinct striped markings from the base of the tail to the shoulder, were dark brown – black.

The largest carnivorous marsupial, its closest relative is the Tasmanian Devil, and raises its young in a rear-opening pouch, where the small hairless young attached themselves to one of four teats. Here is where the young stay until they are old enough to be left in a den while the mother hunts.

Its scientific name, Thylacinus cynocephalus, means ‘pouched dog with wolf’s head’, a fitting name for such a strange animal.

Fossil remains show that like the Tasmanian Devil, the Thylacine inhabited mainland Australia at some stage, however both had died out well before European settlement and the only remaining populations existed in Tasmania. The world’s last captive tiger died in Hobart Tasmania on 7.9.1936.

Although the tiger is considered to be extinct, sightings have continually been reported over the years and plaster casts of footprints consistent with that of the tiger have been collected, however a clear, identifiable photograph does not yet exist. Reports indicate that the tiger had a keen sense of smell and was very shy, hunting mainly at night, unfortunately with the introduction of sheep and poultry, conflict with farmers was soon to follow and a bounty of 1 pound ( $ 2 ) was introduced.

Numbers rapidly declined until finally only occasional sightings were reported, which continues today. It is believed that because of the shy nature of the tiger, and increased human activity over the years, small remnant population could exist in some remote areas away from human interference.

Traveling home from lakes of an evening it is common to see Kangaroo,(wallaby) Possum, rabbit, wombat, native cat, spotted quoll, deer, hare, devils -------- Tasmanian Tiger ? Bring a camera, you just never know.

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