The Tasmanian tiger, also known as the thylacine, was an iconic marsupial predator with a unique appearance that once roamed parts of Australia. This distinctive creature is now widely considered extinct. Its disappearance marked a significant loss in global biodiversity, exemplifying how human activities can lead to a species’ demise.
A Unique Predator
The Tasmanian tiger (Thylacinus cynocephalus) was a carnivorous marsupial, meaning it carried its young in a pouch, similar to kangaroos. It had a dog-like body, about the size of a medium to large dog, with short, stiff legs and a long, rigid tail. Dark stripes across its lower back gave it the common name, Tasmanian tiger.
The thylacine had an unusually wide jaw gape, capable of opening to an impressive 80 degrees. It was a formidable predator, often preying on kangaroos, wallabies, and various birds. However, historical accounts suggest it was generally shy and avoided human contact. Its historical range included the Australian mainland, New Guinea, and the island of Tasmania. It disappeared from the mainland approximately 2,000 years ago, possibly due to competition with dingoes.
The Decline and Disappearance
The decline of the Tasmanian tiger accelerated with European colonization of Tasmania in the 19th century. Settlers established farms and introduced livestock, particularly sheep, leading to perceptions that thylacines were a threat to their livelihood. This perception, despite evidence suggesting feral dogs were more responsible for livestock losses, fueled a widespread campaign against the animal.
Private bounties for killed thylacines began as early as the 1830s, followed by the Tasmanian government implementing an official bounty system in 1888. Over 2,180 bounties were paid by the government alone by the time the scheme ended in 1909, with an estimated 3,500 thylacines hunted between 1830 and 1920. This intensive hunting, coupled with habitat destruction as land was cleared for agriculture, and the potential impact of disease, decimated the population. The last known wild thylacine was believed to have been shot in 1930. The last known individual, Benjamin, died from exposure at the Beaumaris Zoo in Hobart on September 7, 1936, months after the species was granted protected status.
Hopes, Hoaxes, and Lessons
Following the confirmed death of Benjamin, reports of unconfirmed thylacine sightings continued for decades, sparking both hope and skepticism. Despite these numerous accounts and searches, no conclusive evidence of the species’ continued existence has emerged, and the animal was officially declared extinct in 1986. The thylacine has since become a symbol of extinction, featured on Tasmania’s coat of arms and commemorated annually on Australia’s National Threatened Species Day.
The scientific community has explored the possibility of “de-extinction” for the thylacine, a process that involves using genomic data to potentially bring the species back. Scientists have successfully sequenced the thylacine’s entire genome, and some organizations are actively pursuing this complex and expensive endeavor. This undertaking raises ethical considerations and highlights scientific challenges in resurrecting an extinct species. The Tasmanian tiger’s fate serves as a somber lesson about the lasting impact of human actions on ecosystems and the need for species preservation.