The Last Thylacine
As recently as 1995, a Wildlife Officer saw a Tasmanian Tiger in the Pyengana region of eastern Tasmania. That's close enough for me to believe there are still a few thylacine left and I am determined to spot one.
I've camped out at Pyengana, searched diligently for traces of thylacine, kept quiet and still in a hide by waterfalls for days on end but have not, as yet, seen any sign of this elusive creature.
One day I will see a Tasmanian Tiger. I feel this in my bones, but that could just be the aches from camping out in the damp.
Where is Tasmania?
Tasmania is an Australian island and state of the same name, to the south towards Antarctica, and 240 kilometres (150 miles) from where I am, in Melbourne.The natural environment is almost completely unspoiled, with over 40% of the island in National Parks and World Heritage Sites.
Tasmania also includes the subantarctic Macquarie Island, which is part of the Huon Valley local government area.
And what is a thylacine?
Native to Australia and New Guinea, it is thought to have become extinct in the middle of the 20th century. When I say became extinct the poor creature was shot on sight by ignorant settlers.
In some parts of the world it's referred to as the Tasmanian Wolf, but it's commonly known as the Tasmanian Tiger (because of its striped back) and affectionally called the Tassie Tiger.
19th Century Water Colour - Thylacine & Wombat
The Last Recorded Thylacine
The last thylacine died in captivity in 1936 at the Hobart Zoo.But, with more than 4000 sightings of the creature since then, many a reward has been offered including a $1.25 million bounty for conclusive proof of its existence.
Are the sightings valid? Can thylacines still be surviving in the deep Tasmanian forests? You have to keep in mind that, in the wild forests of the south among the mighty Huon Pines, there are still places where no European has yet set foot.
There's only one way to settle it - a live, uninjured animal must be produced!
Perhaps the best place to start is in North East Tasmania where the Parks and Wildlife Service officer reported a sighting in 1995.
A more familiar Australian dog
-
Dingo, ancestor of all dog breeds : Wildlife Australia
-
The mother of all dingoes was most probably a single pregnant female. An intelligent animal, she trotted across the landbridge from Indonesia to Australia about 5,000 years ago and made a home for herself close to the people who inhabited the great...
Thylacines- Phantoms of Tasmania
Including the photos of the last thylacine - if, indeed, it was the last.
I still hope to find one in Pyengana. Wish me luck!
On the trail of the Thylacine
Take the Tasman Highway which connects Launceston with the eastern coast. A pleasant hour of driving brings you to Scottsdale, a friendly town in the heart of pastoral and forestry country. Garden lovers come here for the Bridestowe Lavender Farm, especially during the summer in December and January.Continue along the highway for another half an hour to reach Derby, an entire town which has been classified by the National Trust. Don't miss the Derby Tin Mine Centre. This is a charming little town and well known for art galleries and craft outlets nestling in the 19th century buildings.
Pyengana
This is a place of quiet, serene beauty, the silence broken only by the sound of the water and the cries of the Black-faced cuckoo-shrike.
This may be a good spot to wait and watch for a thylacine, in any case you're likely to be joined by wombats, wallabies and perhaps a Tasmanian devil. Good luck!
More on Pyengana
- St Columba Celebration
- St Columba's Day at Pyengana
Books to help you on the Tiger Trail
Carnivorous Nights: On the Trail of the Tasmanian Tiger
Amazon Price: $10.17 (as of 12/24/2009) 
The Last Tasmanian Tiger: The History and Extinction of the Thylacine
Amazon Price: $24.29 (as of 12/24/2009)
What to look for
Thylacinus cynocephalus looked like a large, long dog, with stripes, a heavy stiff tail and a big head.Fully grown it measured about 180 cm (6 ft) from nose to tail tip, stood about 58 cm (2 ft) high at the shoulder and weighed up to 30 kg.
The short, soft fur was brown with dark brown-black stripes that extended from the base of the tail to almost the shoulders.
And then there's the jaws!
Its jaws were as big as its head and it could routinely open them up to an angle of 120 degrees. So his jaws would open to the same size as his head.
These days we don't have much chance to be frightened by those huge gaping jaws and powerful teeth for thylacines were hunted and slaughtered by white settlers.
If any of these fascinating native creatures are left they are displaying remarkable good sense and hiding from us.
Slaughtered by Settlers
More on the Tassie Tiger
- Cryptomundo
- There are two thylacine "hot-spots" in Victoria. One is the Portland area - as far inland as Ozenkadnook and west as far as the Koorong, a coastal national park in South Australia, next door to Victoria.
- Natural History of Thylacinus
- The Natural History of Thylacinus cynocephalus, at The Thylacine Museum.
A Thylacine Clone?
In May 2002 the Evolutionary Biology Unit at the Australian Museum in Sydney successfully replicated individual Tasmanian Tiger genes using a process known as PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction).
Will the next step be a thylacine clone?
The Quest to Clone the Thylacine
How the Thylacine came to be extinct is a tragedy - that it may yet live again is a miracle.
More on Cloning
Lensmaster Rusty Quill looks further into cloning the Thylacine and the topic of Clones in general.-
Jurassic Park for Real? - Cloning Extinct Animals
-
Geneticists have cloned sheep, horses, cats and dogs. The next step it seems is to bring back the dead. Scientists are currently working on resurrecting through cloning an animal extinct since 1936. The Australian Tasmanian tiger, or thylacine, was h...
Scat Research
A University of Adelaide project led by zoologist Dr Jeremy Austin is investigating whether the world-fabled Tasmanian Tiger may have survived beyond its reported extinction in the late 1930s.Dr Austin, from the Australian Centre for Ancient DNA, is extracting ancient DNA from animal droppings found in Tasmania in the late 1950s and `60s, which have been preserved in the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery.
The scats (droppings) were found by Eric Guiler, Australia's last real thylacine expert.
More Australian Creatures
-
Dangerous Jellyfish : Wildlife Australia
-
Lots of people are afraid of sharks, although the prospect of being attacked by a shark is only slightly more probable than the chances of a meteorite falling on your head. Of course, you can encourage a shark attack by disguising yourself as a seal...
-
Kookaburra : Wildlife Australia
-
He who laughs last, laughs longest and in the case of the Kookaburra it's true. For indeed he laughs the last, laughs the longest, and also laughs the loudest. The sound of the kookaburra is synonymous with Australia and it's been suggested that our...
-
Cuddly and Creepy Australians : Wildlife Australia
-
Have you ever cuddled a koala? They're warm, furry and they smell beautiful! Plenty of other animals can be cuddly too, or at least look cuddly, like this Tasmanian Devil who, besides being a bit on the nose, has extremely strong teeth and jaws....
-
Australia : Lensography of My Place
-
G'day from Melbourne, Australia, where I put these pages together while looking out the window at the kookaburras. I have a number of lenses on Australia, some dealing with the creatures who bound across this land, some highlighting the different pl...
What do you think?
Talk to the Tasmanian Tiger ...
-
Reply
- admiralglass admiralglass Nov 14, 2009 @ 9:25 am
- It´s shame how we humans treat animals. I hope that thre´s still few roaming. 5* lens
-
Reply
- The_Goblins_Den The_Goblins_Den Jun 18, 2009 @ 12:23 am
- Yeah, it's a shame that thylacines were hunted to extinction. It's one of my favorite animals too. I have a feeling that there's still some alive out there though...
-
Reply
- mysticmama mysticmama Apr 14, 2009 @ 9:23 am
- Amazing creatures...wow! I've always wanted to visit Australia and tazmania...the wildlife there is so amazingly distinct and interesting...one of my brother's brothers, just moved to Sydney for work. Only in America's dysfunctional families can ones brother have brothers that are not related to the sister...lol...great lens...thanks for making it, 5*
-
Reply
- lisadh lisadh Sep 2, 2008 @ 6:10 pm
- I'm hopeful there are still some out there and that they'll stay far enough away from man to avoid being thrown in a zoo and becoming extinct again.
-
Reply
- SemperFidelis SemperFidelis Aug 28, 2008 @ 7:24 am
- Excellent! Never heard of a Thylacine tiger before. Great information and a Squid Angel Blessing at ya! ~ Colleen :)
- Load More
10% of my income goes to continue the work of Fred Hollows in treating avoidable blindness and improving indigenous health.Photo : Khim Rath, who can now see after a successful cataract operation, Kampong Chhnang province, Cambodia.
Blindness is a significant public health issue in Cambodia. Over 160,000 people are blind and an additional 20,000 become blind each year. The main cause of blindness is cataract, which can be treated by a simple 15 minute operation at an average cost of $25 (AUD$35).
Thanks for calling in ....
Thanks very much for dropping by to read about the thylacine, the Tasmanian Tiger. You're more than welcome to leave a note in the guest book above and, if you're a member of Squidoo, you can also rate this lens :)It's all much appreciated, Susanna
For more pages like this, my lens collection is at Susanna's Lensography
Make your own lens!
Everybody has a favourite subject, everyone is an expert in something, Get your own revenue generating page about your favourite.
All you need is an email address, no complicated forms! Making a Squidoo Lens is a great way to get the word out about any topic, a garden gnome collection, your passion for scuba-diving, that recipe from your grandmother, tips for pruning hibiscus or tuning a truck, how to start a celebrity fan club or how to supplement your home income.
The first step is to think of your topic and make your first lens now. Come and join the Squidoo community!
About Susanna Duffy
My Bio
G'day from Melbourne, Australia where I write about King Arthur, Mythology, Legendary Beasts, Ancient Rome, Books, Fairy Creatures, Australiana and Adventures in my Kitchen. I'm also a Charity Mentor and an Honorary Squidoo Angel 
I'm the GroupLeader of these vibrant communities -
Epicure
The Bookworms
All About Arthur
Wander Downunder
Legends and Lore
The Goddess
Feline Friends
More in Lensography of Everything
Check out these great lenses...
-
- Christmas in Australia
Christmas is a splendid time of year in Australia. December and January are at the very height of our beach season, and we love to head for the beach and relax. The Christmas holidays stretch over the longest days of our long summers. The holidays b... view lens -
- Is it Plagiarism?
If you have to ask if you're plagiarising, you most probably are. Apart from intentional thieves, fraudsters and cold blooded scammers who know perfectly well what they are doing, there are some people who have literally no idea that plagiarism i... view lens -
- Angel's Christmas
Christmas is a special time of year. Any time is a good time for blessing the best of Squidoo but it's even better when it's Christmas. In my travels I found some wonderful Christmas topics, ideas and all round cheering treasures for the Seas... view lens
High Five
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byThe Feral Squid
Through a lens darkly
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byby susannaduffy
(more)
