Remains Of The Last Known Tasmanian Tiger, Found After 85 Years

Photo Credits To The New York Times

The Tasmanian Tiger once wandered the Australian island of Tasmania and the Indonesian island of New Guinea. A majority of Tasmanian Tigers were spotted, examined, and habituated in Tasmania. This led to the title widely used today as the Tasmanian Tiger. However, the original and proper name of the animal is Thylacine.

The animal was officially listed as extinct in 1936 by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The thylacine is unique because it has an adaptation of evolutionary features from both the tiger and a wolf, giving the animal its distinctive look. The animal also has features such as a pouch and a striped fur pattern.

The extinction of the species was accelerated during the settlement of Europeans in Tasmania during the 1800s. The settlers believed that the Tasmanian Tigers were a threat. They feared that the animal would kill some of the settlers. They also believed that the thylacine would destroy and eat all the crops they planted. Given that mentality, the settlers made it a justifiable cause to kill the animal when coming across one. As more settlements occurred, the population of species declined rapidly.

After the extinction of the animal in 1936, the remains of the last known surviving Thylacine were found. Nearly 85 years later. The remains were discovered at Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, and researchers are excited to examine the remains with modern technology.

The last known surviving Tasmanian Tiger was apprehended in 1936. The animal died a few months later during its captivity at Beaumaris Zoo, located in Hobart, Australia. The animal became a popular attraction during his short stay at the zoo. So popular that they named him Benjamin (pictured below). The museum has found other intel on Benjamin, including footage, health records, and a description of his created habitat. After the death, the zoo sold the samples to the museum.

Photo Credits To The Vintage Times.

Everyone at the museum thought that the remains were thrown away after many decades of them missing. However, they were spotted by employees inside one of the cupboards of the museum after being misplaced. They were found in the "education department" of the museum when they should have been placed elsewhere.

The box of remains includes both the bones and skin of the thylacine. Both the skull and fur of the animal are located within the sample. Currently, both pieces are on display in the Tasmanian Tiger exhibit of the museum.

Even though the Tasmanian Tiger is extinct, researchers and scientists are optimistic about the potential comeback of the animal. Many labs worldwide plan to resurrect the animal with the help of genetics. Genetic cloning is a scientific breakthrough that could be critical in the revival of the species. With specimens being stored and kept in proper condition, the possibility of The Tasmanian Tiger roaming the earth again may be a possibility. With specimen examples similar to Benjamin, the process of resurrection becomes more achievable with the information that researchers have presented in front of them.

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