Tasmanian Tiger (Thylacine)
History
The Tasmanian tiger, Australia’s largest flesh -eating marsupial, is thought to be extinct but there is mystery surrounding this. It is also known as the Thylacine, and its scientific name is Thylacinus cynocephalus, which means ‘dog-headed pouched dog’.
The world's largest carnivorous marsupial was once common throughout Australia and Papua New Guinea about 2000 years ago when these countries were connected by land. It was hunted to extinction by the early European settlers of Tasmania, by about the 1930s. Others believe that the Tasmanian tiger continues to exist in isolated groups in Tasmania’s bushland.
The Thylacine is also one of the most fabled animals in the world. By the time white settlers came to Australia it was only found in Tasmania. European settlers scared it and killed it when they could although there were probably only a few thousand at the time.
Habitat
The Tasmanian tiger lived in wetlands, dry eucalyptus forests and grasslands in continental Australia, Tasmania and New Guinea. It was probably extinct in mainland Australia about 2000 years ago.
The Tasmanian Tiger became extinct in 1936 after being killed viciously by sheep farmers as the Tasmanian tiger ate a lot of sheep. The government realized in 1938,that the Tasmanian tiger was a very rare animal that needed protection. Since then there has been no proof that it still exists. Although people have occasionally reported sightings of the Tasmanian tiger but none of these reports have been proved correct.
Description
The Tasmanian tiger was about 6 feet (1.8m) long from head to tail. It stood up to a height 50cm and weighed about 65 pounds (30kg). This mammal had light brown fur with black stripes along its back from the base of the tail to its shoulders. The Tasmanian tiger had strong hind legs, a long tail and the female’s pouch opened backwards. The tail was stiff and long and it didn’t would not wag like the tail of a dog. Its skull was large and its jaws could open wide.
Diet
The Tasmanian tiger was a carnivore, only eating meat, that it hunted at night.It ate sheep, goats, rabbits, wallabies and other animals. Hunting by itself or in pairs, it persisted on a trail until it ran down towards its prey. It wasn’t a fast runner and so it used its keen sense of smell to find its prey.
Breeding
The female Thylacine could have two to three young in her rear-opening pouch. The larger off spring were left behind in the den until they were old enough to go hunting with their mother.