75 years without the Thylacine...

"Thursday marks the 75th anniversary of the death of what is believed to have been the last remaining thylacine, named Ben. The animal was kept at Hobart Zoo in Tasmania."

I just came across a BBC article reporting findings from a scientific investigation into the jaw-strength of the extinct Tasmanian Tiger which found the carnivorous marsupial's jaws to be too weak to have killed sheep (Europeans' fears over losing their livestock to the Thylacine was the main reason behind the extermination of the animal). It's a sad finding, but I still like to believe that a small but sustainable Tassie Tiger population still exists in the remote wilderness of Tasmania, far away from us terrible humans.

"The terrible loss of the thylacine signifies unjustified, negligent destruction of our native flora and fauna. It is a cautionary reminder of what we have lost, and that without urgent intervention other species will suffer the same fate."

Extinct Animal of the Week VI

Thylacine

"The thylacine was the largest known carnivorous marsupial of modern times. It is commonly known as the Tasmanian tiger, the Tasmanian wolf, and colloquially the Tassie tiger or simply the tiger. Native to continental Australia, Tasmania and New Guinea, it is thought to have become extinct in the 20th century. It was the last extant member of its genus, Thylacinus, although several related species have been found in the fossil record dating back to the early Miocene."

This one I feel particularly sad about...and despite most evidence to the contrary, I like to believe it still exists.