Thylacine
Extinct carnivorous marsupial, iconic symbol of Tasmania.
The thylacine (Thylacinus cynocephalus), known as the Tasmanian tiger for the dark stripes across its back and the Tasmanian wolf for its canid-like appearance, was a carnivorous marsupial that once roamed the Australian mainland, Tasmania, and New Guinea. It disappeared from New Guinea and mainland Australia roughly 3,600 to 3,200 years ago, possibly due to the arrival of the dingo, which never reached Tasmania. Before European settlement, several thousand thylacines remained in the wild on Tasmania. Perceived as a threat to livestock, they were subjected to bounty hunting from the 19th century onward. The last known individual died in 1936 at Hobart Zoo. The animal’s name derives from Greek words meaning “pouch,” referring to its marsupial nature; both sexes possessed a pouch—females used theirs for rearing young, while males used it as a protective sheath for their reproductive organs. The thylacine had a stiff tail and could open its jaws unusually wide. Evidence suggests it was a solitary ambush predator of small to medium prey, feeding on small birds and mammals. It was the sole surviving member of its genus and family into modern times, with its closest living relatives being other dasyuromorphs like the Tasmanian devil, from which it split an estimated 42 to 36 million years ago. Intensive hunting on Tasmania is the primary cause of its extinction, though disease, competition with dingoes, habitat encroachment, and climate change also contributed. The remains of the last known thylacine were discovered at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery in 2022. Despite numerous unconfirmed sightings since its extinction, the thylacine remains a cultural icon in Australia, featured on Tasmania’s coat of arms. National Threatened Species Day is observed on 7 September, the date of the last thylacine’s death. Its genome has been mapped, and efforts to clone the species are underway.
- Scientific name
- Thylacinus cynocephalus
- Common names
- Tasmanian tiger, Tasmanian wolf, marsupial wolf
- Native range
- Australian mainland, Tasmania, New Guinea
- Average body mass
- 16.7 kg (range 9.8–28.1 kg)
- Known for
- Striped back, marsupial pouch in both sexes, convergent evolution with canids
Lore & Background
The thylacine, also called the Tasmanian tiger or wolf, was a carnivorous marsupial native to Australia, Tasmania, and New Guinea. It was the last surviving member of its genus and family. Its appearance was distinctive: a medium- to large-sized body resembling a canid, with a stiff tail and dark transverse stripes running from the top of its back, which gave it the tiger name. Its jaws could open to an unusual extent. Both sexes possessed a pouch; females used theirs to rear young, while males used theirs as a protective sheath for their external reproductive organs. The thylacine was a solitary ambush predator, feeding on small birds and mammals. Its closest living relatives are other dasyuromorphs, such as the Tasmanian devil, from which it split tens of millions of years ago. Before European settlement, several thousand remained in the wild on Tasmania. It had already died out on mainland Australia and New Guinea thousands of years earlier, possibly due to the introduction of the dingo, which never reached Tasmania. In the 19th century, it was perceived as a threat to livestock, leading to bounty hunting. Intensive hunting is generally blamed for its extinction, though disease, competition with dingoes, human encroachment, and climate change also contributed. The last known individual died in 1936 at Hobart Zoo.
Reader's Guide
The thylacine's significance lies in its role as a unique marsupial predator and a cautionary example of human-driven extinction. It was a classic example of convergent evolution, resembling canids of the Northern Hemisphere despite being a marsupial. Its whole genome sequence has been mapped, and there are efforts to clone and bring it back to life. The remains of the last known thylacine were discovered at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery in 2022. Numerous searches and reported sightings of live animals have occurred since extinction, none confirmed. The thylacine remains a symbol of Tasmania and a subject of research worldwide.
Did You Know?
- Both sexes of thylacine had a pouch; females used theirs for rearing young, males as a protective sheath for external reproductive organs.
- The thylacine could open its jaws to an unusual extent and had a stiff tail.
- The name 'thylacine' is derived from Greek thýlakos meaning 'pouch' and -ine meaning 'pertaining to'.
- The earliest known fossil record of the modern thylacine is from the Early Pleistocene, around 1.77–0.78 million years ago.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Thylacine?
Thylacine is the common name for the extinct carnivorous marsupial Thylacinus cynocephalus, once found across mainland Australia, Tasmania, and New Guinea. It was the last surviving member of the family Thylacinidae and is often called the Tasmanian tiger or marsupial wolf.
What are Thylacine's powers/role?
Thylacine was a mid-sized predator averaging around 16.7 kg, with a distinctive striped back and a pouch present in both males and females. Its body plan closely resembled that of a canid wolf, a textbook example of convergent evolution between marsupials and placental mammals.
Why is Thylacine important?
As a cultural icon of Australia, the thylacine appears on the official coat of arms of Tasmania and remains a powerful symbol of the continent's lost biodiversity. Its disappearance is frequently cited as a cautionary tale about how quickly human activity can eliminate a unique species.
Where did Thylacine live and what did it eat?
Thylacine was native to the Australian mainland, Tasmania, and New Guinea, where it hunted small mammals and other prey as a carnivorous marsupial. Its closest living relatives belong to the order Dasyuromorphia, which includes the Tasmanian devil.
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