The Thylacine
Tasmanian Tiger or Tasmanian Wolf.
(Thylacinus cynocephalus)
There is little information on the biology of the Thylacine. It was the largest carnivorous marsupial to have lived in recent times and resembled a large dog. It was approximately 1 to1.5 metres in length with a stiff, straight tail measuring 50 to 65 centimetres. It inhabited open forest and woodland.

The Thylacine disappeared from the mainland of Australia after the arrival of the Dingo (approximately 5,000 years ago). However, it survived in Tasmania which had separated from the mainland before the advent of the Dingo to Australia.

Tasmanian Tiger
The Thylacine was a nocturnal hunter of other marsupials. With the introduction of sheep to Tasmania, it preyed on lambs and any sick or injured sheep that were unable to escape.  A large bounty was placed on Thylacines and although the number killed was not large, the pressure on the population combined with habitat loss from agricultural change effected the animal's decline.

Download a short video of the Tasmanian Tiger (820kb) here.
 
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