Tasmanian Tiger Are They Really Extinct?
Habitat
The Tasmanian Tiger (Thylacinus cynocephalus) was once widespread across mainland Australia, Tasmania, and New Guinea. Fossil records suggest that they thrived in a range of habitats, including:
Dry eucalyptus forests
Grasslands and wetlands
Coastal heathlands
By the time European settlers arrived, the Thylacine was confined to Tasmania, primarily inhabiting dense forests and grasslands, where they could hunt wallabies, birds, and other small animals. They were nocturnal or crepuscular, active mainly during dawn, dusk, and night.
Status
The Tasmanian Tiger is officially listed as extinct, with the last known individual dying in captivity at the Hobart Zoo on September 7, 1936. Several factors contributed to their decline, including:
Widespread hunting due to government bounties.
Habitat loss from deforestation.
Competition with invasive species like dogs and foxes.
Disease may have also played a role, though this remains speculative.
Despite these official declarations, the Thylacine has become a symbol of lost wildlife, sparking widespread interest and hope that it may still survive.
Breeding and Reproduction
Thylacines were marsupials, meaning their young were born in an extremely underdeveloped state and completed their growth in the mother’s pouch. Females had a backward-facing pouch with four teats, where they could nurse up to four joeys at a time.
Breeding was believed to occur once a year, likely in spring or summer, and the gestation period was relatively short, similar to other marsupials. After birth, the tiny joeys latched onto a teat inside the pouch, where they stayed for around three months. Once they grew large enough, they left the pouch but continued to stay close to their mother, depending on her for food and protection. Juveniles likely remained with their parents for up to a year before becoming fully independent.
Due to the species’ extinction, details about their reproductive cycle remain speculative, inferred from museum specimens and comparisons with related marsupials like the Tasmanian Devil and Quolls.
Are They Really Extinct?
For decades, there have been numerous unconfirmed sightings of the Tasmanian Tiger in remote areas of Tasmania and even mainland Australia. Eyewitnesses report seeing:
A dog-like creature with striped hindquarters.
Stiff tail and a wide gape, consistent with Thylacine characteristics.
However, none of these sightings have provided conclusive evidence. Motion-sensor cameras, footprint analysis, and extensive searches have yet to verify their existence.
Some scientists remain open to the possibility that small, elusive populations could still survive in remote areas. Others argue that with no verified evidence for nearly 90 years, it is unlikely the species persists today.
🌱 De-extinction efforts through cloning or genetic engineering using preserved DNA are also being explored, adding another layer to the Thylacine's story.
🌱 De-Extinction Efforts: Could the Tasmanian Tiger Roam Again?
The idea of bringing the Tasmanian Tiger (Thylacine) back to life has captured the imagination of scientists and wildlife enthusiasts alike. De-extinction — the process of reviving extinct species — is no longer just science fiction. Advances in genetic engineering and cloning technology have made it theoretically possible to attempt the revival of the Thylacine.
🧬 How Could De-Extinction Work?
The process involves several complex steps:
DNA Retrieval:
DNA samples from preserved Thylacine specimens, such as museum skins and bones, are analyzed.
Unfortunately, DNA degrades over time. Thylacine specimens from the early 1900s provide only fragmented DNA, making it challenging to reconstruct a full genome.
Genome Editing (CRISPR Technology):
Scientists compare Thylacine DNA to its closest living relative, the Numbat or the Tasmanian Devil.
CRISPR-Cas9 technology can then be used to edit the DNA of a closely related species, inserting Thylacine genes to recreate its genome.
Creating an Embryo:
Once a viable genome is edited, the next step involves inserting it into an egg cell from a surrogate species (likely a marsupial with similar reproductive biology).
This embryo would be carried by a surrogate mother, ideally producing a Thylacine-like offspring.
🔬 Who is Leading the Efforts?
Colossal Biosciences, a US-based biotech company, announced a collaboration with Australian scientists to revive the Thylacine.
The project involves researchers from the University of Melbourne's Thylacine Integrated Genomics Lab, led by Professor Andrew Pask, who successfully sequenced most of the Thylacine genome in 2017.
Their goal is to produce a viable Thylacine within the next 10 years.
🏞️ Challenges and Ethical Considerations
Bringing back the Tasmanian Tiger is a monumental task with several hurdles:
Incomplete DNA: No complete Thylacine genome exists, making precise editing difficult.
Behavior and Ecology: Even if a Thylacine is cloned, its behavior would be unknown due to the lack of a living mother to teach survival skills.
Habitat Suitability: The original causes of extinction — habitat loss and competition — still persist. Would a cloned Thylacine survive in modern Tasmania?
Ethical Questions:
Should we bring back a species we drove to extinction?
Would resources be better spent protecting endangered species that are still alive today?
🏁 The Future of De-Extinction
While de-extinction offers hope for correcting past wrongs, it also serves as a cautionary tale. Whether or not the Tasmanian Tiger will walk the earth again remains uncertain, but the research is pushing the boundaries of science.
Even if the Thylacine isn't successfully revived, the advances made in conservation genetics could aid in preserving endangered species currently on the brink of extinction.
