There have been numerous sightings of the wild Tasmanian Tiger despite the fact the last known specimen died way back in 1936.
The apparent sightings of the ‘extinct’ carnivore have led to massive searches for the creature across Australia’s largest wilderness area.
Apparently, the Tasmanian Tiger was spotted by a tourism operator and a former park ranger so now more than 50 cameras have been set up in the area to hopefully confirm that the wolf-like beasts are back.
Professor Bill Laurance, who is heading the survey, told The Telegraph:
All observations of putative thylacines to date have been at night, and in one case four animals were observed at close range, about 20 feet away, with a spotlight.
We have cross-checked the descriptions we received of eye shine colour, body size and shape, animal behaviour, and other attributes, and these are inconsistent with known attributes of other large-bodied species in north Queensland such as dingoes, wild dogs or feral pigs.
Tasmanian Tigers were the largest carnivorous predators to live alongside human society – but in a zoo on the island of Tasmania itself in 1936 the last known Tasmanian Tiger in existence sadly died.
Despite the apparent sightings, Laurance claims the chance of finding a Tasmanian Tiger in the present day is ‘very slim’.
Let’s hope they defy the odds and this once ‘extinct’ carnivor can come back for good.
