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Posted: 09-01-2006 19:05 Post subject:

Yes, Col Bailey saw his on the mainland.

Posted: 09-01-2006 23:57 Post subject:

A remarkably well preserved Thylacine was found in a cave near Eucla in WA in the (IIRC) 1960s. Skin and flesh still largely intact, but dried out. 25 years later a dead dingo was found in the same cave that wasn't there before. It was in much worse condition than the Thylacine had been. In fact it was drier than a dead dingo's ...

Also some disputed carbon dating of a Thylacine bone found in the Kimberlys put the bone at only around 70 years old.

Don't have the book with me, Out of the Shadows by Tony Healy and Paul Cropper I think.

Posted: 10-01-2006 11:15 Post subject:

The theory is that the mainland Thylacine was wiped out by competition with Dingoes that were introduced by the second wave of human migration. The second wave didn't get to Tasmania, as the land bridge was gone by then, and so the dingoes didn't get to wipe out the Thylacines.

Of course, since everyone has been looking for survivors in Tasmania, there is a theory that there is a lot more room for mainland survivors to have hidden for the 10 000 years since their apparent extinction. (There may also be the question of people catching them in Tasmania pre-extinction and releasing them on the mainland but I haven't heard of that happening.)

Posted: 10-01-2006 23:25 Post subject:

Independent article on some Americans' hunt for a living Thylacine (rather inaccurately referred to throughout as "tiger", but notable because it claims there are "multiple sightings every year"):

http://news.independent.co.uk/environment/article336946.ece

Posted: 11-01-2006 02:14 Post subject:

Posted: 11-01-2006 16:07 Post subject:

What makes the thylacine so interesting to people? Truthfully I think it would be very very cool if someone found a live thylacine and proved it to the world, but in 6 months nobody would care about it anymore. Aren't there more interesting creatures in cryptozoology to hunt for? Maybe people like the thylacines because we are seemingly so close to finding one?

Posted: 12-01-2006 09:51 Post subject:

I dispute that. It won't be forgotten that quickly round here.

The Thylacine was a very important part of the Tasmanian eco-system. (And on the mainland when it was there.) It was top predator, in the same way lions, tigers, wolves, etc are in other parts of the world. The dingo took its place on the mainland, but there isn't really anything in Tasmania where the extinction was largely driven by farming rather than direct competition.

Posted: 16-01-2006 18:14 Post subject:

Review:

Carnivorous Nights: On The Trail Of The Tasmanian Tiger
www.forteantimes.com/review/carnivorous.shtml

The Garudian have also reviewed the book (I think they liked it but it doesn't really say so):
http://books.guardian.co.uk/review/story/0,,1685059,00.html

Posted: 28-06-2007 14:45 Post subject:

Posted: 20-05-2008 01:15 Post subject:

Posted: 20-05-2008 01:30 Post subject:

I bet the mouse was thrilled with the results

Posted: 20-05-2008 05:51 Post subject:

There has long been conjecture that the Tasmanian Government knows they are still around, but denies it so as not to attract maniac hunters after the ultimate trophy! Maybe 10 years ago a Tasmanian Ranger went public saying he had seen one - and then did a very public backflip and gave a press conference with some stern looking senior officials surrounding him, saying he was mistaken, it was only a dog... Well...

I believe they are still around, and heck, I WANT them to be around!

There have been some credible sightings, and one very blurry photo (which I can't find right now...) - a little more bit to add some mystery:

"The State Government's secret Tasmanian tiger files have been prised open, revealing a sighting considered as credible as one 20 years ago that sparked a massive search. Details of 17 claimed thylacine sightings reported to authorities since June 1997 has been released to a self-proclaimed big cat and thylacine hunter under the Freedom Of Information Act.

...

But one reported sighting in 1997 in the State's North-West was given more credibility than most by authorities. A written report by thylacine expert and Parks and Wildlife Service ranger Nick Mooney said the sighting was "as good if not better than" the famous sighting by wildlife officer Hans Naarding in 1982 that sparked a year-long search by the Government to prove that the thylacine had escaped extinction. The 1997 sighting centred on a night-time encounter by a man patrolling an area of land. The man, who had been travelling alone, reported seeing a thylacine just 3m from his car. He immediately thought to be a wild dog and prepared to shoot it, but realised that its appearance was markedly different from that of a dog, as was its gait - both which he described in detail, along with its striped markings.

Mr Mooney reported after interviewing the man: "Considering his job, (the man) is familiar with local wildlife. He seems alert, intelligent and on associated topics not prone to exaggeration. "I have little doubt that (the man) believes he saw a thylacine. If he did it, was an adult - i.e., probably resident and likely a male. At this time of year, I would expect an adult female to be suckling denned young and therefore to have a loose pouch area. "In all respects, this sighting is as good if not better than that of Hans Naarding's in 1982. The geographical area has produced most of Tasmania's best reports in the past decade.""

Also, there are the "tourist" sightings. A very blurry photo by German tourist Kalus Emmerich - he has since copyrighted the pics, so they aren't on the web anymore that I can see. And this account, which sounds somewhat credible to me:

http://www.cryptomundo.com/bigfoot-report/thylacine-photo/

Posted: 01-10-2008 18:37 Post subject:

Posted: 01-10-2008 23:33 Post subject:

Oh, it would be great to see that photo! Smile