The Thylacine: Tasmania’s Ghost Tiger

The thylacine, or Tasmanian tiger, was a large carnivorous marsupial native to Tasmania. The last known individual died in captivity in 1936, and the species was declared extinct. Yet sightings continue, and some researchers believe a small population may survive in Tasmania’s remote wilderness.

The Animal

The thylacine was approximately the size of a large dog, with a distinctive striped back, stiff tail, and jaws capable of opening unusually wide. Despite being a marsupial, it superficially resembled a dog or wolf—an example of convergent evolution.

European settlement, hunting, and disease caused rapid decline. By the 1930s, the species was critically endangered.

The Last Thylacine

The last known thylacine, sometimes called Benjamin, died at Hobart’s Beaumaris Zoo on September 7, 1936. The species was officially declared extinct.

However, Tasmania contains vast areas of rugged, inaccessible wilderness. Could some thylacines have survived?

Ongoing Sightings

Since 1936, thousands of sightings have been reported. Witnesses describe an animal matching the thylacine’s distinctive appearance: dog-like but with stripes and an unusually stiff gait.

Sightings have come from all parts of Tasmania, and occasionally from mainland Australia, where the thylacine had been extinct for over 2,000 years.

Investigations

Searches have been conducted, camera traps deployed, and bounties offered. No conclusive evidence has emerged. Photographs and videos exist but are invariably blurry or ambiguous.

In recent years, scientists have discussed the possibility of de-extinction using preserved DNA, but such efforts remain in early stages.

Assessment

The thylacine occupies an unusual position in cryptozoology. Unlike most cryptids, we know thylacines existed—we have photographs, film, and preserved specimens. The question is not whether they were real but whether any survived.

The Tasmanian wilderness could harbor small populations of surviving animals. Or the sightings could represent wishful thinking and misidentification. The ghost tiger continues to haunt Australia’s imagination.