Thylacine: the Tasmanian Tiger

The Thylacine was the largest known carnivorous marsupial and lived in Australia, New Guinea and Tasmania. Known as both the Tasmanian Tiger and Tasmanian Wolf, it is believed that thylacines were hunted to extinction in the 20th century. Although sightings are still reported, scientists are skeptical because, for the most part, people are idiots. Sharing a startling degree of physiological adaptations with canines and markings similar to tigers, the thylacine is an often-cited example of convergent evolution. It's closest living relative is the Tasmanian Devil, which, sadly, has also seen better days. The video below shows one of the last known living thylacines, shortly before it died in captivity.

The Thylacine

Add to My Profile | More Videos
Thylacinus cynocephalus

More like this

The famous footage of "Benjamin," a Thylacine that died in captivity due to neglect on September 7, 1936. It was the last known living member of its species. Convergent evolution can be a tricky thing, and one of the most celebrated examples of it (at least among creationists) is the case of…
The Japanese public watched in fascination last month as the first manta ray birth in captivity was broadcast nationwide from the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium. Adult manta rays are large with ,Aeuwingspans,Aeu up to 25,Aeo across. However, baby manta rays are hardly guppies, emerging from their mother…
Buddenbrockia plumatellae Discovered in 1851, the Buddenbrockia worm has long confounded scientists--it seems like a worm, but has some very unworm-like characteristics. Unlike similar looking creatures, such as nematodes, the Buddenbrockia's body does not have separate organs. Its insides are…
A Maclaud's horseshoe bat (being held in a glove) poses for the ladies... For the first time, scientists photographed a Maclaud's horseshoe bat in the forests of Guinea in West Africa. These bats had not been seen in the wild in over 40 years. The featured photo was snapped by German biologist…