Post by LittleBudgie2005 on Jan 30, 2007 19:55:08 GMT 7
The Tasmanian Tiger... One of Tasmania's Least Understood Animal!
The Tasmanian Tiger once lived throughout Australia and New Guinea, looking very similar to a large long dog but with stripes, a large head and a heavy stiff tail. A fully grown Tasmanian Tiger measures about from nose to the tail tip, 180cm, stood about 58cm high and would weigh up to 30kgs. They had short soft brown fur, except for about 13-20 dark brown-black stripes, extending from the base of the tail to their shoulders.
The marsupial carnivore was a shy and secretive animal with a nerous temperament, always aviod contact with humans. Captured Tasmanian Tiger's often gave up without a struggle and many would die suddenly from the shock of being captured. Their diet was believed to have consisted of wallabies and various small animals and birds but when the European settlements introduce sheep and poultry, Tasmanian Tigers were often see praying on them too.
There were hundreds of sightings of Tasmanian Tigers in 1936 but searches found no conclusive evidence that the Tasmanian Tiger was still alive. Steven Smith did a study of the sightings between 1934 and 1980, a total of 320 sightings and believe that under half could have been considered good sightings.
The last known Tasmanian Tiger died in Hobart Zoo on 7th September, 1936.
Recently attention has turn to the possibility of cloning the Tasmanian Tiger. However, this is very unlikely to be achievable from a single individual that was preserved in alchohol. Even if cloning was possible, we should be asking ourselves whether such effort and expense is justifiable when many of our other species are currently threatened with extinction, and when we allow the same processes to continue that threatenen habitats and the wildlife.
Other Names:- Thylacine and Thylacinus Cynocephalus
Scientific Name:- Thylacinus cynocephalus
Scientific Name:- Thylacinus cynocephalus
References:-
Parks & Wildlife Services Tasmanian:- www.parks.tas.gov.au/wildlife/mammals/thylacin.html
Dedicated To a Special Friend of Mine.