A new study from the University of Tasmania led by international researchers shed new light on the extinction of Tasmania's most enigmatic creature, the Thylacine.
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The research used a comprehensive database of over 1000 observational records from Tasmania, dating back to 1910, to map the species' decline and eventual extinction.
Professor of environmental sustainability Barry Brook said they found the Thylacine's distribution shrank rapidly from 1888 to 1909 when bounties were provided for animal skins across Tasmania.
"The most likely location of the last surviving subpopulation was in the south-western region," Dr Brook said.
He said this study provided the most comprehensive and rigorous analysis of Thylacine's extinction to date.
"We used a novel approach to map the geographical pattern of its decline across Tasmania and to estimate its extinction date after taking account of the many uncertainties."
The results showed that extinction likely occurred within four decades after the last capture, around the 1940s to 1970s.
Dr Brook said there was a minimal chance the Tiger still exists in the remote south-western wilderness.
"But we found, through further analysis, that extinction might have been as recent as the late 1980s to early 2000s," Dr Brook said.
"Our findings not only shed new light on the fate of this iconic species but also demonstrate a useful method for conservation prioritisation and search efforts for other rare species of uncertain status."
Co-author Dr Stephen Sleightholme from the International Thylacine Specimen Database said the Thylacine was one of the most fascinating and enigmatic animals of modern times.
"It has captivated the public's imagination for decades and inspired many efforts to prove its ongoing existence," Dr Sleightholme said.
"Our study shows that there is still much to learn about its history and ecology."
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