Dobsegna: In Some Parts Of Papua New Guinea

Colourised footage of Benjamin, the last know Tasmanian Tiger (Thylacine).

Benjamin died on September 7th, 1936 in Hobart zoo. It is believed that he died out of neglect, as he was locked out of his shelter and was exposed to the searing hot sun and freezing cold night of Tasmania.

The Thylacine was one of the last large marsupials left on Australia (the other being the Kangaroo) after a great extinction event occurred around 40 thousand years ago. This extinction event, caused mainly by the arrival of humans, wiped out 90% of Australia’s terrestrial vertebrates, including the famous Megafauna.

The Thylacine was around 15-30kg (33-66lbs), were carnivorous, and had numerous similarities to other species like dogs, despite not being related and purely by chance, in a phenomenon known as convergent evolution (just like the ability to fly of bats and birds, despite following different evolutionary paths). Not only that, they could open their jaws up to 120 degrees, could hop around on two legs like a kangaroo, and both males and females had pouches.

Lastly in a cruel twist, the Tasmanian government decided to protect the Thylacine - just 59 days before the last one died, in a very notable case case of “Too little too late”. To date, many biologists believe that there are still Thylacine roaming the wild plains of Australia. 

The Tasmanian Wolf in Walter P. Dando, More Wild Animals and the Camera, photographer Dando (1913) - 9789004186729. 

eyesperceive:

well this is an interesting animal… thylacine

A taxidermy mount of a male thylacine, donated by the Macleay Family and currently part of the Chau Chak Wing Museum‘s collection. Going by its display card, it’s possible the animal was shot by a William Petterd (1849-1910) in Tasmania in 1875. [ x ]

Everytime I see this I exhale deeply XD

It's Sept 7th, which means that Benjamin gets to be dead, his favorite activity

Happy New Years! Here's this lil edit

some more images of the thylacine you have probably never seen before

Brighton Thylacine details, an eye and a front and back foot. This thylacine taxidermy can be found at the Booth Museum, Brighton. (handy reference for artists and model makers.)

The Brighton Thylacine. This specimen lives in the Booth Natural History Museum and is on display at the time of writing. The collection  consists of natural history specimens collected by several Victorian collectors,(mostly taxidermy birds) plus others donated and found by locals. The museum now is themed around conservation and education.

The Thylacine was collected and mounted in the 1870s and is sadly quite faded, it is missing it’s stripes, though there is a chance it might not have had any. The feet are well preserved, as is it’s face. The display allows you to get close. I took more detailed photos which I will post. 

I really enjoyed wolf walkers and now it's one of my favorite movies!