Commenting on the Thylacine
Posted by: Nick Redfern on November 27th, 2013
The last Tasmanian Tigers in captivity.
“The thylacine is not extinct. I say this without reservation. I don’t suppose the thylacine (or Tasmanian tiger) remains extant, or imagine, or even hope it is; I know categorically that the thylacine exists, because I have seen it in the flesh. I have also heard it and smelt it over the past 20 years and handled some mighty convincing eyewitness reports along the way.”
About Nick Redfern
Punk music fan, Tennents Super and Carlsberg Special Brew beer fan, horror film fan, chocolate fan, like to wear black clothes, like to stay up late. Work as a writer.
Great article. I’ve seen enough eye witness testimony to believe they are still around. And I didn’t like the ending of The Hunter.
I sincerely hope that the thylacine are still in existence but I don’t feel that this animal should be referred to as or grouped along with other cryptids. The thylacine is a known animal with still and motion picture images, skeletons and pelts to prove it’s existence in the real world. There is no question of that reality and on that basis the thylacine should not be called a cryptid which is an animal or being which is not yet recognized by science with empirical evidence.
And further more…harrumph…lol.
“…the late Dr. Eric Guiler…”
Each one of these is a library burning down. Fortunately we can archive a lot of what they thought.
I’d believe this guy before I’d believe a white-coat who hasn’t been out there much. Most of the time I’ve spent in the wilds you could be convinced I was the only thing breathing out there. Of course I wasn’t.
It is indeed ridiculous to point to extinction as a fact. It is a premature judgment, silly.
Cryptozoology is the study of “hidden” animals, which may or may not be unknown to science. The thylacine is a cryptid by virtue of it’s potential extant nature being unknown and not pursued by science in general. Other cryptids that are known to science by virtue of bones, which have been pursued by cryptozoologists, and have been reported by witnesses, are woolly mammoths, saber-toothed cats, dire wolves, primitive elephants, living dinosaurs, giant sloths, and megalodons, among many others.
Of course the potential animals unknown to science, such as the yeti, sasquatch, etc., are obviously cryptids.
Not a cryptid. But if its found its not extinct after decades, as science has deemed, it can be used as ammo against those who say a certain cryptid can’t exist and inspiration to keep searching.