The Thylacine and Officialdom
Posted by: Nick Redfern on May 4th, 2012
For those fascinated by the stories of still-living thylacines, you may find this link – to the official website of the Australian Government – of interest, since it’s an entire page on the thylacine, with its history, decline and extinction described and detailed. And there are some cool images of the beast accompanying the article, too.
But, it’s intriguing to note that officialdom in Australia does not rule out the possibility that the creature just might not be extinct, after all. Indeed, as the government’s website specifically notes:
“Since 1936, there have been many recorded sightings of the thylacine. In fact, sightings were a common occurrence until the 1960s, but not one of theses sightings has ever been substantiated. Interestingly, not all of these sightings have been in Tasmania. Claims of sightings have occurred in rural north Queensland, South Australia and Victoria. Examination of photographs taken of alleged thylacine sightings have generally revealed the animal in question to be a feral dog with striped markings. The most intriguing of these was a report made in 1977 of a group of thylacines, including a female with young in her pouch, somewhere on the New South Wales-Victorian border.”
Perhaps, one day, we’ll see an update at the site with a big announcement that, yes, the thylacine does still live. Don’t bet against it!
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.
I hope this animal is not extinct.
I believe they still exist, though have no proof. Still hoping to see one during my forays into the Australian bush, including a most likely habitat, the South Gippsland area of Victoria – no such luck yet, but keep my camera always ready.