The thylacine, tasmanian tiger, a dog-sized marsupial from down under has been thought to be extinct for some 70 years. The arrival of wild dogs (dingos) pushed the thylacine to island habitats (tasmania) and people either did, or nearly did, finish them off early in the 20th century. Bounties were given to hunters, you know the story.
Since the tassie was decalred extinct, there have been some 4000 reported sitings, but none with conclusive proof. A tourist produced images allegedly taken with his digital camera, recently, sparking a new kind of hunt for a thylacine. With a bounty even.
Unfortunately, tassies can reportedly be frightened to death and the neo-hunters need to capture an adult, alive and unharmed, and have it inspected.
One of the tourist's images:
Quote:Mr Mooney [a wildlife biologist with Tasmania's Department of Primary Industries] fears the millions on offer will start an international stampede that will threaten not only Tasmanian tigers but other native animals.
"The risk of trying to catch a thylacine is immense," he said. "I see no excuse for catching it. It would be completely unethical."
Several animals known to have been trapped died suddenly from the shock and a huge hunt would inevitably involve traps and hurt native species. Mr Mooney said although the species was presumed extinct it was "still wholly protected" under the law.
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