Thylacine - extinct species cloning project dropped and restarted
The extinct species Thylacine (Thylacinus cynocephalus) is also called Tasmanian Wolf or Tasmanian Tiger. Its extinction in the wild (1932) was caused by the introduction of dogs, and by people actively hunting the animal. The last living Thylacine was Benjamin in the Hobart zoo in Australia in 1936. I found a short black and white clip of him on google video. Watch here. There also has been a lot of debate on whether and how to clone the thylacine. There has been a group of researchers that started the project, but after they saw that the quality of the extracted DNA was too poor, they aborted their mission (source). In may of this year, the University of NSW's Dean of Science Mike Archer said the work was being picked up by a group of interested universities and a research institute (source)
eleven comments:
That is a freaky looking creature. That’d be cool if they cloned him again!
El (Email) (URL) - 08 12 05 - 02:31
It might be worth mentioning that Tasmania is pretty much a giant forest and that there are Tassie Tiger sightings reported fairly often. Given the terrain of the state and the relatively small human population in Tasmania it’s quite possible that one day a pack of these will walk out from the bush and will suddenly be back on the map again.
More about Tasmania – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tasmania
Sassy (Email) (URL) - 13 07 06 - 01:23
I firmly believe the Tassie Tiger is alive and kicking. Wait till one walks right in front of someone with a high-quality digital camera and the proof is plastered all over the international news. _ I plan on going to Tazmania when I save up enough money and BEING that person. Just try and stop me! :P
Hope - 27 03 08 - 06:05
I think these are unique and beautiful creatures. I would love to see them again in my days of living. If they are not already still here.
Rachel (Email) - 06 06 08 - 19:32
thylacines are so cute :P i’d love having a nonaggressive pup as a pet.
once cloning is done maybe people could try altering their DNA to make them smaller.
and yes allot of people have reported seeing these extraordinary creatures.
joe (Email) - 03 07 08 - 23:07
if the thylacene is still alive why isnt there hard evidence of one. These reported sightings could be as false as the people that make them. Although they still may exist i wouldnt bank on it. Cloning of the beast would be a mistake. They are extinct for a reason and in that people are the reason why they are extinct.
kim - 17 07 08 - 04:10
Cloning would not be a mistake, as it is extinct due to human ignorance and could be brought back into a world now more aware of such a thing.
I could’ve sworn they gave up the project anyway, the 2005 bit as well, or else perhaps we could find something on it. Maybe, if technology advances, it could be brought back, but every year is taking its toll on the few embryos and bits of DNA preserved.
Chelsea - 18 07 08 - 08:12
i believe that the thylacine is still alive. however, sinc there is still no conclusive evidence, cloning the animal is a great way to go. just think if this animal could be cloned then what other animals could be brought back. the Wooly mammoth, the dodo, ect. the possibilities are endless.
cody (Email) - 18 11 08 - 21:04
The Thylacine is extinct due to the introduction of the dingo and excessive hunting by humans. Farmers used to blame them for killing their sheep and poultry and a bounty was placed on them in 1887. By 1912, over 2,200 were killed. The last Thylacine died in captivity at the Hobart Zoo due to a careless caretaker who didn’t put the thylacine in its shed at night and it died of the cold. Human overkill, land use and the overlapping of niches by the dingo caused the Thylacines extinction. And it’s not a beast, they were very shy animals and very neat creatures. Also, it was the last marsupial carnivore.
Kim (Email) - 10 03 09 - 05:58
I love this animal hope thwy can clone it. 
Jonathan - 17 04 09 - 04:31
Cloning this creature would be like stepping into another world. Although the possibilities are NOT endless, we’d still need Deoxyrybonucleic acid (DNA)from them so no dinosours. And they were not wiped out by natural selection they were killed by those Cencored jerks with guns, dogs, poision, traps and weird diseases. Like always.
Joe - 12 03 10 - 17:01
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