The Tasmanian Tiger (Thylacine)

The Tasmanian tiger, or thylacine, is one of the most famous extinct animals of the modern era. It was the largest known carnivorous marsupial of modern times, native to Tasmania.

Hunted heavily under government bounty programs and affected by other pressures, the thylacine was driven to extinction, with the last known individual dying in 1936. Its story is a well-known example of a species lost in recent history.

This is the story of the largest carnivorous marsupial of modern times.

The thylacine's legacy is being a powerful symbol of recent human-caused extinction. As the largest carnivorous marsupial of modern times, hunted to extinction with the last known individual dying in 1936, it is central to conservation awareness in Australia and beyond.

The thylacine influences how people think about extinction, marsupials, and conservation. Its loss is widely cited as a cautionary example of the impact of hunting and human pressures on wildlife.

Compared with placental predators, the thylacine was a marsupial carnivore that carried young in a pouch. Compared with other extinct species, it is a striking example of a recent extinction driven substantially by human hunting under bounties.

A native marsupial (before the 1800s); European settlement (early 1800s); bounties and hunting (1800s); steep decline (late 1800s-early 1900s); the last known thylacine (1936); a symbol of extinction (after 1936).

Some details of the thylacine's biology and the precise timing of its extinction are uncertain, and there are unconfirmed reports of later sightings. This article presents these points neutrally and avoids stating uncertain claims as fact.

Not applicable. As an extinct species, the thylacine did not receive awards, but it holds a prominent place in the history of extinction and conservation.

The Tasmanian tiger is one of the most recognized extinct animals in the world, and it is an enduring emblem of Tasmania and of conservation.

In 2026, the thylacine remains a powerful symbol of recent human-caused extinction. Its story continues to inform conservation awareness and discussions of protecting wildlife.

Did You Know: The last known Tasmanian tiger died in 1936. Imagine If: A striped marsupial predator roams Tasmania - that's the thylacine. Historic Moment: The death of the last known thylacine in 1936. On This Day: 1936 - the last known Tasmanian tiger dies.

Short Summary: The Tasmanian tiger (thylacine) was the largest carnivorous marsupial of modern times, hunted to extinction, with the last known individual dying in 1936.

Medium Summary: The thylacine, or Tasmanian tiger, was the largest known carnivorous marsupial of modern times, native to Tasmania. Hunted under government bounties and affected by other pressures, it was driven to extinction, with the last known individual dying in 1936, and became a symbol of recent extinction.

Long Summary: Before the 1800s, the thylacine lived in Tasmania as the largest carnivorous marsupial of modern times, a distinctive predator with stripes across its back. In the early 1800s, European settlement expanded and human activity increasingly affected the species, which became viewed as a threat to livestock. Through the 1800s it was hunted under government bounty programs, a major driver of its decline, and through the late 1800s and early 1900s it declined steeply and became increasingly rare. In 1936 the last known thylacine died in captivity, a date widely cited for its extinction. After 1936 the thylacine became a symbol of recent human-caused extinction, widely referenced in culture and conservation and remaining an emblem of Tasmania. Some biological details remain uncertain, and reported later sightings are unconfirmed.