Smithsonian Magazine · People & society

Tasmanian Tiger's Diet Re-evaluated, Challenging Extinction Myth

New research analyzing Tasmanian tiger skulls suggests the extinct marsupial likely preyed on small to medium-sized animals, challenging the long-held belief that they were a threat to livestock and a primary reason for their extinction.

European colonists killed Tasmanian tigers (thylacines) due to fears they attacked livestock, contributing to their extinction. However, recent skull analysis indicates they primarily hunted smaller prey, not larger animals.

This challenges the myth that thylacines were "ferocious predators of livestock," a misconception that led to their demise.

Thylacines, once widespread in Australia, survived only in Tasmania by the early 1800s. Settlers, viewing them as similar to wolves, assumed they threatened livestock, leading to systematic killing.

A study compared thylacine skulls with other carnivores. Thylacines, weighing about 37 pounds, had proportionally large heads and slender snouts, unlike wolves.

Scientists propose thylacines hunted by quickly snapping up small prey with their long jaws, rather than attacking large animals. Their jaw structure suggests a hunting style like crocodiles.

While not closely related to wolves, their resemblance led to mistaken assumptions. Research suggests they were likely incapable of killing adult livestock, though occasional predation on young might have occurred.

The last known thylacine died in 1936, but over 1,000 potential sightings have been reported since, fueling speculation about their survival.

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