However, this resource can still be improved. To date, the thylacine represents the highest quality extinct genome for any species (and before you ask, yes, that includes the woolly mammoth and the dodo). This is an essential first step in any de-extinction project, and the likelihood of de-extincting the animal is completely reliant on the quality and accuracy of that genome. Tasmanian tigers start to look like dogs in the pouch We’ve released the thylacine genome which is basically a complete genetic blueprint or set of instructions on how to build a thylacine. The good news is that this step is complete. If we look specifically at the process to de-extinct the thylacine, there are nine key steps. While the work on marsupial cloning along with embryo growth and development can help marsupial breeding programs and species management strategies. Picture: Getty Imagesĭeveloping gene editing technologies means we can tackle issues like engineering cane toad toxin resistance into vulnerable marsupial species. A fully grown thylacine could measure 180 centimetres from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail. Our work will lead to much-needed technological advances in this space which include developing methods for creating marsupial stem cells to biobank species diversity and protect against species loss from events like Australia’s recent devastating bushfires. While there is a broad ethical conversation to be had about de-extinction, the advances in marsupial science have immediate conservation benefits. And a recent major philanthropic donation has provided 10 years of funding to establish the TIGRR lab(Thylacine Integrated Genomic Restoration Research lab) to enable the development of novel technologies for marsupial conservation and restoration. This means it provides the perfect environment to re-introduce the thylacine, enabling it to reoccupy its niche.īut bringing back an animal costs a lot of money. If we look at the modern-day habitat in Tasmania, it has remained relatively unchanged. So how do you go about de-extincting these important animals? No bones about it, dunnarts crawl before growing a skeleton Thylacines would have helped control the spread of this deadly disease in Tasmania, and could have helped prevent the now near-extinction of the Tasmanian devil. The emergence of the fatal Tasmanian devil facial tumour disease is a clear example of what can happen in an ecosystem when sick animals are no longer preyed upon and removed from the population. This unique animal was hunted to extinction by European settlers who thought it a threat to the sheep industry. Our country’s modern apex predators – which now includes the likes of saltwater crocodiles and the dingo – form an extremely important part of the food chain and are often responsible for stabilising ecosystems. It was known as Australia’s only marsupial apex predator. Like the dingo, the thylacine was a very quiet animal. Its thick black stripes extended from the shoulders to the base of the tail. It had an iconic wolf or dog-like appearance, often described as a long dog with stripes, because it had a long, stiff tail and a big head.Ī fully grown thylacine could measure 180 centimetres from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail and stood 58 centimetres high. The thylacine was completely unique among extant marsupials at the time. Secrets from beyond extinction: The Tasmanian tiger However, this unique animal was hunted to extinction by European settlers who thought it a threat to the Tasmanian sheep industry and the last known animal died in captivity in 1936. The thylacine was broadly distributed across Australia before becoming extinct on the mainland around 3,000 years ago. The history of the thylacine is a sad one. Our research focuses on the marsupial, thylacine – also known as the Tasmanian tiger – which is in fact one of the best candidates for de-extinction. The thylacine was often described as a long dog with stripes, because it had a long, stiff tail and a big head. Bringing extinct animals back from the dead is no longer the realm of science fiction but is fast becoming a scientific reality.Īround the world, research is ongoing to bring back key species using modern science advances in DNA sequencing, DNA editing and reproductive technologies.
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