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https://theconversation.com/extinct-but-not-gone-the-thylacine-continues-to-fascinate-us-201865>
"Human life on Earth is utterly dependent on biodiversity but our activities
are driving an increase in extinctions. Yet some extinct species continue to
hold our fascination. New methods in genetics and reproductive biology hold the
promise that de-extinction – resurrecting extinct species – could soon be
possible.
But bringing back extinct species is costly. Shouldn’t our focus be on
preventing further extinctions?
Almost 20 years ago, for instance, it was looking like impending doom for the
Tasmanian devil. It’s the world’s largest surviving marsupial carnivore after
the loss of the thylacine. In the words of Oscar Wilde, “to lose both looks
like carelessness”.
The enigmatic thylacine, also known as the Tasmanian tiger, continues to
capture people’s attention. The size of a wolf, it was officially declared
extinct in its last stronghold in Tasmania. Lost before it was ever appreciated
or studied, the thylacine is known only from anecdotes.
An iconic symbol of extinction for many but also a symbol of hope, the
thylacine has high cultural significance. This iconic animal might still be
here if the European colonisers of Tasmania had appreciated a few decades
earlier just how unique the thylacine was, as the last member of the marsupial
carnivore family Thylacinidae, and stopped persecuting it.
A new book,
Thylacine: The History, Ecology and Loss of the Tasmanian Tiger,
presents new evidence-based knowledge about the thylacine in 78 contributions
(I wrote the introduction). New scientific and historical methods and large
databases mean we can learn much about the ecology and history of this animal
from remains it left behind – bones, DNA in skin and bones, rock art, oral
histories and historical records."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
