The final known thylacine specimen, long thought to be lost by museum staff, was identified in the collection of the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery in 2022.
Researchers confirmed the remains, which consist of a disarticulated skeleton and a flattened skin, had been hidden in plain sight for decades after being used for school educational exhibits.
The species, commonly known as the Tasmanian tiger, became extinct in 1936 when the last captive individual died of exposure at the Beaumaris Zoo in Hobart after being left outside overnight. For years, curators at the museum assumed the animal’s remains had been discarded after its death.
The identification occurred after museum curator Kathryn Medlock found an archived, unpublished taxidermist’s report from 1936 that referenced the specimen.
“I was able to track down the records and confirm the identity of the remains,” Medlock told Discover Wildlife. After reviewing all existing thylacine skins and skeletons in the collection, the team matched the records to the previously unidentified remains.
The specimen is now on display at the museum, providing a tangible link to the species’ final days. The discovery corrected a long-standing belief that the last member of the species had been lost to history.
Why was the specimen missing for so long?
The remains were not formally cataloged as the last thylacine after they were removed from the zoo. They were later used as part of a traveling educational exhibit for schools, which led to the records becoming separated from the physical remains.
How did researchers confirm these were the correct remains?
Curator Kathryn Medlock cross-referenced the museum’s collection against an unpublished 1936 taxidermist’s report. By verifying the specific skin and skeletal records against the physical items held in storage, the team confirmed they had located the individual that died at the Beaumaris Zoo.
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