Thylacine ( Thylacinus cynocephalus )
Thylacine - Thylacine information - Thylacine facts
The Thylacine is from the evolutionary point of view an old animal. His original habitat was Australia with close islands however it did not succeed well enough to compete with native dogs as well as with Dingo. Therefore its population was decreased rapidly. Sheep introduced by European settlers were its only rescue from extinction and soon became its main prey.
It is 100-130 cm (40-50 in) long with a long tail. Its weight is 15-36 kg (33-77 lb). It has got a brownish fur with dark stripes on the back. It has got strong jaw and muscular legs which are able to jump as high as 2.5 m (8 feet).
Thylacinus cynocephalus inhabited Australia, New Guinea and Tasmania. There it lived in savannas, rocky mountains and forests. It fed on sheep, wallabies, bandicoots, birds and rodents. It is a solitary animal. The female Thylacine gives birth to 2-4 young after a long lasting breeding season.
However, it is now widely believed to be extinct. The last one died in the Hobart Zoo in 1936.
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