Thylacine



The thylacine (Thylacinus cynocephalus), more commonly known as the Tasmanian wolf or Tasmanian tiger, was the largest modern marsupial carnivore until it went extinct in 1936. Thylacines first evolved around 23 million years ago and had become practically marsupial dogs, both having adapted to similar niches. In their prime, thylacines were the apex predators of New Guinea, Australia, and Tasmania, although Tasmanian devils likely preyed on their young. More than 4000 years ago, Asian traders introduced dingoes to Australia. . Dingoes and thylacines occupied different ecological niches (like the opossum eating in your trash can live in harmony with the raccoon also eating from your trash), but apparently shared diseases, and thylacines became extinct on mainland Australia. A population persisted on Tasmania, but hunting continued, and in 1936, the species became extinct.

Cryptozoology
Despite its extinction, some 3800 unconfirmed sightings of the thylacine have been reported. In addition, there are the usual dubious photographs and government funded searches that turn up nothing. Some sightings apparently even come from mainland Australia and New Guinea, where thylacines have been extinct for literally thousands of years.

Cloning and genetics
In 1999, a project to clone the thylacine began, and even claimed a breakthrough. Unfortunately, the project was canceled in 2005. Some work has been done since on thylacine genetics, including the sequencing of the thylacine mitochondrial genome, and possibly getting the nuclear genome for $1 million.