The thylacine, also commonly known as the Tasmanian tiger, Tasmanian wolf or marsupial wolf is an extinct species of carnivorous marsupial which was native to the Australian mainland and the islands of Tasmania and New Guinea. The thylacine died out in New Guinea and mainland Australia around 3,600–3,200 years ago, possibly because of the introduction of the dingo, whose earliest record dates to around the same time, but which never reached Tasmania. Before European settlement, around 5,000 remained in the wild on the island of Tasmania. Beginning in the 19th century, they were perceived as a threat to the livestock of farmers and bounty hunting was introduced. The last known of its species died in 1936 at Hobart Zoo in Tasmania. The thylacine is widespread in popular culture and is a cultural icon in Australia.
