Hunt For Once Extinct Tasmanian Tigers Begin After They're Seen In Australia

It's been more than 80 years since the last Tasmanian tiger was seen alive. The last known animal is thought to have died in a zoo in Hobart, Tasmania in 1936.

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But now, a series of ¡°sightings¡± in the Far North Queensland has prompted scientists to start a hunt for the extinct predator. According to reports, Brian Hobbs, a former tourism operator a former tourism operator allegedly caught the sight of animal and immediately notified experts about it.

Researchers from James Cook University have now launched a search for the animal long considered extinct.

A model of the extinct Tasmanian Tiger/ Reuters

Reports suggest that in the project set to kickstart next month, a team of experts will install 50 camera traps to try to spot a so-called tiger, in Cape York, a peninsula in the country¡¯s north-east corner.

Sandra Abell, a researcher with James Cook University, told the Guardian that more reported sightings came in after the news was made public.

"It is a low possibility that we¡¯ll find thylacines, but we¡¯ll certainly get lots of data on the predators in the area and that will help our studies in general," the Guardian quoted her.

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"It¡¯s not a mythical creature. A lot of the descriptions people give, it¡¯s not a glimpse in the car headlights. People who say they¡¯ve actually seen them can describe them in great detail, so it¡¯s hard to say they¡¯ve seen anything else."

Intrigued by this news, prominent atheist and scientist Richard Dawkins, tweeted saying, "Can it be true? Has Thylacinus been seen alive? And in mainland Australia, not Tasmania? I so want it to be true.¡±

Can it be true? https://t.co/4Qjv8jdzXm Has Thylacinus been seen alive? And in mainland Australia not Tasmania? I so want it to be true.

¡ª Richard Dawkins (@RichardDawkins) 25 March 2017

The answer to which, only time and research will tell.