EXPERT POURS COLD WATER ON ‘SIGHTING’

A LEADING biologist says animals captured on camera by a thylacine hunter in North-East Tasmania are most likely common marsupials.

In a three-minute video posted to YouTube, South Australian thylacine hunter Neil Waters claimed to have captured images of a mother, father and baby thylacine.

Sipping on a can of Boag’s Draught as he strolled around “some little town” in North-East Tasmania, Mr Waters described the images, which had not been released to the public.

“When I checked me SD cards I found some photos that are pretty damn good,” he said.

Mr Waters said the image of the young thylacine was “not ambiguous”.

Mr Waters sent the images to Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery Honorary Curator of Vertebrate Zoology Nick Mooney, (pictured).

However, a statement from TMAG said the images were deemed not to show thylacines following a review by Mr Mooney.

“Nick Mooney has concluded, that based on the physical characteristics shown in the photos provided by Mr Waters, the animals are very unlikely to be thylacines, and are most likely Tasmanian pademelons,” the statement said.

“TMAG regularly receives requests for verification from members of the public who hope that the thylacine is still with us. However, sadly, there have been no confirmed sightings documented of the thylacine since 1936.”

The Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment continues to record reported sightings of thylacines from across Tasmania.

However the species remains “presumed extinct”.

NICK MOONEY HAS CONCLUDED, THAT ... THE ANIMALS ARE VERY UNLIKELY TO BE THYLACINES, AND ARE MOST LIKELY TASMANIAN PADEMELONS