REVEALED: Tasmanian Tigers were FAR smaller than scientists first thought - and it means they probably didn't hunt large prey Hello people in the world, today Random Find Truth will provide information about the correctness and important updated opinions that you must read with the title REVEALED: Tasmanian Tigers were FAR smaller than scientists first thought - and it means they probably didn't hunt large prey that has been Random Find Truth analysis, search and prepare well for you to read all. Hopefully information from Random Find Truth about Articles News, the Random Find Truth write you can make us all human beings who are knowledgeable and blessed for all.

Title : REVEALED: Tasmanian Tigers were FAR smaller than scientists first thought - and it means they probably didn't hunt large prey
Link : REVEALED: Tasmanian Tigers were FAR smaller than scientists first thought - and it means they probably didn't hunt large prey

• Tasmanian Tigers were only about half as big as once thought, study reveals 
• Thylacine only weighed about 17kg on average, Monash University research says
• New body mass estimates for thylacines place them as specialists on small prey

Advanced three-dimensional scanning has been used to establish that Tasmanian Tigers were only about half as big as once thought, changing the way scientists see their position in the Australian ecosystem.

The Monash University study found the thylacine (aka Tasmanian Tiger), only weighed about 17kg on average.

The research, published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B on Wednesday, was led by PhD student Douglass Rovinsky who admits he 'spends an uncomfortable amount of time staring at the thylacine'.

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Advanced three-dimensional scanning has been used to establish that Tasmanian Tigers were only about half as big as once thought, changing the way scientists see their position in the Australian ecosystem

Mystery surrounds the Tasmanian Tiger, which has been extinct since the 1930s, has long fascinated scientists and become an icon of Australian biodiversity.

While there's some archival film footage, the species is a true enigma with almost no direct observations supporting an understanding of their behaviour and biology.

Previously the most commonly used estimate of its body weight was 29.5kg , and the new discovery revises how scientists understand its biology and role in the ecosystem.

It unravels the mystery of the size of the thylacine by bringing together traditional measurement techniques with advanced 3D scanning and volumetric methods, and the largest database of museum specimens that spans six countries and incorporates 93 individual thylacines.

The research, supervised of the BDI's Dr Justin W Adams and Assoc Prof Alistair Evans from the School of Biological Sciences, established that there were strong differences in the average male and female body size, with the male mean of 19.7kg and female mean of 13.7kg.

The mixed sex population mean of 16.7kg is well below the 21kg threshold for when predators are likely to take large prey.

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The Monash University study found the thylacine (skeleton pictured), only weighed about 17kg on average

'This result also fundamentally challenges prior views about the thylacines as a carnivore, and underscores that thylacines were a predator that evolved to consume prey smaller than themselves,' Dr Adams said.

The new body mass estimates for thylacines place them as specialists on small prey, challenging prior interpretations of them as convergent with species like wolves that specialise in pack-hunting prey substantially larger than themselves.

'Rewriting the thylacine as a smaller animal changes the way we look at its position in the Australian ecosystem - because what a predator can eat is very much dependent on just how big they are,' Mr Rovinsky said.

'Many of the 19th century newspaper reports just might have been 'tall tales' - told to make the thylacine seem bigger, more impressive ... and more dangerous!'

REVEALED: Tasmanian Tigers were FAR smaller than scientists first thought - and it means they probably didn't hunt large prey

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REVEALED: Tasmanian Tigers were FAR smaller than scientists first thought - and it means they probably didn't hunt large prey

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