The Tasmanian Tiger Lecture

Secrets From Beyond Extinction

Dr Christy Hipsley

Using techniques never imagined when the last Tasmanian tiger died in a Hobart zoo last century, scientists have extracted ancient DNA from a preserved thylacine pup in our collection.

This has enabled them to sequence the thylacine genome, making it one of the most complete genetic blueprints for an extinct animal.

Join Dr Christy Hipsley as she describes the 3D digital imaging techniques used to reconstruct the thylacine's unique biology. She'll also share the secrets her team have discovered, including the thylacine's uncanny resemblance to dogs despite 160 million years of independent evolution and its relationship to other Australian marsupials.

Speaker

Dr Christy Hipsley, Museums Victoria/University of Melbourne

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