Zoology WI

Okay, this isn't as exciting as it may seem, but I've been wondering what it would take to keep certain species from going extinct.

Primarily the thylacine. The thylacine (otherwise known as the Tasmanian tiger or wolf, for those that don't know) was a carnivorous marsupial that lived in Australia. The last known living specimen was captured in 1933 and placed in the Hobart Zoo, where it lived until 1936.

The thylacine has always fascinated me, and I think the Aussies really lucked out when this animal vanished (although some theorists might argue it still exists, I tend to go with the facts).

What would it take to save this species up until the present day, if not longer? It supposedly was extinct on the Australian mainland before European settlement, due to the invasion of the dingo. But it is unlikely the two species were often in competition (the thylacine was a nocturnal hunter whereas the dingo hunted during the day). Their exitinction on Tasmania is attributed to sheep farmers who put out bounties. What POD would be needed for this animal to survive? Is it possible for it to flourish once more, or would be destined to become like the South China tiger or Javan rhino, with very, very few individuals left?
 
It wasn't that dingos hunted during the day, it was that dingos ate all the food, or enough of it that the thylacine found it hard to make a living.

As for saving it, the bounty and the attitude of farmers is a problem, perhaps if it was protected earler and farmers were paid a bounty for every dead sheep.
 

NothingNow

Banned
What would it take to save this species up until the present day, if not longer?

Have the Austrailian government (or some nutty Millionare) Payout for damages caused by the Thylacine, at something like 10% above market rate. It'll cut the reasons for hunting them to nothing overnight. Hell, farmers would intentionally leave their sheep out to be eaten at that price.
 
Have the Austrailian government (or some nutty Millionare) Payout for damages caused by the Thylacine, at something like 10% above market rate. It'll cut the reasons for hunting them to nothing overnight. Hell, farmers would intentionally leave their sheep out to be eaten at that price.

But is it likely that the Australian government would subsidize the farmers every time a sheep died? That would surely cost a lot of money.

What would need to be changed in the minds of the Australian government to make shooting thylacines illegal earlier?
 

NothingNow

Banned
But is it likely that the Australian government would subsidize the farmers every time a sheep died? That would surely cost a lot of money.
Yeah, but not that much really, since take rates are usually fairly low, and Farmers might still put in place Passive protection measures, like barbed-wire and electric fences or Livestock Guardian Dogs like the Great Pyrenees or English Mastiff ( widespread use of the Mastiff as a working dog will make for some serious butterflies later on.)

What would need to be changed in the minds of the Australian government to make shooting thylacines illegal earlier?

Muir and Roosevelt "convincing" them of Such. :p :eek:
 
Okay, so let's say some modern thinking gets put in place earlier on (did any other prominent animals become extinct between 1918 and 1930?). As a result of this, the Australian government and public works harder to preserve many of their native animals, including the thylacine. The Tasmanians used the thylacine in their coat of arms since 1917 I believe, maybe they realise that their regional emblem is slowly disappearing.

What butterflies will the survival of the thylacine have in zoology later on? Will people work harder to preserve endangered species or will they see it like: "well, it didn't go wrong that time, so why should it next time?"
 
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