The Tasmanian Tiger (Thylacine) was the largest carnivorous marsupial of the modern era, evolving around 4 million years ago. It became extinct in the 1930s due to excessive hunting by farmers who blamed it for killing sheep and poultry. Other factors were a loss of habitat to agriculture, disease, and the introduction of dogs. This remarkable creature lived in Tasmania, Australia, and New Guinea and could grow to almost two meters in length from head to tail.
The Tasmanian Tiger was at the top of the food chain (apex predator) and nocturnally ambushed prey including kangaroos, wallabies, possums, birds, and small mammals. Its jaws could open 120 degrees, and its stomach could distend to consume large quantities of food, meaning it could survive in sparsely populated areas. It was an unusual marsupial because both sexes had a pouch; the male used it to protect its genitals when running through the brush.
Extinct animals in the world 