New Study Reveals Unique Bite Mechanics of the Extinct Tasmanian Tiger

A joint investigation by Flinders University and the University of Melbourne examined the skull structure of the extinct thylacine, revealing a set of features—a large skull, long tall jaw and mace-shaped snout—that enabled a distinctive, high-impact snapping bite. Researchers concluded this bite was suited for subduing small-to-medium prey like bandicoots, contradicting earlier notions that the species could take down larger animals such as sheep.

Vera Weisbecker noted that the thylacine cannot be directly compared to any living meat-eating mammal, highlighting its singular predatory style. The findings also reinforce the idea that misconceptions about the thylacine’s threat to livestock fueled bounties that hastened its extinction. Additionally, Weisbecker clarified that, despite its dog-like nickname, the thylacine was a marsupial more closely related to kangaroos and the Tasmanian devil.