The first full genetic blueprint of the long-extinct thylacine has revealed the animal suffered from genetic weakness well before it was isolated on Tasmania10,000 to 13,000 years ago.
An international team of researchers led by associate professor Andrew Pask from the University of Melbourne used DNA from the 106-year-old preserved remains of a juvenile thylacine or Tasmanian tiger to sequence the animal's genome, making it one of the most complete genetic blueprints for an extinct species.
Their findings, published in the journal Nature, provide new information on the biology of the unique marsupial and reveal that the population was in danger long before it came in contact with humans.
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"We've always known that the Tasmanian tiger did not have much genetic diversity, so it would be more susceptible to diseases," he said.
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