The Last Tasmanian Tiger The History and Extinction of the Thylacine [Paperback]

The most complete examination of the history and extinction of the Tasmanian tiger.This insightful book is the most complete and up-to-date examination of the history and extinction of one of Australia's most enduring folkloric beasts--the thylacine, otherwise affectionately known as the Tasmanian tiger. It challenges conventional theories explaining the behaviour and eventual extinction of the thylacine, arguing that rural politicians, ineffective political action by scientists, and a deeper intellectual prejudice about the inferiority of marsupials finally resulted in the extinction of this once proud species.This insightful book is the most complete and up-to-date examination of the history and extinction of one of Australia's most enduring folkloric beasts--the thylacine, otherwise affectionately known as the Tasmanian tiger. It challenges conventional theories explaining the behaviour and eventual extinction of the thylacine, arguing that rural politicians, ineffective political action by scientists, and a deeper intellectual prejudice about the inferiority of marsupials finally resulted in the extinction of this once proud species.This insightful examination of the history and extinction of one of Australia's most enduring folkloric beasts--the thylacine, (or Tasmanian tiger)-- challenges conventional theories. It argues that rural politicians, ineffective political action by scientists, and a deeper intellectual prejudice about the inferiority of marsupials actually resulted in the extinction of this once proud species. Hb ISBN (2000):0-521-78219-81. Introduction: science and the species from a European perspective; 2. Constructing objectivity: changing scientific perceptions of the thylacine; 3. Of signal importance: select social and predatory behaviours; 4. A predatory entertainment: stimuli of consuming interest; 5. Ovisceral exploitation: extracts of sheepish behaviour; 6. Mythology becomes misology: the dogmatism of unenlightenment; 7. Faunal fun and lÃ>