A British taxidermy has snapped up what’s believed to be the only surviving Tasmanian tiger head in existence, after it was put up for auction.
The rare specimen of the extinct native Australian animal was initially mistaken for a stuffed fox and listed with an estimated value of just £30 to £50 (approx. AUD$50 -$90).
However two eagle-eyed bidders realised the value of the item, sparking a fierce bidding war with James Cranfield winning the bid for £62,000 ($A119,000).
“I’ve sort of peaked in my career. It won’t get any better than this,” Cranfield said.
“And as goofy and as silly as it looks, this is so special.
“This might be able to unlock something that we previously didn’t know about an extinct species.”
The Tasmanian tiger, also known as the thylacine, was driven to extinction over a decade ago by humans, who hunted them to death.
The last Tasmanian tiger died on September 7, 1936 at Hobart Zoo.
European settlers at the time blamed the deaths of their sheep on the animals, as it looked like “predators that had been problematic for farming practices where they came from,” according to Melbourne scientist Professor Andrew Pask.
It was later revealed that they were “unfortunately, the scapegoat” as sheep wasn’t its main food source.
The rare find at the auction has excited collectors and scientists alike, with hopes that it could provide new insights into the extinct marsupial.
Image: 7News
