We in the cryptozoology community post often about the beloved thylacine, but for me the part of its history I have a hard time coming to terms with is its last days at the zoo and the films which appear to be a dank miserable zoo environment.
But how was their care really? Who ran that zoo? Maybe if we know a little bit about that it may be easier to study the last of these amazing creatures.
It turns out that this zoo wasn’t as uncaring as the video made it seem by its age and quality.
A women named Mary Roberts opened the Beaumaris Zoo on her property in Hobart in 1875.
Mary had no formal schooling in zoology, but she did have a passion for Tasmanian fauna. Mary began sharing her passion with the general public in 1895.
Her great love and care for the thylacine was well known. She became the first woman to successfully breed them in captivity. So loved by her they were, that she wrote a manual on the keeping, caring, and breeding of the thylacine.
She was accepted into the Zoological Society of London, where she began gaving lectures on the care of these amazing marsupials.
In 1921 Mary Roberts passed away and the zoo and its many inhabitants were offered to the Tasmanian government, who declined the offer sadly. Then they were cared for by a Scottish farmer who was a great nature enthusiast. The Beaumaris Zoo was eventually moved to a location in Queens.
Sadly the last known living tiger died in 1936, the zoo itself closed a year later in 1937. There are only a few remains left of the zoo’s buildings where it stood last…
The remains of the last thylacine were given to the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, who being unaware they had the last specimen of its kind, did a traveling exhibit with them instead of working on proper storage and cataloguing.
But how does all this make you feel now? Is it better to see those videos knowing Mary Roberts truly cared for them and tried to educate everyone on their proper care?
For me personally it makes it a little better understanding their history with at least their time with her. I still question their care in their last days . They appear so skinny in the videos, and just knowing the last one died due a cold spell, because they weren’t put in the proper habitat that night just doesn’t help me.
I pray they had some affection along the way. And as much as I would love to see these elusive creatures alive, I don’t agree with the de-extinction plan for them.
Humans are doing a number on this planet causing extinction and near extinction of many of its species. So the idea that it would be a good thing to bring them back in a time we are killing off others just doesn’t make sense and seems highly unethical to me.
What are your thoughts on the de-extinction of the thylacine? Do you think this world can support and keep them alive now in its current state? Let me know.
Have a great Monday…
https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/roberts-mary-grant-8228
Sasysquatchgirl 
thank you
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