An intact femur from the Territory tiger has been unearthed for the first time at the Alcoota Scientific Reserve, located near Alice Springs. This extinct species, a distant relative of the Tasmanian tiger, inhabited the area approximately eight million years ago.
The discovery of the thigh bone is expected to yield important information regarding the size of this dog-like creature. Central Australia, characterized by its red sandy desert, once supported a variety of life forms, including giant flightless birds, flamingos, crocodiles, and the largest known species of thylacine, known scientifically as Thylacinus cynocephalus. The environmental conditions during that period were significantly different, with a wetter climate and perennial rivers meandering through the landscape where the Territory tiger roamed, specifically in the fossil-rich Alcoota area, about 150 kilometers northeast of Alice Springs.
Every two years, a dedicated group of paleontologists, scientists, volunteers, and students from across Australia gather at the scientific reserve to explore its geological secrets. Adam Yates, a senior curator of earth sciences at the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (MAGNT), made a remarkable find while working in one of the reserve’s excavation pits.
After carefully removing layers of sediment from the site, Dr. Yates discovered the intact femur of the Territory tiger. “It’s an incredible feeling,” he remarked. “We’ve never encountered a complete skull, and finding a major limb bone like this is unprecedented.” Initially uncertain about his discovery, Dr. Yates explained, “I was clearing away material from a different bone when I spotted this ball joint. I continued to brush and trace it back.” He noted the importance of tempering his expectations, admitting, “You have to remind yourself it could be a common find.” However, this was indeed a significant discovery.
The femur will provide scientists with crucial insights into the dimensions of this late Miocene animal, marking the first specimen of its kind in the MAGNT collection. Although fragments of thylacine teeth and jaw bones have been collected from the site over the past forty years, nothing compares to this recent find.
“We have long speculated about the characteristics of the thylacine from Alcoota,” Dr. Yates explained, noting that it appears to differ from its Tasmanian relative. Initial theories suggested that the Alcoota tiger was larger than the Tasmanian species; however, the size of the femur indicates it may not have been as large as previously thought. “It doesn’t seem particularly large,” he stated.
Dr. Yates described the animal as potentially possessing unusual proportions, with a notably large head but a comparatively smaller body. “It resembles a bull-headed creature, quite distinct from the Tasmanian thylacine,” he said. Furthermore, he pointed out that the Alcoota thylacine had broader teeth compared to its Tasmanian counterpart, which featured sharp, slender teeth ideal for cutting through soft flesh. “The Alcoota thylacine had proportionally broader teeth that likely enabled it to consume tougher parts of its prey,” Dr. Yates explained. “There is evidence suggesting it could tackle bones, gristle, ligaments, and sinews more effectively.”
Once the femur is extracted from its location, preparations will be made for its transfer to Megafauna Central in Alice Springs. “We need to ensure it comes out intact,” he emphasized, noting that he was reinforcing the bone’s stability while carefully excavating around it.
