SYDNEY, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- More than 80 years after Australia's former top predator, the Tasmanian tiger, officially became extinct, reported sightings of the creature continue to baffle authorities, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation revealed on Wednesday.
With an appearance somewhere between a dog and a fox, and distinct striped markings along its back, the marsupial species known as a thylacine, or Tasmanian tiger, hasn't officially been seen alive since the last of its kind died in captivity back in the 1930s.
However, records kept by the Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment (DPIPWE) show that a number of Australians believe them to be very much alive, and hiding in the dense and remote bushland of their home state in Tasmania.
According to a DPIPWE document, which recorded sightings between September 1, 2016 to September 19, 2019, there have been eight reported incidents, including in February of last year when a couple believes they saw a thylacine as it crossed the road in front of their car.
"The animal had a stiff and firm tail, that was thick at the base. It had stripes down its back. It was the size of a large Kelpie (bigger than a fox, smaller than a German Shepherd)," the report said.
The couple were said to be, "100 percent certain that the animal they saw was a Thylacine."
Just over a week before that incident, a group of cyclists were out for a ride when they too spotted what they believe was a thylacine.
"I noticed the creature had markings on the body, these markings were black stripes on the back side of the body, the fur on the creature was dark brown," the anonymous sighter said.
"The whole picture didn't really make sense to me as far as identifying the animal as any animal I know."
Over the course of the last century hundreds of reported sightings of the animal have cropped up right across Australia, prompting a number of rewards, totalling millions of dollars, offered for the capture of a live specimen.
However, a DPIPWE spokesperson told Xinhua that "there have been no confirmed sightings of the thylacine in Tasmania for more than 50 years and the species is listed as presumed extinct."
"DPIPWE occasionally receives reports of thylacine sightings and while these are recorded, there is no evidence to confirm the thylacine still exists."
"The department will continue to record information on reported sightings."
