A well-preserved thylacine head discovered in a Melbourne museum cupboard may enable scientists to resurrect the extinct species through genetic reconstruction

Breakthroughs in science can arise from the most unexpected sources, and a recent discovery at a Melbourne museum could significantly advance efforts to bring the extinct Tasmanian tiger, or thylacine, back to life. Tucked away in the back of a cupboard, researchers unearthed a long-forgotten head of a thylacine, preserved in ethanol for more than a century. Though described as a “putrid, gruesome sight” by scientists, this neglected specimen has turned out to be a goldmine of genetic information.

The thylacine head, with its skin removed and significant parts missing, had sat in the museum for around 110 years. Despite its macabre appearance, it contained material that scientists thought would be nearly impossible to retrieve—long RNA molecules, crucial for reconstructing the genome of an extinct animal.

Professor Andrew Pask, head of the Thylacine Integrated Genetic Restoration Research (TIGRR) lab at the University of Melbourne, explains the significance: “It was a head in a bucket of ethanol, ignored for decades. But it turned out to hold the miracle we needed—preserved RNA molecules that blew my mind.” These RNA molecules are essential for the lab’s mission to genetically reconstruct the thylacine, a species that was once Australia’s only marsupial apex predator.

The discovery has accelerated the work of the Australian and US-based team trying to resurrect the Tasmanian tiger. “We are further along than I thought we’d be,” says Pask, noting that they’ve already overcome challenges others deemed impossible.

This extraordinary find aligns with a larger project led by Colossal Biosciences, a Texas-based biotechnology company specialising in de-extinction efforts. Colossal, headed by entrepreneur Ben Lamm, has ambitious plans to bring back not only the thylacine but also the woolly mammoth and the dodo. To support these efforts, Colossal has raised US$235 million and employs 155 researchers across 13 global laboratories, including Pask’s TIGRR lab at the University of Melbourne.

The thylacine, which roamed across Australia before being confined to Tasmania around 3,000 years ago, was dog-like in appearance with distinct stripes along its back. The species was extensively hunted following European colonisation, and the last known thylacine died in captivity in 1936. Officially declared extinct in the 1980s, it has since captured the public’s imagination, with sightings occasionally rumoured but never confirmed.

Colossal Biosciences has announced significant breakthroughs in its quest to bring thylacine back. In addition to the preserved RNA molecules, researchers have developed what they describe as the highest-quality ancient genome ever produced, with only 45 gaps in a genetic sequence that contains approximately 3 billion pieces of information. The project has now moved much closer to its goal of recreating the thylacine and eventually reintroducing the species to its former habitat in Tasmania.

Pask and his team are optimistic about their progress. The genetic material found in the thylacine head has advanced their research beyond initial expectations. “We’ve completed many tasks that we thought would be the hardest, and we’re well on our way,” Pask adds.

Though bringing back an extinct species like thylacine raises numerous ethical and ecological questions, the scientific world watches with interest as the technology develops. If successful, this project could not only revive one of Australia’s most iconic animals but also reshape conservation efforts for endangered species worldwide