£62,600 'Fox' Revealed as Extinct Tiger

A taxidermied head sold at auction for £62,600 has been confirmed to be the head of a thylacine, a long-extinct species. The head was initially thought to be a fox, but its true identity was revealed through X-ray and CT scans.

The thylacine, also known as the Tasmanian tiger, is a carnivorous marsupial that resembles a large dog. It was once widespread across Australia and New Guinea, but by the time European settlers arrived, it was confined to the island of Tasmania. The last known individual thylacine died in a Tasmanian zoo on 7 September 1936.

The taxidermied head was bought by James Cranfield, a natural-history curiosities dealer in the UK, who had initially thought it was a 19th-century fox head. However, upon closer inspection, he suspected it might be a thylacine. The auction price of the head was over US$85,000, a significant increase from the £50 it was initially bought for.

The thylacine has several distinctive features, including eight upper incisors, whereas foxes and other related animals have six. This unique characteristic helped confirm the identity of the taxidermied head.

## Why it matters The discovery of the thylacine head is significant, as it provides a rare opportunity to study an extinct species. The thylacine was hunted to extinction in the 19th and early 20th centuries, and its remains are highly valued by scientists and collectors. The fact that this head was found in an antique market and sold at auction highlights the importance of preserving and protecting our cultural and natural heritage.

The sale of the thylacine head also raises questions about the trade of extinct species and the importance of verifying the identity of rare and valuable specimens. As Cranfield noted, the head's goofy charm and unusual appearance made it stand out, but it was only through careful examination and scientific analysis that its true identity was revealed.