Last Tasmanian Tiger: The History and Extinction of the Thylacine FROM THE PUBLISHER
This insightful book is the most complete and up-to-date examination of the history and extinction of one of Australia's most enduring folkloric beasts—the thylacine, otherwise affectionately known as the Tasmanian tiger. It challenges conventional theories explaining the behavior and eventual extinction of the thylacine, arguing that political farming interests, negligent captive breeding programs, and a deeper intellectual prejudice about the inferiority of marsupials finally resulted in the extinction of this once proud species.
SYNOPSIS
Thylacinus cynocephalus, also known as the Tasmanian tiger or the marsupial wolf, became extinct in 1936. Paddle (psychology, Australian Catholic U.) argues that constructions of Australian colonial scientific knowledge were indelibly impacted by social, political, and cultural contexts of the imperial project, and that this situation fatally impeded abilities to respond to the extinction. He constructs a narrative of (European) human-thylacine interaction and changing scientific perceptions of the animal and its decline. This is a paperbound reprint of a 2000 book. Annotation (c)2003 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR
FROM THE CRITICS
Booknews
A specialist in animal behavior and the history and philosophy of science, Paddle (psychology, Australian Catholic U.-St. Patrick's) examines the behavior, social history, and extinction of one of Australia's most enduring folkloric beasts. He argues that its extinction during the 20th century demonstrates how powerful economic interests used the tiger as a scapegoat to protect domestic agriculture from the consequences of local mismanagement and international economics. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
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