USA

A truly terrible deed that humans instilled on thylacines by hunting them down like they were mere pests then preserving others in wretched conditions in various zoos. My heart aches knowing what happened to these beautiful creatures and not a day goes by where I wish I could travel in time just to see them in person. The only hope I can hold onto is that some survived and kept themselves deeply hidden in the wild, far from human eyes.

Bless you, Benjamin, for providing us with amazing footage of your days spent in a small enclosure and far from your true home. I hope your soul is at peace and I hope that one day, we as a species are able to provide some sort of apology to you and other thylacines by bettering the world around us and protecting the precious animals we still have left on this earth.

Norfolk, England

The atrocious conditions in which these poor creatures were kept, and the fact they were so often referred to as Exhibits or Specimens, sums up the attitudes towards creatures which it was known were teetering on the brink of officially sanctioned extirpation to mollify the sheep farmers. It is unbelievable that the museum in Tasmania, to whom the sad remains of dear Benjamin were entrusted, has no idea what happened to them. Look into their eyes - they are not sullen or vicious (such anthropomorphic terms), just filled with sadness at their fate. If positions were reversed, how would they treat us ?

New South Wales

My husband is the Grandson of Walter John Theodore Mullins - I have authored six short stories - The most unusual adventures of Benjamin volumes One to Six - Family of Walter John Theodore Mullins - Son Walter Mullins - Grand Son John Walter Mullins - Great Grand Children Angela, Jeremy Jon and Rachael (Mullins) Ford - Great Great Grand Children Amalia Ford Lucy Mullins

Texas

It is truly a remarkable sight to view the videos of \"Benjamin\" in the zoo giving a small glimpse into the life of Thylacines at that time. It is a true shame that they were hunted to extinction. Thylacines are and will always be my utmost favorite Lost Species.
R.I.P Benjamin

USA

I feel like I miss them.

Brussels, Belgium

I first came across the thylacine via a breathtaking movie starring Willem Dafoe and a CGI Tasmanian tiger. My belief it was about a fictitious animal soon turned into awe when I browsed the internet and realized it was all about a rather recently extinct animal. I first saw Benjamin on Dr Fleay\'s footage of the last living tiger at Hobart\'s zoo. Such beautiful animal! I mourn the tiger and the stupidity and greed of our never learning species. Benjamin, I hope to meet you in my dreams or my passing through...

San Francisco

I think about thylacines every day, they were such beautiful animals and there is significant evidence that they were also loving when treated kindly. There\'s Col Bailey\'s stories about mama tigers that let people shelter with them during blizzards and Lucy, who two years after being held as a pet after being rescued from a snare, stopped in the road to show her keeper her pups.

Even in Video #4 we can see that despite the awful conditions, Benjamin loved his keeper and was glad to see him.

Incidentally it is my understanding that sexism killed Benjamin as much as neglect; I have read that Alison Reid wanted to take him into shelter the night that he died--but, even though she\'d known him a long time as her father had cared for him...the new management of the zoo forbade her to handle him because she was a woman. Why are we humans so dumb and cruel.

USA

A beautiful animal, and an unfortunate example of the importance of conservation. Such an incredible archive, one we are lucky to have.
I\'m sorry, Benjamin.

USA

Thank you for preserving the memory of this beautiful species for generations to come. Without projects like this I would worry that the next generation would suffer not knowing the elusive Tasmanian tiger.

England

Not a day goes by when we do not think of you and your kind, sleep well Benjamin.

You will never be forgotten.

Argentina

Poor Benjamin..., when he died a legend was born.
Hope we can see his species roaming free someday soon, claiming the earth again for themselves.

Cincinnati, Ohio

One of my favorite bands \"The Mountain Goats\" has a song that references Benjamin, and the first time I realized this I cried. Here I thought I was adding a reference to something for my own good, but it turns out the lyrics are dedicated to the last captive thylacine. Thank you for putting this site together. I am an artist and wish to spread knowledge of this great creature and want it to \"live on\" in my work. It makes me so sad to read all of this but I am glad I am able to access it. Thank you!

Bulgaria Europe

It made me very sad seeing the whole story of this incredible lost soul. Captured, tortured and in end left alone to die in the cold. I wish I could see this beautiful animal again - free and away from human being. EVIL EVIL EVIL!!

Arkansas, USA

It is so tragic what happened to the thylacine and Benjamin. I fully agree with the words of Dr. Michael Archer: \"This was the, the really most beautiful, spectacular, flesh-eating mammal in Australia.\"

Usa

80 yrs.what a unique animal.I wear a tee shirt with Benjamin front and back.pictures at work.may do my car next.read paddle book 5 times.our rock group is called thylacine.real same.fabled tiger.whats ironic is Ben was the best looking of all I\'ve seen.I tell everyone about the Tigers

Michigan

Thank you for your website and all your hard work.

Richmond, Tasmania

What a fabulous website. What a tragic end to a magnificent species. Let\'s hope this never happens again.

Michigan

These creatures are ineradicable.

Canada

I am in awe over these beautiful creatures. It is truly saddening that we, as humans, have completely eradicated them from our world. I feel we have a moral obligation to bring them back, in hopes of redeeming ourselves. I\'m sorry, Benjamin!

Wilmington, Ohio

This thylacine was so cute...when I heard that he had died at that time and I saw so many videos of thylacines...I literally cried.