The
Mullins family group (continued):
.
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The town of Tyenna,
circa 1900. Courtesy: Moeller Archives.
|
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The World newspaper of the 9th February 1924 (p. 4) confirms the date of
the Mullins purchase by the Beaumaris Zoo (QD):
"Additions to Zoo. - Interesting additions to the Beaumaris Zoo during
the week were four Tasmanian tigers, the mother and three cubs, which were
purchased by the City Council from the showman who had the animals on view
at the Hobart Regatta. They are very fine specimens".
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|
The
female and her three pups that were captured by Walter Mullins in the Florentine
Valley in 1923. They were subsequently displayed in this cart at
country fairs around Tasmania, prior to being sold to the Beaumaris Zoo
(QD). The photo was taken near Bicheno, on the east coast of Tasmania,
by a Mr. H. J. King, of Trevallyn.
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According to the late Dr. Eric Guiler, Australia's leading authority on
the thylacine, the mother of the pups either died or was traded
shortly after arriving at the zoo, as nothing further is noted about her.
Of her three offspring, a male pup died within a month of arriving at the
zoo at the end of March 1924 and its body sold to the Tasmanian Museum
on the 3rd April 1924. Another of the pups (sex unknown) died in
July 1925. The remaining pup, and this is where the controversy arises,
is said to be the last known captive thylacine, which died on the evening
of the 7th September 1936 after a record twelve years
and seven months in captivity.
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It is worth noting that an extended life span of this duration is significantly
above that which was typical for the species. The late Professor
Heinz Moeller, Europe's principal authority on the thylacine, quoted 10
years as the probable maximum life span for the species in captivity (Moeller,
pers. comm. with Dr. S. Sleightholme, Aug.
2004).
Extended longevity aside,
there are other unresolved problems with acceptance of the Mullins group
theory. The Mercury newspaper on the 12th February 1930 (p. 8) states:
"Mr. Clive Lord moved
that the native tiger should be made a partly protected animal for a short
season of each year. The motion Mr. Lord explained, was purposed
to serve as a check on the export of the unique animal. The species
was very rare, even in Tasmania, the only country in which it survived.
There was no specimen in the Beaumaris Zoo and the Museum authorities had
not received a specimen
for over four years".
Clive Lord was the director of the Tasmanian Museum (1922-1933), and his
comment that there were no thylacines in the Beaumaris Zoo (QD) as of February
1930 is significant. This statement immediately eliminates the Mullins
capture of 1924 as Benjamin's source. Further evidence to
reject the Mullins group is provided by the photographs and movie
film footage taken by Dr.
David Fleay of Benjamin on the 19th December 1933. |
.
| A
recently rediscovered photograph of the female thylacine and her three
pups that were captured by Walter Mullins in 1923. Note the defensive
gape of the mother. Photograph courtesy: Rose Lewis (née Mullins)
(private collection). |
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|
.
.
| A
photo by Michael Sharland taken at the Beaumaris Zoo (QD), circa 1925,
of what is probably the Mullins family group of three females (although
further research is needed to confirm this). Note the individual
in the background with partially amputated forelimb (circled). Another
photo of these individuals is shown
here. |
|
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To recall, Mullins snared the mother with its pups still in the pouch.
If we examine Fleay's image of Benjamin below, and specifically
at the right rear leg (circled), one can clearly see evidence of a snare
or trap mark. |
.
.
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Benjamin, Beaumaris
Zoo (QD), 19th December 1933. Photo courtesy: David Fleay Trustees.
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If this thylacine was the surviving pup from the Mullins litter, it could
not possibly bear the mark of a snare or trap, for it was its mother
that was snared. Finally, it is also worth noting that Alison Reid
only ever spoke of the zoo's last thylacine as having been acquired in
the singular, and not as part of a family group. |
