THE
THYLACINE IN CAPTIVITY: -
THE HISTORICAL THYLACINE FILMS -
(film 5)
.
.
Zoologist
Dr.
David Fleay made this film at the Beaumaris Zoo at the Queen's Domain
in December 1933. It is the last known motion picture footage taken
of a living thylacine. The animal is shown both at rest and moving
around its enclosure. In two instances, it displays the great extent
to which it can open its jaws. For many years, the sex of this individual
(the last known captive thylacine) was a focus of debate. However,
this was finally resolved in December 2011 with the publication of a paper
in the Australian Zoologist:
"Confirmation of the gender of the
last captive Thylacine", in which Dr. Stephen Sleightholme proved,
using this actual copy of Fleay's film sequence, that the thylacine was
a male. The thylacine shown in the film is now universally referred
to as "Benjamin".
