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Expeditions
and Searches - 1937 to Present-Day
Smith & Pyrke
(1978-1980): |
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Camera site locations
1-7, Smith & Pyrke Search.
Source: Smith, "The Tasmanian
Tiger - 1980"
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The Australian
office of the World Wildlife Fund was established on 29th June 1978, and
a substantial element of its initial programme was to provide financial
assistance to search for the thylacine. In 1979, a grant of AU$55,000
was made available to the National Parks & Wildlife Service to conduct
a two-pronged, scientifically-based search for the thylacine.
In January 1980, Parks
& Wildlife Officer Steve Smith and Ranger Adrian Pyrke were appointed
to conduct a six month search and to investigate recent sightings.
Smith notes: "Three photographic units were constructed and used to
conduct continuous short term (1-15 days) surveillance of well used animal
trails at 7 locations. The widely distributed locations were selected
because of the availability of habitat suitable for thylacines, the occurrence
nearby of impressive thylacine sightings in recent years, and accessibility". |
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| Steven Smith (1981)
published a report of their findings, entitled "The Tasmanian Tiger
- 1980". Unfortunately, no thylacines were captured on film.
Guiler Search 5
(1980-81): |
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| Another
part of the NPWS search was delegated to Dr. Eric Guiler of the University
of Tasmania, who during 1980-81, placed 15 infrared activated cine cameras
in the field at several key locations: Adamsfield (1), Lyell Highway (2),
Mainwaring River (3), and the North West (4).
Like Smith & Pyrke's
chosen locations, each of Guiler's sites offered a different habitat type
with good recent sightings reports, and were historically noted for thylacine
presence. Guiler was of the opinion that: "cameras placed in likely
locations over long periods of time are likely to bring more chance of
success". Once again, no thylacines were captured on film.
Mooney (1982-83):
Parks & Wildlife
Officer Nick Mooney's search followed the 1982 sighting by Wildlife Officer
Hans Naarding of a thylacine at Togari in NW Tasmania. Naarding's
sighting is unique in being the only sighting witnessed by an experienced
Wildlife Officer. The sighting is detailed in the Extinction
vs. Survival subsection. |
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Camera locations 1-4.
Guiler (1980-81) Search.
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The Naarding sighting was kept confidential for two years whilst an extensive
field search was carried out over a 250km2
(96.52mi2) area. Automatic cameras
were set up on promising tracks, and sand and mud beds prepared to capture
prints. Mooney's search was the most thorough and wide-ranging search
ever carried out, but yielded nothing more than several "possible" prints. |
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Actual site of the Narding
sighting at Togari. Source: Guiler and Godard (1998, p. 215).
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