Secondary evidence in the form of sightings, even from the most credible of sources, is unlikely to be considered sufficient proof by the scientific community of the continued existence of the thylacine.  Without the production of a body, a live capture, or a clear photograph, the extinction / survival debate is unlikely to be resolved.  It is therefore left to the reader to examine all of the available evidence and to come to their own conclusion regarding which side of the debate they stand on.

    Island homes like Tasmania are often the last bastions of endangered species, protected as they are by the natural barrier of the sea from introduced animal pests and diseases, and in many respects, from man himself.  These islands are nature's arks, and for man to disturb the delicate balance within these communities, by placing unnatural pressures on a species or its environment, will over time weaken populations sufficiently to force a species into extinction.  Let us hope that the thylacine, against all odds, has managed to escape this fate.

    If we have learnt anything from the thylacine's encounter with man, it is that erroneous and exaggerated judgments about the animal's perceived threat to livestock were made, and decisions were taken upon those misconceptions that directly contributed to and hastened the animal's demise. 

    The thylacine's legacy, should it be proved to have become extinct, can only be that of a greater understanding of the fragility of island populations, and the relative ease to which such populations can be destroyed. 

    Finally, a word of warning must be sounded when the "extinct" label is prematurely applied to a species, as such a designation inevitably leads to the withdrawal of conservation effort.  It is fitting that we quote the late Dr. Eric Guiler's (1985) closing comments in his book, "Thylacine: The Tragedy of the Tasmanian Tiger", to conclude this section:

    "It never ceases to surprise me that since 1936 it has been lamely accepted that the thylacine was extinct or nearly so, even in the face of persistent sighting reports, some of which will stand considerable critical examination.  This is a Tasmanian tragedy and it is disappointing that no world fauna body has sponsored a thorough search for them, the rarest of the world's mammals".

    The thylacine was always elusive; perhaps this is still the case.