By Tim Binnall
The possibility that the Tasmanian Tiger might someday roam the earth again has seemingly taken a significant step closer to becoming a reality as scientists have managed to decode the DNA of the creature's closest living relative. In announcing the exciting development, the research collaborative known as DNA Zoo explained that they have successfully mapped the genetic sequence for the numbat, a diminutive marsupial that boasts the same stripes as those found on the legendary thylacine. Beyond that somewhat superficial similarity, the group marveled that "as much as 95% of their DNA may be identical" since they "shared a common ancestor that lived some time between 35 million and 41 million years ago."
By solving the riddle of the complete numbat genome, the organization said that it could serve as a proverbial 'cheat sheet' when it comes to determining the Tasmanian Tiger's genetics as well. To that end, they noted that a 2018 project was able to produce a rudimentary "first draft" of the thylacine's genome, but "this version is very fragmentary" due to the samples coming from old specimens held by museums. As such, the group expressed hope that the newly acquired insights regarding numbat DNA "can help us fill in the missing bits of the thylacine genome" and, in turn, eventually pave the way for scientists to bring the extinct creature back to life.
Although they conceded that such an endeavor "will be more challenging than the famous bid to resurrect the woolly mammoth using DNA from the Asian elephant," the researchers expressed the optimistic opinion that decoding the numbat genome "makes the thylacine's resurrection a more realistic prospect than ever before." Should the Tasmanian Tiger be brought back to life, the organization indicated that the creature could easily be reintroduced to the Tasmanian bush and reclaim its place as the apex predator within that ecosystem. "If and when that dream becomes reality," the group mused, "thylacines would owe a debt of gratitude to their little cousin, the humble numbat."