By Tim Binnall
A tantalizing series of images circulating online show what appears to a Tasmanian Tiger allegedly photographed by a tourist who claims to have encountered the creature. The remarkable account came to light this week by way of wildlife biologist Forrest Galante, who showcased the pictures in a YouTube video (seen above) wherein he expressed skepticism about the images, yet conceded that they are incredibly compelling. The photos (isolated below) are said to have been taken by a Minneapolis man who was visiting Tasmania with his father last month. According to the witness, identified only as Zack, the sighting began when the duo were driving down a road and spotted what they thought was an injured dog, but turned out to be something far stranger.
Recounting the encounter in an interview with Galante, Zack explained that he and his father pulled over to the opposite side of the road and approached the seemingly injured animal. As they got closer to the creature, he said, it bared its teeth at the two men and let out a peculiar sound that the witness likened to a 'meow.' This response understandably caused them to step back from the animal, which subsequently "galloped" into some nearby brush a few seconds later. Before the curious creature vanished from sight, Zack managed to snap several photos of the critter which he suspected was a dingo or some other kind of weird dog.
It was only after he shared the photos with a friend, Zack said, that he considered that the creature could have been the Tasmanian Tiger, which ultimately led to the images coming to the attention of Galante. Reflecting on the curious case, the wildlife biologist acknowledged that there were quite a few "red flags" that made him doubt the veracity of the tale and accompanying photos, including Zack's peculiar attempt to remain anonymous via an odd head covering that he wore during the interview. That said, Galante conceded that he and his team were "really having a hard time poking holes in" the images. With that in mind, what do you make of the pictures that have caused a stir in cryptozoological circles? Weigh in with your thoughts at the C2C Facebook page.