Return of the Tasmanian Tiger? Scientists begin project to bring back the extinct species using stem cell technology - almost 100 years after it was wiped out                                                                                 

• A biotech firm is working on bringing back the Tasmanian Tiger from extinction
• Colossal Biosciences is backed by Marvel's Thor actor Chris Hemsworth
• The company previously announced plans to bring back the woolly mammoth
• They have now partnered with Melbourne University on the Australian marsupial                                             

Scientists have revealed plans to bring back the Tasmanian Tiger, almost 100 years after it went extinct.  

The Tasmanian Tiger, also known as the tyhlacine, roamed the Earth for millions of years before being wiped out by human hunting in the 1930s. 

Now, Colossal Biosciences, a startup based in Dallas, Texas, has announced plans to start the 'de-extinction' of the species, using stem cell technology.                                                                                                                  

'Bringing back the thylacine will not only return the iconic species to the world, but has the potential to re-balance the Tasmanian and broader Australian ecosystems, which have suffered biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation since the loss of the predator earlier this century,' Colossal Biosciences explained. 

Incredible colourised footage of the last-known Tasmanian TigerLoaded: 0%Progress: 0%0:00PreviousPlaySkipMuteCurrent Time0:00/Duration Time1:17FullscreenNeed Text

Once ranging throughout Australia and New Guinea, the Tasmanian tiger disappeared from the mainland around 3,000 years ago.

It has long been thought that this was due to competition with humans and dogs.  

The remaining population - isolated on the island of Tasmania - was hunted to extinction in the early 20th century.

The last known individual died at Hobart Zoo in 1936.

Colossal Biosciences has teamed up with the University of Melbourne on an ambitious project to bring back the extinct species. 

'This is a landmark moment for marsupial research and we're proud to team up with Colossal to make this dream a reality,' said Dr Andrew Pask, head of the university's Thylacine Integrated Genetic Restoration Research Lab. 

'The technology and key learnings from this project will also influence the next generation of marsupial conservation efforts. Additionally, rewilding the thylacine to the Tasmanian landscape can significantly curb the destruction of this natural habitat due to invasive species.

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