New Thylacine Rock Paintings in Arnhem Land

0:00It's April 4, I'm Cory with the story, and this is Sydney News today. Local news powered by AI. We searches from Griffith University and local traditional owners just uncovered 14 previously undocumented rock paintings of the Tasmanian. Tiger, also called the thylacine, or junkirk, plus two of the Tasmanian devil. These are at Awan Barna and Injolok Hill in West Arnhemland, Northern Territory. Here estimates put both species extinct on the Australian mainland around 3,000 years ago, but these new finds are shaking that up. Traditional owners see the thylacine as a big cultural icon, tied to stories of the rainbow serpent who kept two as pets. Local Jalama Man, Joey and Gajmirah shared their detailed oral histories about these animals in the region. The white pipe clay in some paintings suggest they were made within the last 1,000 years. Since that pigment doesn't last long, the team identify the thylacines by features like pointed ears and upturned tails, though the artists might have copied older styles.

1:04This discovery highlights the thylacines' lasting role in indigenous stories and sparks fresh questions about mainland extinction timelines.