Palaeontological
evidence (continued):
In Western Australia,
skeletal remains from recent times have been unearthed at Tunnel Creek
in the Napier Range. Older specimens have been found at Murray Cave,
some 40 km north of Perth, and at Horseshoe Cave near Madura (Archer
1974). In Monajee Cave, Cape Range, undated bones were found
with those of a dingo (Kendrick and Porter 1973).
A complete skeleton was found within Coronation Cave in the state's southwest
(Glauert 1954), and further specimens were
discovered at the Mammoth and Museum Caves (Glauert
1954), Moondyne Cave, Augusta (Howlett 1960),
and Murra-el-elevyn Cave on the Nullarbor (Partridge
1967). Remains of Sarcophilus (Tasmanian devil) were
associated with many of these sites. At Webb's Cave, near Eucla,
devils left more than just their bones. Found inside the cave were
their coprolites (fossil dung), one of which contained a thylacine molar,
which was presumably scavenged (Cook 1963).
Additional remains were found in an ancient Aboriginal midden (refuse pile)
at Devil's Lair (Baynes et al. 1975).
In 2011, thylacine footprints were discovered by Lindsay Hatcher (caver
and environment project manager for the Augusta Margaret River Tourism
Association) in the soft mud of Augusta's Jewel Cave, in the far southwest
of WA. Hatcher (Anon. 2011) states: "Thylacine footprints have
never been found in any other cave in WA, and probably in any other cave
in Australia. In the 1960s we found the bones of a Tasmanian tiger
right next to where we have just discovered the footprints, right next
to where the animal had perished".
.
Thylacine
footprints found in Augusta's Jewel Cave, southwest WA.
Courtesy:
Augusta Margaret River Tourism Association. |
|