Yowiehunters Forum

Hi Rob,

Skins can also shrink - a lot. We saw a few while we were researching our big cats book and they were definitely underwhelming, yet when compared with eyewitness accounts (sadly no 'live' photos) they seemed to fall well short, even when you account for the old fisherman's exaggeration.

Those poor lions! It seems an extra cruelty to be so diminished in death.

R

G'day Ruby

I am guessing that the text book size details of the marsupial lions can only be based on the average size of the specimens unearthed. Also taking into account the quality of their skeletal structure and teeth.

Perhaps they grew to a larger size, the bodies of which have never been discovered?

It's amazing how different habitats/environmental conditions can make a difference when it comes to the size of all types of living creatures, including the African Lion. In some locations in Africa you may only get small lions, whilst in other places the lions will grow to over large proportions. Surely this will have some effect on any population of our marsupial lion.

Out of curiosity, during your research, would you happen to know the rough numbers of skeletons / remains that have have been found?

Rob

Hi Rob,

Possibly...there has been a lot of speculation as to how big they grew and two of the most vocal and knowledgable megafauna academics - Wroe and Flannery - disagree on just how big TC was. Wroe believes they could grow as big as 160-odd kg, while Flannery believes they were more in the 40-60kg size range.

Keep in mind also that TC was the biggest of the Thylacoleonids - Wakaleo was medium dog/leopard-sized and Priscileo was possum-sized.

I believe there have been something like 11 full skeletons unearthed, primarily in the Nullarbor Plain, WA. Partial skull pieces have turned up closer to home (for us) in Moree and Wellington, NSW.

If you're interested [WARNING, book plug ahead] Mike and I devote a whole chapter to Thylacoleo carnifex and its possible survival in Australian Big Cats: An Unnatural History of Panthers, together with some interesting eyewitness accounts that certainly sound too odd to fall into the 'big cat' or 'dog' bag.

Cheers,

R

Thankyou for the interesting response Ruby.

Sounds like I will need to search for a copy of the book in question, as I am pretty curious about the subject, it may also answer a few other questions I have about the Marsupial Lion.

By the way, a quick question on your cat research, I mentioned in another Forum subject regarding a large black cat that was shot by some foreigners years ago in Victoria, these foreigners refused to return to the property, let alone to the carcass, due to their panic like state. They mentioned the feline as having purple eyes, this colour which I have never heard of in other reports. Have you come across anyone else who has reported the same colouring of the eyes?

Rob

Hi mtu mwitu

Purple eyes happen with house cat I don't know about big cats. here some pic of blue & purple eye cats.

ok ill chuck in me 2cents worth. at least this bloke is out there looking recording and asking for help/advice when uncertain. well done bloke. actually its a toggle, yep a toggle. army used to give us a rope called a "toggle rope" just so we could catch-em. sorry mate could not resist. but it does appear to this country bloke that it is a young fox partly blocked by the long grass. search, observe, record, discuss, confirm. trust me mate. the day u see that out of place and time animal in the bush. YOU WILL KNOW. it is afterwards when u replay in your mind the event, that a fraction of doubt (modern teaching) will attempt to dislodge the fact. sear the event into your mind/memory so that you can always bring the event forward with clarity. and then enjoy that quiet, knowing smile. ken

Thankyou Yowie man for those purple eyed cat photos, I have seen blue-eyed cats, but never purple.

Just proves that nothing is impossible

Rob

trust me mate. the day u see that out of place and time animal in the bush. YOU WILL KNOW. it is afterwards when u replay in your mind the event, that a fraction of doubt (modern teaching) will attempt to dislodge the fact. sear the event into your mind/memory so that you can always bring the event forward with clarity. and then enjoy that quiet, knowing smile. ken

Such true words there Ken, well put, I totally agree with you.



Yowie Man, you did extemely well to capture the fox in your photos.. Practice makes perfect and the next photo may well be a Marsupial Lion. Keep up the good work, and don't feel disheartened because we may suggest it's a fox. You have stalked a wily predatory animal successfully without it noticing you, which is the true art of a real hunter, even if your only weapon is a camera.

Rob

oi hillbilly. is that the roo and beer pic i see on youtube. at the aussie music site. re the pics of lion. hmm looks like a koala on steriods. seem to remember seeing pics many years ago of a far larger and a lot more aggressive lion size, type of animal listed as ancient aussie lion, but cant remember where or when. nuts. can anyone help with that. ken.

Hi Rob,

Apologies for not replying earlier.

No, I haven't come across purple eye shine re: cats - the most frequently reported colour is yellow and green.

You may be interested in this account re: eye shine and what causes different colourations.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tapetum_lu ... s_and_dogs

Cheers,

R

Thankyou for the info and interesting link Ruby, a good reference on some pretty fascinating stuff.

Keep up the good work

Rob

A deep blue / indigo / violet hue to the eye pigment would indicate an exceptionally high resolution night vision when in total darkness.

This would definitely indicate a nocturnal predator.