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Marsupial
Lion
There were several animals in the genus
Thylacoleo. The biggest one known is Thylacoleo carnifex.
When the first remains of this animal were found, they
were described by Sir Richard Owen in 1859.
Although he did not have much to go on he considered the Thylacoleo to
be a very powerful predator.
Other people disagreed, and some thought it was a
fruit eater. It has also been considered
to be a scavenger, but after experts had looked at all these possibilities it
is now accepted that Sir Richard Owen was correct.
Strong Bite
Studies on this animal have concluded that it had the
most powerful bite for its size of any mammal, living or dead.
Fast Killer
If an African Lion kills a large animal it can easily
take 15 minutes to kill its prey.
Thylacoleo could probably kill a large animal in about a minute.
While many predators have large canine teeth, the
Thylacoleos had tiny ones. Instead it
apparently killed with its cutting teeth rather than its stabbing ones.
Extinct
This group of animals is extinct. A possible date of its extinction is about
46,000 years ago.
Intelligence
We do not know how intelligent this animal was. Generally predators tend to be more intelligent than herbivores. And the nearest living relative of the Marsupial lion is probably the Wombat. Wombats are a highly intelligent animal. We can only speculate about the intelligence of its powerful relative.
Humans
People came to Australia sometime between 60,000 And
40,000 years ago.
For many years scientists had wondered if Humans lived
here at the same time as the Marsupial Lion.
A cave picture of what almost has to be a Marsupial Lion has been found
and now it is mostly accepted that we did come here before the Thylacoleo’s
extinction.
Extinction
We do not know why this animal became extinct.
There seems little doubt that it was at least
potentially dangerous to Humans. It is
quite possible that Humans hunted this animal, both to prevent attacks and for
food.
Possibly, the combination of drying conditions and
hunting by people caused the extinction.
Sources
http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/health/ancient-rock-art-hints-at-what-extinct-marsupial-lions-may-have-looked-like_100197900.html
http://scienceblogs.com/laelaps/2010/01/on_the_trail_of_the_marsupial.php
http://www.naturalworlds.org/thylacoleo/index.htm
http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/Ice-Age-marsupial-lion-a-real-nipper-of-a-beast/2005/04/02/1112302283477.html
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/health-science/marsupial-lion-was-fast-killer/story-e6frg8gf-1111115343423
http://www.abc.net.au/science/news/stories/2007/1832750.htm
http://www.cosmosmagazine.com/news/2775/marsupial-lion-found-aboriginal-rock-art
http://www.knowyoursto.com/marsupialia/species/Thylacoleo-carnifex.html
http://www.science.unsw.edu.au/news/marsupial-lion-fast-and-efficient-killer/
http://www.dhamurian.org.au/zoology/marsupiallion2.html
http://gorey.com.au/archives/2237
http://cfzaustralia.blogspot.com/2007/05/marsupial-lions-and-thylacines-in.html
http://news.softpedia.com/news/Experts-Discover-Cave-Paintings-of-Marsupial-Lions-111206.shtml | 
