“In the summer of 1967, I chanced on what I believe was a Tasmanian tiger while canoeing the Coorong Lagoon in south eastern South Australia. This was an animal that science had long deemed extinct and to this day I am unsure of exactly what I saw that morning. If nothing else, that singular event provided me the momentum to prove to the world the thylacine still exists.

Visiting the state many times over coming years in the course of my research, I finally moved to Tasmanian with my family in 1990 and my hunt began in earnest.  During the course of my relentless pursuit of this mysterious and elusive creature, in 1993 I received covert information from an elderly bushman that was to lead to my coming face to face with the Tasmanian tiger deep in the wilderness of the Weld Valley. It was a day I will never forget. Now the truth can be revealed.”  - Col Bailey

Following that first memorable sighting, Col Bailey has since journeyed the length and breadth of Tasmania in search of an animal that has captured world-wide interest. His determination to prove it still exists has produced some significant revelations.

Shadow of the Thylacine is Col Bailey’s story taken from journals spanning over four decades dealing with his search for this mysterious animal. Along the way he has gleaned valuable information from the mouths of the true experts; the old trappers and bushmen who lived and worked alongside the Tasmanian tiger in the field.

About the author

Over the past 44 years Col Bailey has featured in many local and overseas television wildlife documentaries, spoken in radio programmes worldwide and been interviewed for feature articles in numerous publication and newspapers about the Tasmanian tiger. He is the author of Tiger Tales, a collection of short stories highlighting tiger sightings throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. Col Bailey once held the record for the Australian 50 mile road walk race. Shadow of the Thylacine is Col’s second book.

Click here to read an extract from Shadow of the Thylacine, and here to purchase the book.