There are over 500 specimens of the Thylacine around the world.

Most can be found either in Australia, where there are over 200 specimens, or in the United Kingdom or the United States.

Zoologist Dr Kathryn Medlock, who was also curator for The Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, spoke at the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery on Sunday afternoon to discuss the "afterlife" of the Tasmanian Tiger as a highly sought after zoo specimen.

The "afterlife" refers to an animal becoming a specimen such as having parts of the skeleton in display, its pelt or the animal is taxidermised.

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The curiosity for the Tasmanian Tiger began in the 1800's, as did the thirst for specimens.

Dr Medlock spoke about how there was "colonial cringe" due to Australia and more specifically, Van Diemen's Land due to the area being a convict settlement.

But curiosity overcame that barrier for the unusual creature.

Many museums across the world aimed for "total inventory of the natural world," as Dr Medlock put it.

It was the 1880's where the Tasmanian Tiger specimen became a "commercial commodity."

Which Dr Medlock said became "a factor in its demise."

"Human behaviour and greed resulted in the decimation of a species," she said.

The last living Thylacine died in 1936 in the Tasmania Zoo.

It was early September on a cold night where it dropped to 6°C. The animal was shut out from its sleeping quarters and was found dead the next morning on September 7.

It was after the final living Tasmanian Tiger died that prices for specimens skyrocketed.

From once a simple trade of a few pounds per skin became a multi-million dollar arena.

In 2003, a preserved young pouch specimen went for $2 million. Other specimens, even in the 1940's, could go for tens of thousands of dollars.

The Royal Society of Tasmania, Northern branch hosted the lecture. President, Dr Eric Ratcliff said the Tasmanian Tiger was a keen topic for many members.

"It's a topic of perpetual interest," he said. "The Thylacine is up with the dodo."

Despite being asked to refrain from questions regarding the likelihood of the Tasmanian Tiger still being alive, many audience members spoke about interactions with what they believed with a Thylacine.

"It's important to report it," Dr Medlock replied, diplomatically.