1. Dingoes: Dingoes, introduced to Australia by humans, are known to prey on smaller carnivorous marsupials. They are believed to have expanded their range to Tasmania and likely competed with thylacines for food and territory.
2. Humans: Humans were the most significant predators of thylacines. Due to their perceived threat to livestock, especially sheep, thylacines were actively hunted and killed by settlers and farmers in the 19th and 20th centuries. Bounties were offered for their capture or destruction, leading to a significant decline in their population.
3. European diseases: The arrival of European settlers brought with it various diseases that affected the thylacine population. Canine distemper, in particular, was highly contagious and deadly to many native Australian animals, including thylacines.
4. Habitat destruction: The expansion of human settlements, land clearing for agriculture, and logging contributed to the loss and fragmentation of thylacines' natural habitats. This limited their ability to find food, reproduce, and avoid predators.
While there are accounts of thylacines occasionally avoiding predators by seeking refuge in caves or dense vegetation, the overall impact of these predators and human persecution led to the species' eventual extinction.