While it may sound like a cool idea to bring animals like the Tasmanian tiger back from extinction, new research shows this would come at the cost of other already threatened species.

The research published in Nature Ecology and Evolution found reintroducing extinct species would cost New South Wales and New Zealand three to eight-times more respectively than conserving threatened species.

The last known Tasmanian Tiger, or Thylacine, died at Hobart Zoo in 1936.

Professor Hugh Possingham, chief scientist with The Nature Conservancy, said the researchers have spent 10 years helping the NZ and NSW governments prioritise their conservation money.

Their new research, he said, shows that resurrecting extinct animals would not be worth the cost.