The mystery of the Tasmanian tiger remains after an expedition failed to catch a glimpse of the elusive animal thought to have become extinct 80 years ago.

The UK-based Centre of Fortean Zoology is dedicated to tracking mythical, mystery and extinct animals around the world.

Nine members have just wound up the first stage of their latest self-funded project: hunting the thylacine.

After scouring Tasmania's rugged north-west, a hot spot for the animal according to the team, expedition leader Michael Williams says he is satisfied with the outcome.

"No we don't have a thylacine in the boot, we don't have anything on camera of any great interest, but it's a roaring success because there's more witnesses than I thought there'd be and there's more areas of interest in a smaller defined area than I thought there'd be," he said.

The last known thylacine died in captivity in the 1930s.

But team member Tony Healy says there is overwhelming anecdotal evidence that suggests it is still out there.

The Tasmanian tiger was declared extinct in the 1930s. ( Supplied )

"I was really surprised, I thought people were going to give us the cold shoulder but Taswegians have been really, really friendly and helpful," he said.

"I've collected nine new sightings that we didn't know of, the most recent was three years ago.

"A fellow in his 40s, he'd had two sightings.

"He and a colleague were driving along a logging road during the night and came round a corner and the thylacine was in the middle of the road.

"They both saw it and got a great shock and he said it was clearly thylacine, stripes, the works."

Cryptozoologist convinced Tasmanian tiger still exists

Cryptozoologist Richard Freeman, who's searched for giant anacondas and Mongolian death worms, says the accounts have strengthened his belief.

"Before I came to the island I was 99.9 per cent sure that this animal was still around," he said.

"Now I'm as close you can be without actually seeing one to being utterly convinced that it's still around.

"We've been talking to people like a government-licensed shooter who knows the bush, who goes out into the bush for a living keeping down the number of wallabies; he's seen it twice."

Along the journey through the wilderness, Mr Freeman gathered scats he is having analysed.

"They seem to be too large for devil or a quoll and they were in very remote areas, so I'd be very surprised if they were dog," he said.

The team is used to the doubt of sceptics, but they remain committed to the cause.

But Mr Healy says some have a point.

"It does seem strange, almost incredible that one hasn't been run over by now," he said.

The fearless group is departing with a just handful of specimen bottles and tiger tales.

But they've vowed to return in three months to continue the quest to prove the thylacine is Tasmania's best kept secret.