Sciencentre
Wildlife Workshops 2009
Small mammals of the Great South-east
Thursday 10 September 2009: 1:00pm to 4:30pm (breaks included)
Saturday 12 September 2009: 1:00pm to 4:30pm (breaks included)
Bookings are essential. Download the Wildlife Workshops 2009 Booking Form [new window 303 KB PDF].
Small mammals are warm, hairy and sometimes difficult to identify. Some hit bone when they bite, others don't even break the skin. Some stink, some squeak, some die from exhaustion after mating. Some are responsible for the spread of bubonic plague, some love cockroaches, while others a despised for much less. Which ones do we love and why do we hate others? How do we tell marsupial mice from rodents? How do we tell their skulls apart? How do we go about studying them? How can they be conserved?
This workshop will explore these questions and will include:
- A complete range of local skins to examine
- Live specimens to demonstrate diagnostic features
- Skulls and skeletons
- Trapping equipment and survey methods
- Spirit specimens to examine and identify
- And scats for your enjoyment!
Presenters:
Steve Van Dyck (Senior Curator) and Heather Janetzki (Collection Manager and Research Assistant) are from the Vertebrate Section of the Queensland Museum. Both are involved in the curation of the Museum's mammal collection and are actively involved in small mammal research and conservation. Steve was a quarterly contributor to the popular natural history magazine Nature Australia from 1991 to 2006, and he has recently revised and produced the 3rd edition of the popular book Mammals of Australia.
See the full program of 2009 Wildlife Workshops.
If you have a wildlife question you can visit the Inquiry Centre site to download our fact sheets or ask our helpful, knowledgeable Inquiry Centre staff.
