At the Grant Museum we like any excuse to talk about animals and the Chinese New Year always provides an easy subject matter. The list of animals used in the Chinese calendar is on a 12 year rotation cycle. There are tigers, dragons and snakes… I however was born in the year of the, err, rooster. Yay. This year is an animal that has helped to win wars, boost the Olympics event programme and transport both goods and people. However, I think it’s close cousin, in the same genus, but classified as a different species, is a more interesting subject. This week’s Specimen of the Week is… (more…)

We’ve been having some conservation work done at the Museum recently, and one of our largest mounted skeletons is currently legless. Physically, not metaphorically. I don’t see that as a reason to make her hide away in shame though. Nor wait for her newly legs ‘renovated’ legs to come back, in order to celebrate how beautiful she is. So, this week’s Specimen of the Week is… (more…)

Having let other people choose the Specimen of the Week for the last two weeks I decided that this week, as I was in the pilot’s seat again, I would choose my favourite animal. You may think that would immediately tell people who know me well what this blog is going to be about, but I, as anyone who knows me well would tell you, have 27 favourite animals. It’s true, I have a list on Facebook, it’s that official. Choosing between them was hard, but eventually I decided that this week’s specimen of the week is… (more…)