2011 was a terrible year for New Zealand seabirds. The Rena oil spill in October received the most media coverage and provided dramatic images (see Rena oil spill blogs). More insidious were the impacts of the Japanese earthquake and ensuing tsunami in March. A plume of radioactive fallout from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power… Read more »
Posts written by Colin Miskelly
Who wrote that? Forensic analysis of museum specimen labels
Museum curators often need to identify handwriting. In the Bird department this includes determining who wrote historical register entries and specimen labels, or who was responsible for annotations on original documents. Much of this skill is learnt on the job, and we keep a file of examples of writing by earlier curators. But it is… Read more »
Take that you dirty rat! – the unglamorous side of museum work
The position of Curator Terrestrial Vertebrates was a new one for Te Papa in mid 2010. My predecessor had been the Curator of Birds, and the expanded role meant that for the first time a curator would be responsible for land mammals, as well as for birds, reptiles and frogs. It didn’t take long to… Read more »
Re-articulation of Phar Lap’s skeleton – bold decisions and expert advice
Phar Lap’s skeleton is one of Te Papa’s best known exhibits. Perhaps the most famous horse ever to emerge from Australasia, the national identity of Phar Lap is as intensely debated each side of the Tasman as is who invented the pavlova. Foaled at Seadown, near Timaru, in 1926, Phar Lap was bought by the… Read more »
What bird is that? The grim task of identifying seabirds killed by the M.V. Rena oil spill
Te Papa bird staff are providing expert assistance to Maritime New Zealand and Massey University veterinary staff in the form of identifying birds affected by the oil spill. Three current and one former staff member have been a ‘tag team’ since 12 October, identifying the hundreds of corpses recovered by the teams patrolling the beaches,… Read more »
The global penguin – Part 10. It’s only a game.
Te Papa’s curator of terrestrial vertebrates Dr Colin Miskelly tells the tenth instalment of the unfolding story of the emperor penguin that went where none had gone before. Previous blogs on the penguin were posted between 23 June and 8 September. One story has dominated New Zealand media since Friday 9 September 2011. The opening… Read more »
The global penguin – Part 9. Heading home, or heading east?
Te Papa’s curator of terrestrial vertebrates Dr Colin Miskelly tells the ninth instalment of the unfolding story of the emperor penguin that went where none had gone before. Previous blogs on the penguin were posted between 23 June and 5 September. It is four days since the world’s most famous penguin escaped down the stern… Read more »
The global penguin – Part 8. Free at last!
Te Papa’s curator of terrestrial vertebrates Dr Colin Miskelly tells the eighth instalment of the unfolding story of the emperor penguin that went where none had gone before (at least in the age of digital media). Previous blogs on the penguin were posted between 23 June and 29 August. Seventy-six days after he stepped ashore… Read more »
A Te Papa curator in Ecuador
Te Papa’s curator of terrestrial vertebrates Colin Miskelly is in Guayaquil as the expert advisor to the New Zealand delegation at the 6th ACAP (Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels) meeting, and has provided this report. The ACAP meeting has been a great opportunity to meet with albatross researchers and conservation workers from… Read more »
The global penguin – Part 6. Hitching a ride south
Te Papa’s curator of terrestrial vertebrates Dr Colin Miskelly tells the sixth part of the unfolding story of the emperor penguin that went where none had gone before (at least in the age of digital media). Colin is a member of the committee advising on the care and rehabilitation of the bird, and told the… Read more »