Talk by Jack Ashby, Assistant Director, University Museum of Zoology, Cambridge
After 20 years of working in natural history museums and searching out wild mammals around the world, zoologist and author Jack Ashby has decided that platypuses are the best animals to have ever evolved. They are the only mammals that can produce venom, detect electricity and lay eggs. And wombats are a close second: their teeth never stop growing, they poop cubes and they defend themselves with reinforced rears. In fact, Jack thinks that all of Australia’s mammals are the best in the world.
But, despite Australian animals being perfectly evolved for living their lives, with genuinely incredible adaptations, people keep calling them ‘weird’, or say that the wildlife in Australia is particularly dangerous. This isn’t helpful for their conservation. In this talk, Jack will set the record straight about these myths, whilst celebrating the amazing things that animals like platypuses, wombats, kangaroos and Tasmanian devils can do.
This talk is aimed at young people aged 8–13 years.
Location: Lecture Theatre A - University of Cambridge Admissions Office, New Museums site, Bene't Street, CB2 3PT
Booking required: Book your free tickets here
Part of the Cambridge Festival 2023
