Submitted by Tricia Harnett on Mon, 08/06/2020 - 12:19
Zoology Live! is back: 4pm EVERY day Mon 22 June to Fri 26 June, plus 11 - 4pm on Sat 27 June
Zoology Live! is an annual celebration of all animal life, usually held in the University Museum of Zoology, Cambridge. This year the Museum team are creating a week-long wildlife celebration online, broadcast live at 4pm every day from Monday 22 June to Friday 26 June, with further broadcasts throughout the day on Saturday 27 June 2020.
The week-long event offers a series of expert talks on local wildlife, such as butterflies, birds, beetles, bats and moths. The celebration is aimed at the whole family, with the opportunity every day to ask live questions of our zoology experts, have a go at insect collecting, be inspired by the natural world with our Lego and recycled makes challenges, and join our Zoology Live Wildlife Challenge with their wildlife sightings so we can build a picture of the wildlife at home together.
The week will kick off on Monday 22 June at 4pm, with a chance to hear from Dr Ed Turner, Curator of Insects at the Museum. Dr Turner will be exploring minibeasts living on the ground using pitfall traps, and viewers will have the chance to ask him insect-related questions, or maybe ask for help to identify insects and other invertebrates spotted in the garden.
Tuesday will focus on flying insects, with butterfly expert, Matthew Hayes and dragonfly expert Duncan Mackay. Wednesday will be devoted to animals found in water with aquatic ecologist Dr Frances Dipper, and Ellie Bladon will share how to make a wildlife film on a budget. On Thursday, bird experts, Dr Tony Fulford and Dr Andrew Bladon will help to identify birds from their song and look at bird behaviour. On Friday the experts will be taking an in depth look at night time animals, exploring moths with expert Annette Shelford and bats with expert Henry Stanier. Throughout, the Museum team will be setting challenges and providing how to videos so you can get involved and support the wildlife where you are.
The event will conclude on Saturday 27th June, where the animals discovered during the week will be shared and members of the public will have the chance to submit their findings plus ask the experts for any animal identifications.
Professor Rebecca Kilner, Museum Director, said; ‘Our annual Zoology Live! festival is one of my favourite events in the Museum. We felt strongly that we should continue with the celebration online this year – particularly because we know how important getting out into nature is for health and well-being. The line-up of events and activities involves many of the Museum team, and I hope that people will enjoy putting us on the spot with their animal related questions.’
Dr Roz Wade, Museum Education & Outreach Officer, and event organiser said;’ It seemed more important than ever that we celebrate the wildlife right on our doorstep and give people the opportunity to join with us to marvel at the animals living amongst us. I really hope that everyone not only enjoys the talks on offer, but also shares with us photos and stories of their own encounters with wildlife.’
Zoology Live! starts on Monday 22 June at 4pm – you can get involved by going to our Facebook page @ZoologyMuseumCambridge or our Twitter page @ZoologyMuseum, or find all the details at www.museumofzoologyblog.com
Events will be hosted on YouTube Live.
People can follow the #ZoologyLive hashtag during the week to keep up with everything that is happening.
Zoology Live! 2020 – the full list of events
Monday 22 June: Minibeasts; Part 1
Time: 16.00-16.45
Introduction to Zoology Live! with Dr Roz Wade
How to set a pitfall trap and collect insects with Dr Ed Turner, including a LIVE interview and chance to put your questions to Dr Ed Turner about your minibeast finds.
Get involved: find out how to take part in our Zoology Live Wildlife Challenge, adding your wildlife finds to help us build a picture of wildlife where you are.
Tuesday 23 June: Minibeasts; Part 2
Time: 16.00-16.45
Butterfly spotting with Museum Research assistant Matthew Hayes, including a LIVE interview where you can put your butterfly questions to Matthew.
Dragonflies and damselflies with Duncan Mackay, including a LIVE interview where you can put your dragonfly and damselfly questions to Duncan.
Find out how to make an insect hotel to support wildlife near you, and take part in our recycled makes challenge.
Wednesday 24 June: Pond watch and creating wildlife films
Time: 16.00-16.45
Pond-dipping with Dr Frances Dipper, including a LIVE interview where you can find out about life in water, from ponds to the ocean, and ask your questions about aquatic wildlife.
Wildlife film making on a budget with Ellie Bladon, including a LIVE interview where you can put your questions to Ellie about her experiences and top tips for capturing wildlife on film.
Plus - Relax and watch one of Ellie’s films all about hazel dormice.
Thursday 25 June: Listening to and identifying birds
Time: 16.00-16.45
Explore bird song with Dr Tony Fulford, including a LIVE interview and chance to put your questions to Tony on how to listen to, record and identify birds from their songs
Discover more about birds with Dr Andrew Bladon, including a LIVE interview where you can put your questions to Andrew about birdwatching, bird behaviour and conservation.
Find out how to join in with our Lego Challenge celebrating the wildlife on your doorstep.
Friday 26 June: Night time wildlife; bats and moths
Time: 16.00-16.45
Moth trapping with expert Annette Shelford, including a LIVE interview and a chance for you to ask questions with Annette about top tips for spotting moths and why moths are important.
Surveying bats with Henry Stanier, including a LIVE interview where you can put your questions to Henry about bats and their amazing biology.
Watch as we set up a moth trap, with the results to be shown on Saturday morning
Saturday 27 June: Zoology Live!
11.00-11.15
Check back for wildlife sightings sent in during the week. Then catch up with the moth-trapping from Friday evening. Ask your questions and get help identifying moths and other insects.
12.00-12.15
Check back for wildlife sightings sent in during the week. Then catch up with Dr Ed Turner and his pitfall traps. He will be here LIVE to answer your questions on any animals you have found this week.
13.00-13.15
Check back for wildlife sightings sent in during the week. Then catch up with some of the insect surveys from the week and find out about beat netting to look at insects living in trees.
14.00-14.15
Check back for wildlife sightings sent in during the week. Then catch up with Pondwatch with Dr Roz Wade, including LIVE pond-dipping results and your chance to ask questions about animals you have seen this week.
15.00-15.15: Join Dr Roz Wade as she brings Zoology Live! 2020 to a close (almost!) with her top 10 spots, the results of the recycled makes and Lego challenge & any data recorded throughout the week.
FINALLY…
16.00: Zoology Live! Quiz
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Notes to editors:
About the Museum:
The University Museum of Zoology, Cambridge is temporarily closed due to the current social measures, however it is one of the largest and most important natural history collections in the UK, with an extraordinarily rich history dating back to 1814. In 2018 the Museum reopened after a five-year, £4.1million redevelopment – including nearly £2 million from The National Lottery Heritage Fund – to reveal thousands of incredible specimens from across the animal kingdom, including whales, elephants, a giraffe, giant ground sloth, insects, corals as well as items collected by Charles Darwin.
1. For more information please email Tricia Harnett, Marketing Assistant: pjh202@cam.ac.uk.
2. Interviews: Dr Roz Wade is available for interviews, please contact pjh202@cam.ac.uk or rcw30@cam.ac.uk to arrange a time.
3. Images: please contact pjh202@cam.ac.uk I have uploaded some images here; https://www.dropbox.com/sh/k1xf0806jtj1xrg/AACvHU6jyhfsPBA90G3Tqez6a?dl=0
Please credit the photographers named on the photo files.
4. The Museum is closed at the moment due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Updates for when visitors will be able to safely return will be posted on our website and social media channels.
5. For more information about the University Museum of Zoology, Cambridge, please visit: www.museum.zoo.cam.ac.uk
6. The Museum on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ZoologyMuseum and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ZoologyMuseumCambridge/
7. The University Museum of Zoology is embedded within the Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge www.zoo.cam.ac.uk
About The National Lottery Heritage Fund
Using money raised by the National Lottery, we inspire, lead and resource the UK’s heritage to create positive and lasting change for people and communities, now and in the future. www.HeritageFund.org.uk.
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University of Cambridge Museums is a consortium of the eight University Museums and the Botanic Garden, supported by Arts Council England. The consortium includes: Fitzwilliam Museum, Kettle's Yard, Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, Museum of Zoology, Museum of Classical Archaeology, Whipple Museum of the History of Science, The Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences and The Polar Museum. The University's collections are a world-class resource for researchers, students and members of the public representing the country’s highest concentration of internationally important collections, all within walking distance of the City Centre. www.museums.cam.ac.uk
