Natural History

Monthly Archive: December Natu

"Pseudo-Nature" and Photographic Integrity

Posted: August 3, 2015 - 17:11 , by ROM
Categories: 
Nature, Natural History, BioBlitz, Biodiversity
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A gray treefrog (Hyla versicolor) sits on a tree branch at night. Photo by Sean de Francia

Guest blog written by 2015 Environmental Visual Communication student Sean de Francia

A look into the ever-changing world of wildlife photography - would you stage a photo to get that perfect shot? What are the consequences of manipulating a scene with wild photo subjects?

Our Darling Dermestids - A Visit to the ROM's Bug Room

Posted: July 29, 2015 - 22:22 , by ROM
Categories: 
Behind the Scenes, Natural History, Research & Collections, Biodiversity
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A photo of the sign posted outside the door of the ROM's dermestid beetle colony quotes Dante's Inferno, "Abandon all hope ye who enter here"

Guest blog written by 2015 Environmental Visual Communication student Robert Elliot

How does the Royal Ontario Museum get their Skeletons so clean without compromising their integrity? A well-kept colony of hide beetles cleans every crevice of the various cadavers in the ROM’s bug room with incredible efficiency. A steel walled, dark humid room filled with corpses; a veritable beetle heaven is home to these hard working bugs. Follow EVC student ROM into their domain to get a unique perspective on the ROM.

BioBlitz Bits - Elusive At-Risk Birds

Posted: June 11, 2015 - 19:20 , by ROM
Categories: 
BioBlitz, Biodiversity, Natural History, Nature, From the Field
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ROM scientist Kevin Seymour looks at a map with the bird team at the 2012 Ontario BioBlitz in Rouge park, deciding where the team will survey

Blog by ROM Assistant Curator of Vertebrate Palaeontology Kevin Seymour

This is the fourth installment of our "BioBlitz Bits" Series - ROM scientists share their favourite stories from past Ontario BioBlitz events

BioBlitz Bits - A Tale of Two Bugs

Posted: June 4, 2015 - 21:14 , by ROM
Categories: 
BioBlitz, Biodiversity, Natural History, Nature, From the Field
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ROM scientist Antonia Guidotti lifts a jar up to a white sheet lit by a blacklight to collect insects attracted to the sheet during the 2012 Ontario Bioblitz

Blog by ROM Entomology Technician Antonia Guidotti

This is the third installment of our "BioBlitz Bits" Series - ROM scientists share their favourite stories from past Ontario BioBlitz events

BioBlitz Bits - Fungi Findings

Posted: May 29, 2015 - 20:27 , by ROM
Categories: 
BioBlitz, Biodiversity, Nature, Natural History, From the Field
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ROM scientist Jean-Marc Moncalvo gestures to a young boy to explain something about fungi during a guided bioblitz hike through the forest during the 2014 Ontario BioBlitz

Blog by ROM Senior Curator of Mycology, Jean-Marc Moncalvo

This is the second installment of our "BioBlitz Bits" Series - ROM scientists share their favourite stories from past Ontario BioBlitz events

BioBlitz Bits - Night of the Newts and Salamanders

Posted: May 22, 2015 - 21:57 , by ROM
Categories: 
BioBlitz, Biodiversity, Natural History, Nature, From the Field
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A forest scene at night lit only by headlamps from the ontario bioblitz teams as they survey in the dark

Blog by ROM Herpetology Technician Amy Lathrop

This is the first of our "BioBlitz Bits" Series - ROM scientists share their favourite stories from past Ontario BioBlitz events

 

"Of Angling, and the Art thereof": Fish Tails and Fish Tales

Posted: April 15, 2015 - 13:55 , by ROM
Categories: 
Library and Archives, Toronto, Natural History, History
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“Of Angling, and the Art thereof I sing,

What kinde of Tooles it doth behoue to haue;

Blue Whale Update

Posted: April 13, 2015 - 11:20 , by ROM
Categories: 
Big Blue Whale Bones, Biodiversity, Nature, Natural History
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Three men working next to a shipping container that contains the Blue Whale bones and manure.

Blue Whale Update

 

Finding a Safe Passageway Across the 401

Posted: January 26, 2015 - 15:55 , by ROM
Categories: 
Nature, Biodiversity, Natural History
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Two small, striped snakes touch snouts while wound about a person's hand.

Ecologists working together to ensure the safety of wildlife along some of Canada's busiest highway.

ROM Photographer of the Year 2014: Recap

Posted: January 20, 2015 - 15:34 , by ROM
Categories: 
Nature, Natural History, Photography, Biodiversity
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A group of antelope gather on a grassy plain.

A look back at the top photos from our 2014, in-house photography contest!