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South Australian Museum

Locality: Adelaide, South Australia

Address: North Terrace 5000 Adelaide, SA, Australia

Website: http://www.samuseum.sa.gov.au/

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25.01.2022 Some patterns in nature are very important for survival, but to our eyes, the pattern might be very subtle. The top photograph (taken by Elizabeth Steele-Collins) shows a stranded bottlenose dolphin from the side. The body is distinctly darker on the dorsal side of the dolphin, while lighter on the ventral side. Can you think why this pattern may be of use to oceanic animals such as dolphins? This pattern is called countershading, and is a type of camouflage common fo...r assisting animals blend into their surroundings. When seen from above, the dark back of the dolphin blends in with the gloomy ocean below. From below, the belly matches the brightly lit sky. As a predator, or prey, being hidden in their environment is advantageous, as they can stealthily hunt prey, or avoid being seen and eaten by a predator. The bottom photograph (taken by Barry Tar) shows a stranded pilot whale with a lighter pattern on its ventral surface. While not a lot is known as to the function of this patterning, it could be for communication within the species. The lighter area is an anchor-shape towards the anterior (head) end of the whale, but towards the posterior (tail) end, it also highlights the genital opening. Perhaps this could be advertising to the opposite sex! We don’t know a lot about the evolutionary forces behind these patterns in cetaceans, despite these animals exhibiting a wide variety of colouration and patterning. #Pattern #ContentForConnection with #mySAMuseum #SAMCollections #whale #dolphin #colouration See more

25.01.2022 /Lutuan/ [betel nut carriers] Bronze and brass with inlayed silver Mindanao, southern Philippines Late 19th and early twentieth century... Donated by Olav Everts 2019 These metal containers are used to store and carry the ingredients used by betel nut chewers in the Mindanao district of the southern Philippines. Mindanao has been the traditional homeland of Filipino Muslims since the 15th century, and the silver inlay on these containers reflects Islamic design principles in their arabesque floral motifs. Some art historians believe that these types of highly stylised patterns celebrate the spiritual order of the universe without trying to figuratively imitate Allah's divine creativity. Do you want to see these for yourself? Usually, these items are in our World Cultures Collection, but currently, they are on display Front Foyer of the South Australian Museum. Come and check them out! #Pattern #ContentForConnection with #mySAMuseum #SAMCollections #nut #BetelNut #OnDisplay

25.01.2022 The pattern of this exquisite skeleton of the glass sponge Euplectella aspergillum is an example where form and function combine to produce impressive results. This sponge belongs to the taxonomic class Hexactinellida, commonly called ‘glass sponges’. Their skeletons are a latticework made of fused spicules of hydrated silica. Hexactinellida sponges are mostly found in the deep-sea, between 500 and 700 m depth. In the living sponge the glass spicules are not as fragil...e as they look, being made of alternating layers of silica and organic material. The incredible architecture of the struts and joints of the fused skeleton, give the sponge mechanical resistance and have been the subject of several engineering studies. The arrangement of the beams of the rectangular lattice and the diagonal cross beams have shown excellent resistance to buckling stresses in laboratory simulations. Studies of this sponge could inspire new designs for man-made structural materials. In the deep-sea, the erect structure of Euplectella aspergillum keeps the sponge out of the soft sediment where it could be smothered. A thin veneer of living tissue over the skeleton includes pockets of ciliated cells that pump the surrounding water through the sponge enabling amoeba-like cells to engulf tiny particles of food. #Pattern #ContentForConnection with #mySAMuseum #SAMCollections #Porifera #GlassSponge #Sponge #Hexactinellida #DeepSea See more

25.01.2022 A66239 Mugapala [necklace] Maker undocumented Cane chain links, orchid stems, string, opossum scrotums... Wonenara, Eastern Highlands, Papua New Guinea Collected by Mr and Mrs L Mumford prior to 1970 This item is described as a men’s fertility charm, and would probably have been worn by a young man going through an initiation ceremony. While the people of the Eastern Highlands are not renown for personal adornment, strings of symbolic charms are often worn during rituals. Opossum scrotums, for example, are used to evoke themes of fecundity in both male and female rites of passage. Other common charms include pig tails and human finger bones. #BirdsAndBees #ContentForConnection with #mySAMuseum #Fertility #PNG #SAMCollections See more

25.01.2022 Fijian back cloth, known as masi, is often decorated with patterns, known as kesakesa. Different regions have developed distinctive kesakesa designs and methods for printing them. These raised stencils, known as kuveti, are placed under the masi and dye is rubbed across the surface to transfer the patterned design onto the cloth.... This technique of over-rubbing stencils is only used in the Lau islands of Fiji, but it is a widely used method in Tonga and was probably introduced to Fiji when Tongans invaded the area in the 1700s. Kuveti [stencil] Stencil for printing masi [bark cloth] Pandanus leaves, coconut palm midribs, coir fibre Collected from Fiji circa 1880 Donated to the World Cultures Collection of the South Australian Museum by Rev S F Prior in 1893 SAM A7243-6 #Pattern #ContentForConnection with #mySAMuseum #Kuveti #Fiji #Stencil #Tonga #Printing See more

25.01.2022 The early bird gets the good photo! Paula McManus’s photograph, Sunrise at the Swamp, was shortlisted in the Landscape section of our Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year exhibition. This week, we’ll be posting Auslan-interpreted mini-talks in the Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year exhibition with scientists and photographers. ... Please check out our YouTube channel for the full list of videos. The exhibition closes Sunday 15 November. Pinned comment: Paula McManus, Sunrise at the Swamp

24.01.2022 NSW artists Grayson Cooke and Emma Walker have been announced the winners of the 2020 Waterhouse Natural Science Art Prize. This visual music project set to the 2013 album Open by Australian cult band The Necks combines time-lapse Landsat satellite imagery of Australia from Geoscience Australia’s Digital Earth Australia project and videography by Grayson Cooke together with aerial macro-photography of paintings by Emma Walker. The judges said, "The work is a synthesis of ...the Australian landscape and artistic practice. Both are examined individually and then woven together in such a skillful way as to make it challenging to distinguish which is landscape and which is art. The images are then bound further together by a mesmerizing soundtrack. By bringing natural science and art together so seamlessly makes this a worthy winner of the Waterhouse Natural Science Art Prize 2020. With thanks to the Department for Energy and Mining, South Australia. #WaterhousePrize

24.01.2022 A number of objects in the South Australian Museums collections have not only come to us #FromAfar they have also been made with components that have travelled great distances. Featured here are beaded ornaments worn around the waist and collected in Southern Africa around 1900. Glass beads were used widely in ornaments, clothing and to decorate personal items. Ornaments like these were made by women and given to men they fancied. The colours and patterns of the beads o...ften had particular meanings associated with them. While the ornaments have come from Southern Africa the glass beads they contain have had a long journey. Glass beads have been part of a vast global trade network for centuries with beads being brought into Southern Africa and Africa more generally from Europe as items of trade. In the 17th-century glass beads were the key commodity in the slave trade along the west coast of Africa. #FromAfar #ContentForConnection with #mySAMuseum #SAMCollections #WorldCultures #Africa #Beads #TradeBeads See more

24.01.2022 Join us tonight for the Waterhouse Natural Science Art Prize winner announcement! Live from the South Australian Museum at 6.15pm (ACDT)

23.01.2022 South Australian artist, Rebecca McEwan has been named the winner of the Emerging artist category in the 2020 Waterhouse Natural Science Art Prize. Rebecca piece explores the ancient wisdom of human connection with bees by exploring the visceral experience of the human/bee relationship. The chandelier represents a recognised symbol of wealth and luxury, Rebecca has gathered honey from beekeepers to fill tiny glass vessel drops on the chandelier. Each vessel containing the li...fe-time’s work of 2-3 bees, asking us to question the value we place on honey and the existence of bees in our delicately balanced ecosystem. The judges said, "This is a remarkable work requiring considerable imagination and artifice to execute. It fills three dimensional space with height, breadth and shadow. At the heart of the artist’s message is the crucial role the industry of bees play in our environment. Contained therein is a loud call to action to us all from the artist." With thanks to our sponsor Hill Smith Art Advisory #WaterhousePrize #hillsmithartadvisory

23.01.2022 Looking for activities to keep the kids entertained these school holidays? The Shadow Initiation game is the perfect combination of adventure and intrigue. Race against the clock and experience the Museum like never before. It's part-escape room, part-scavenger hunt, part behind-the-scenes Museum tour. You've never played a game like this one. 1 hour, 40+ puzzles to attempt. Unlock the secrets of the Museum! Book your spot: https://bit.ly/2HwhyDp

23.01.2022 Waterhouse Natural Science Art Prize opens at 12pm today! More info: https://www.samuseum.sa.gov.au/event/waterhouse Thanks to Hill Smith Art Advisory... #WaterhousePrize #hillsmithartadvisory

23.01.2022 We may be home for 6 days but that doesn't mean we can't get outside and explore our #BackyardBiodiversity. We're still here for you. Connect with us through our YouTube channel and our Content for Connection web page. And, don't forget to share your #BackyardBiodiversity finds with us

21.01.2022 It's giveaway time!

21.01.2022 Who knew that patterns were important for mineral formation on #MineralMonday? This Quartz, from our Mineralogy Collection, has a characteristic shape we know from all quartz crystals. This shape is consistent in quartz because they all have the same underlying pattern and repeating elements in their structure. We all come across minerals in our daily lives all those grains of sand on the beach they’re mostly little rounded waterworn crystals of quartz! But what act...ually is a mineral? Scientists define a mineral as a naturally occurring solid chemical compound with a definite chemical composition and a definite crystal structure. A mineral’s crystal structure is its own specific ordered arrangement of atoms. Mineral crystals come in all shapes and sizes and these macro shapes we see are a direct reflection of the micro patterns of arrangement of their atoms. The smallest group of atoms which form this repeating pattern is called the unit cell. This unit cell is the basic building block of the mineral’s crystal structure, and it is the repetitive reproduction of this cell that produces the pattern of the crystal structure. Quartz (silicon dioxide, SiO2) is composed of interlinked tetrahedra (triangular pyramids) of silicon and oxygen atoms. At this level, the corners of the tetrahedra are arranged into groups of connected hexagons, just like honeycomb! It is this pattern that is responsible for the characteristic 6-sided shape we see in quartz crystals. All the other shapes we see exhibited by mineral species are the same result of how the patterns of their atoms are repeated as the mineral grows. #Pattern #ContentForConnection with #mySAMuseum #SAMCollections #Minerals #Mineralogy #Quartz #Crystal #MineralMonday See more

20.01.2022 It’s believed that Chile first called Adelaide Zoo home in the 1970s. This very special flamingo delighted visitors with her beautiful pink plumage and quirky interactions with the public. Chile was Australia’s only flamingo for years. Donate today to help get these beautiful flamingos on display at the Museum. Donate now: https://community.samuseum.sa.gov.au/donate #GivingTuesday #SouthAustralianMuseum #AdelaideZoo #feastfest

19.01.2022 Most people think of bats as roosting in caves. However, the majority of microbat species found in South Australia, roost in tree hollows or under exfoliating bark. Some species of microbats will also utilise human structures, be they roofs, sheds or chimneys, as roosting locations. This photo of a Lesser Long-eared Bat (Nyctophilus geoffroyi), was recently sent to the Discovery Centre. The bat was rescued, and later released, after a small, dead hollow tree had been acciden...tally knocked over. All bats have the potential to carry diseases (e.g. Lyssa virus) which may affect humans. Infections occur when someone is bitten or scratched by an infected bat. Infections may also occur through fluid transfer to broken skin or mucous membranes (e.g. eyes, nose and mouth). If live or dead bats are found, it is recommended to avoid contact, unless the person has been appropriately vaccinated and trained. Best to seek help, if at all possible. However, if the animal must be moved (alive or dead), do so without physically touching the animal. Or at the very least wear thick gloves that the bat is unable to scratch or bite through #MySAMuseum #IdentificationStation

16.01.2022 Next up in our Her Story: Inspiring Women in STEM display is the South Australian Museum's very own Dr Rachael King. Rachael is a Research Scientist, specialising in the taxonomy and evolutionary history of crustaceans from both marine and freshwater environments. You can visit Rachael's display in the front foyer until 7 February 2021 or view Rachael's story online: https://www.samuseum.sa.gov.au//her-story-onl/rachael-king

16.01.2022 Come and explore the Museum with your #GreatStateVoucher. Receive a free cake of your choice with the purchase of a main meal* and hot or cold beverage. Simply show this social post at the Museum Café or quote #GreatStateVoucher to redeem the offer. Available until 11 December 2020. *Choose from our house-made Beef Burger, Sweet Potato and Zucchini Frittata, Falafel and Za’atar Salad, Panko-crusted Barramundi Fillet or Penang Chicken Meatballs and Thai Green Sauce.

16.01.2022 Flashback Friday! Who remembers the Museum fountain? Put an in the comments below if you do. #MySAMuseum

16.01.2022 Anyone else feel a little glum that we're experiencing winter weather in spring? This guy has the grumpy face down pat! "Face Off" by Andy Wingate was named runner up in the monochrome category of our Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year competition. Andy says, "A solemn-looking grey anglerfish (aka frogfish) lays still, moving only its eyes as it lies in wait for its next unsuspecting meal to swim past. This is an expert hunter that walks, swims very... little, and owns one of the fastest-moving set of jaws in the underwater world." Exhibition on now until 15 November. Book your ticket online or at the Museum https://www.samuseum.sa.gov.au/event/NPOTY2020 See more

16.01.2022 What can Tasmanian Devils tell us about fossils? Palaeontologist Dr Liz Reed gives us an insight into her work on cave deposits. This week, we’ll be posting Auslan-interpreted mini-talks in our Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year exhibition with scientists and photographers. Please check out our YouTube channel for the full list of videos. The exhibition is on until 15 November. ... Pinned comment: Jasmine Vink, Tasmanian Devil [pic]

16.01.2022 This NAIDOC Week, we’d like to share a special podcast between Rebecca Richards and Dr Jennifer Caruso. Jennifer is an academic and writes about her experiences as a member of the Stolen Generations, and her portrait features in our new exhibition, Women’s Work. Listen on your podcast app or below. *Please note: this episode does come with a language warning.

15.01.2022 Take advantage of tomorrow’s glorious spring weather and come down to the Museum Café for lunch and some fabulous live music entertainment thanks to the Street Beats & Eats. SA artist Baby Mo will be performing on the front lawns from 12.30-1.30pm. Thanks to Music SA and City of Adelaide for setting a great tone for the long weekend!

15.01.2022 Run, don't waddle Last chance to see our Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year exhibition before it closes this Sunday 15 November. This photograph "Lone Emperor" was taken by Justin Gilligan and is a finalist in our Animal Habitat category. ... #NaturePhotographer

15.01.2022 Do you want to have a fang-tastic Halloween? Become a Museum Member today and join us for our Spooktacular Halloween themed adventure hosted by everyone's favourite singing Palaeontologist, Professor Flint. 31 October at 5.30 - 6.30pm or 7-8pm ... $20 per person (adults at kids prices) To book contact our Membership Team on 0438 117 500 or email [email protected] This event is ideal for ages 5-12.

15.01.2022 Did you know that the South Australian Museum holds collection items from all over the world, not just from South Australia? This map represents over 90,000 localities around the world from where our collection items have come from. This month, we will explore our collections to find things #FromAfar. ... We might not be able to travel as easily as we used to at the moment, but join us for our virtual tour of the world and learn a thing or two about our collections. #FromAfar #ContentForConnection with #mySAMuseum #SAMCollections #Worldwide #map #Localities See more

15.01.2022 The Mineral Collections contain specimens not only from South Australia localities, but from all over our planet - from every continent including Antarctica, and even from the depths of the ocean seafloor. But how far is really far? A quick look at our globe shows us that the furthest place you can get from South Australia is a little under 20,000 kms away, on the other side of the world. ... But that’s nothing! The furthest specimens #FromAfar in our collections are from somewhere way further Outer Space!! The Kittakittaooloo meteorite was found in 1970 on a sand dune at Lake Kittakittaooloo, about 20 km West of Mungerannie on the Birdsville Track in the far north of our state. This stony meteorite is composed predominantly of silicate (rock forming) minerals and is one of the few Australian oriented meteorites known. Its highly sculptured appearance shows how its surface melted as it passed through our atmosphere as it fell to Earth. Like the vast majority of meteorites, Kittakittaooloo originated in the Asteroid Belt which lies between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter, around 200 million kms from South Australia. I think we can all agree, that is FAR! #FromAfar #ContentForConnection with #mySAMuseum #SAMCollections #Meteroite #Kittakittaooloo #BirdsvilleTrack #AsteroidBelt See more

14.01.2022 We're excited to announce we have been shortlisted in this year's The City Awards for both best attraction (South Australian Museum) and experience (The Shadow Initiation.) You can vote for us through the following link: https://bit.ly/33Zy9XI

13.01.2022 Chile and Greater from Adelaide Zoo were extraordinary flamingos who will forever hold a special place in the hearts of all in our community. With your help, we are able to bring Chile and Greater out of retirement and on display at the Museum for generations to enjoy and to help teach them about sustainability, biodiversity and taxidermy. Donate now: https://community.samuseum.sa.gov.au/donate ... Image: Kevin, South Australia #GivingTuesday #SouthAustralianMuseum #AdelaideZoo #feastfest

13.01.2022 A49348 Shell is a commonly used resource in the Solomon Islands. Shell is used as currency, inlaid in to canoes, shields and wooden bowls and integrated into jewellery and other forms of adornment. ... Featured here is a pearl shell breast pendant, one of a number held within the South Australian Museums World Cultures collections. Such pendants are commonly worn by men in the Solomon Islands and often feature frigate bird motifs. This example features stylised birds and fish and interestingly, compared to other example of this type, features Christian motifs in the form of cut-out crosses. This phenomenon could be linked to the missionary influences in the area at the time. This particular piece was collected by Reverand R.G. Nicholson between 1907-1924. #Bling #ContentForConnection with #mySAMuseum #SAMCollections #SolomonIslands #Jewellery #Adornment #Pearl See more

10.01.2022 Did you know that bats are more than 55 million years in the making? Dr Kyle Armstrong gives us some bat-ground info on these amazing creatures. This week, we’ll be posting Auslan-interpreted mini talks in the Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year exhibition with scientists and photographers. Please check out our YouTube channel for the full list of videos. The exhibition must close Sunday 15 November. ... Pinned comment: Jasmine Vink, The Marvel of Flight

09.01.2022 From flight, insulation, communication, waterproofing, and camouflage feathers contribute to many aspects of a bird’s survival. The intricate flecked patterning we see here on the Spotted Nightjar (Eurostopodus argus) from our Ornithology collection is important for camouflage. When immobile and on the ground against leaf litter, these birds become virtually invisible. When in flight, the spotted wing pattern can be seen.... Unfortunately, this species is becoming more rare, due to habitat loss and predation from cats and foxes. #Pattern #ContentForConnection with #mySAMuseum #SAMCollections #Feathers #Birds See more

09.01.2022 Patterns are all around us. It could be a design on an object, natural or man-made. It could be regularity of repeating elements, or spirals, or symmetry.... It could be the timing of occurrences, over and over. You can love patterns, or prefer chaos. October is the month we explore #PATTERNS of all kinds found in our collections. We kick the month off showing a cross-section of a scleractinian coral skeleton. Each repeating element in this image is the skeleton of a single polyp, with the radiating spokes called septa. This is a colonial animal, meaning that the individual polyps are interconnected to form the larger coral entity. This coloniality has helped form the Great Barrier Reef! #Pattern #ContentForConnection with #mySAMuseum #SAMCollections #Coral #colony #reef

08.01.2022 To celebrate Earth Sciences Week, Young Explorers is back with another fun video for young kids! Emma is in the minerals gallery, looking at different kinds of rocks and crystals. What colours and shapes can you see? Thanks to the Department for Energy and Mining, South Australia. https://www.earthsciweek.org/about-esw

07.01.2022 Are you dreaming of a getaway to Kangaroo Island? Well take a trip to our Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year exhibition and that dream may just come true! By voting for your favourite photograph in our People's Choice competition you could WIN a trip to Kangaroo Island, courtesy of Exceptional Kangaroo Island and Australian Wildlife Journeys. Head to our website for more details and to read all about the prize: https://bit.ly/2FOJCl5

06.01.2022 Help scientists understand more about our frogs, wherever you live in Australia! Our frogs are under threat from habitat loss, disease and climate change. By taking part in FrogID Week, you help provide scientists with valuable data for the protection and conservation of Frogs. Download the free FrogID app from Google Play or the App Store and register now. Remember, every call counts!

06.01.2022 Who's joining us tomorrow?!

06.01.2022 Looking to escape the heat? Why not come to the Museum café for a bite of lunch and enjoy some fabulous live music by South Australian independent singer/songwriter Paige Court. Today from 12.30-1.30pm. Proudly presented as part of the Street Beats & Eats program, thanks to the City of Adelaide and Music SA. #ADL #MyAdelaide

06.01.2022 Happy Halloween A little bat has told us that a party is being thrown after dark tonight and tomorrow. If you look closely in the very top window of the Museum you may be able to see them getting up to mischief! #Halloween #bats #MySAMuseum

06.01.2022 Not another flocking fundraiser! This year as part of #GivingTuesday the Museum is hoping that with your help, the iconic pink pair of flamingos Chile and Greater from the Adelaide Zoo will be able to re-emerge at the South Australian Museum. For over 100 years amazing animals have retired to the free zoo at the Museum for generations to enjoy, and learn about sustainability, biodiversity and taxidermy.... Let’s get those old birds looking beautiful again and return Chile and Greater to our community. Donate Online - South Australian Museum: https://community.samuseum.sa.gov.au/donate With thanks to our friends at the Feast Festival #MySAMuseum #AdelaideZoo #feastfest

06.01.2022 Patterns of cone shells species are distinctive and have evolved over millions of years. The patterns are made by pigment cells in the fleshy mantle of the snail’s body. Patterns are thought to camouflage the snail in its environment so that it can ambush its prey such as other snails, worms, and fish. The Swedish zoologist Carl Linnaeus named thousands of marine organisms including the beautiful but dangerous Conus textile marine snail. This attractive snail with th...is intricate patterned shell lives in tropical regions of Australia, Africa, and India. These shell specimens are part of our Marine Invertebrates Collection, and collected from India. Cone snails feed by capturing their prey using a tiny harpoon. The harpoon is covered in a complex mixture of deadly toxins, which cause the prey to become paralysed. Toxins from Conus textile and other cones are so poisonous that they can kill humans too. Envenomation of humans can affect the heart, lungs, and brain. Snails mainly come out to hunt at night and so it is usually only when humans seek them out and pick them up that envenomation occurs. You may not even notice that you have been stung as the venom is also a painkiller. This painkilling property has been the subject of much medical research; the very strong painkiller Zicontide, now synthesised in laboratories for human use, originated from cone snail toxins. Remember if you are diving, snorkelling or reef walking - if it’s a cone, leave it alone! #Pattern #ContentForConnection with #mySAMuseum #SAMCollections #shell #coneshell #toxins #molluscs See more

06.01.2022 Our Autism-friendly morning is back! Join us on Saturday 12 December from 8am - 10am. Come along to the Museum before we open to the public. People with autism and their families or friends can enjoy a quieter, less crowded visit to the Museum. Our special exhibition, the Waterhouse Natural Science Art Prize, will be open and free to visit! The Discovery Centre, Shop and Cafe will all be open. Bookings are required, so get in early and secure your ticket below.

05.01.2022 How do you think South Australia’s rich cultural collections could be re-imagined? There’s $10,000 on offer to answer that question. Today South Australian Museum History Trust of South Australia State Library of South Australia and Art Gallery of South Australia open the doors to cutting-edge digital creativity with the launch of the Collab Digital Cultural Fellowship. Applicants for the $10,000 honorarium will be asked to let their imaginations loose on the massive treasu...re trove of data, collections and works of art in digital form stored by the four entities. Curious to know more? https://bit.ly/32vUMmA Applications close Monday 15 February 2021. Collab: innovation has a new name. #collabSA

05.01.2022 Did you know that shingleback lizards are monogamous? Herpetologist Dr Mark Hutchinson tells us about these amazing creatures. This week, we’ll be posting Auslan-interpreted mini-talks in the Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year exhibition with scientists and photographers. Please check out our YouTube channel for the full list of videos.... The exhibition must close Sunday 15 November. Pinned comment: Lachlan Gilding, Monogamous [pic]

04.01.2022 Quite a unique donation to the Mammals Collection, this is a rug made from a taxidermied skin of a Himalayan Tiger (Panthera tigris) most definitely #FromAfar. Tigers are known to occur up to an elevation of 4,500 m. The highest peak in the Himalayas is Mount Everest at 8,848 m. The tiger was shot in 1952 by the friend of the owner of the rug, along with a local guide. The taxidermy process was popular to convert a hunting prize into a trophy for your house. In this ...case, the skin was prepared as a rug, with black felt on the underside. These days, the tiger is listed as endangered on the ICUN’s Red List of Threatened Species, with their population trending down. Causes of the decline include habitat destruction, habitat fragmentation, and poaching. The tiger used to roam across areas as wide-ranging such as Afghanistan, a large number of provinces in China, Indonesia, Iran, and Turkey; but those populations are now extinct. Today, tigers inhabit less than 6% of their original distribution. Populations today are restricted to Bangladesh, Bhutan, some parts of China, India, Indonesia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia (Peninsular Malaysia), Myanmar, Nepal, Russian Federation, and Thailand. Continued efforts are being done to help the tiger populations increase, including conservation actions such as protection of important areas, research and monitoring of populations, and education and awareness programs implemented. The skin was donated to the Museum in October 2017 and is a rare and valuable acquisition. The specimen is from a time when tigers were more abundant. The skin can be used for DNA analysis to better understand the impact of their decline on genetic diversity. #FromAfar #ContentForConnection with #mySAMuseum #Tiger #Taxidermy #Himalayas #Endangered See more

04.01.2022 The Collection Manager of Mammals, David Stemmer, was born in Germany where he grew up until he moved to Australia to study biology. From our Mammalogy collection, this specimen that he is holding in his hands is a water vole which is a fairly common rodent species in Germany. The species Arvicola terrestris creates extensive burrow systems just below the surface to access its favourite food roots. ... The ‘Wühlmaus’ is regarded as a pest in household gardens as it loves eating your root vegetables such as carrots. Just imagine harvesting your crop of carrots and all you pull out is the green tuft of leaves with only a tiny stump of carrot remaining! There are quite a few different vole species that occur in Germany with one other species causing similar problems in gardens. The remaining species prefer meadows and forests where they usually don't clash with human activities. #FromAfar #ContentForConnection with #mySAMuseum #SAMCollections #Mammals #Vole #gardening #Germany #vegetables See more

03.01.2022 Why spots? Eye spots? Try-not-to-die spots? Why are moths and butterflies commonly patterned with eye-like spots? There is the appealing idea that large eye-spots mimic eyes. But do enemies actually imagine a larger predator staring back at them? ... Yes, but only sometimes; a single pair of large owl eye-like markings, which sometimes even have convincing sparkle marks, do appear to deter small birds. But another hypothesis is that spots have evolved to attract attention rather than scare! Predator attention is drawn towards any kind of conspicuous target-like spot. Being on the periphery of the moth, attacks are then deflected away from vital parts. This explanation fits more comfortably with many of the examples of small and large spots often seen on moth and butterfly wings. So those are two of the competing hypotheses; no-one can say for sure for this old lady moth (Dasypodia selenophora) who mostly just hides in dark corners (perhaps hoping to avoid this debate!). This moth now hides out in our drawers of the Terrestrial Invertebrates Collection. #Pattern #ContentForConnection with #mySAMuseum #moth #eyespot #lepidoptera

02.01.2022 Have you voted in our People's Choice competition? Choose your fave image in this year's Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year competition and you could WIN a getaway to Kangaroo Island thanks to Exceptional Kangaroo Island and Australian Wildlife Journeys. Get your votes in before October 25! : Fluffy Eastern Grey by Jennie Stock. A finalist in the monochrome category.

02.01.2022 The South Australian Museum is currently closed. From 10am Monday 23 November we will reopen to the public. In line with Government advice, the Museum will permit 1 person per 4 sqm Please be mindful of social distancing and keep 1.5m away from others at all times ... The Discovery Centre is currently closed School groups will resume from 1 December Before you visit, we highly recommend visiting our website and reading our FAQs: https://bit.ly/37doA8G

02.01.2022 Sure, bird feathers make for some pretty patterning (and more on that next week!), but don’t forget about eggs! They aren’t all like chicken eggs Here are some examples from our Ornithology collection. The eggs of the Comb-crested Jacana (Irediparra gallinacea) have a beautiful, crazy, bold swirly pattern that camouflages them in their floating nest of aquatic plants.... Bird eggs come in a variety of patterns and colours, but the eggs of the Chestnut-crowned Babblers (Pomatostomus ruficeps) are unusual with their beautiful, finely marbled patterning. And finally, there is perhaps no Australian bird species whose eggs show such a large degree of variation in colour and patterning than the Magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen). Climate apparently influences this to some degree, but scientists are still not entirely sure why there is such variation. This photo shows one of several drawers of Magpie eggs kept at the Ornithology section in the South Australian Museum. #Pattern #ContentForConnection with #mySAMuseum #SAMCollections #bird #eggs #ornithology See more

02.01.2022 Can you tell that this anemone is upside down? Dr Andrea Crowther talks to us about the leopard anemone. This week, we’ll be posting Auslan-interpreted mini talks in the Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year exhibition with scientists and photographers. Please check out our YouTube channel for the full list of videos. See the exhibition until Sunday 15 November. ... Pinned comment: Richard Robinson, Leopard Anemone [pic]

02.01.2022 Congratulations to this year's People Choice winner Gary Meredith - Gaz Meredith Images! In a year when a 1.5m gap has become the norm, a photograph of rainbow bee-eaters bunched together on a branch has been named People’s Choice in the 2020 Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year at the South Australian Museum. Huddle up, it’s cold! was taken by West Australian photographer Gary Meredith in a remote area of the Great Sandy Desert in Western Australia. T...he rainbow bee-eaters pictured roost together at night, flying out each morning to sit together in the warmth of the rising sun. In winter the birds huddle together to stay warm. Thanks to everyone who voted and to Exceptional Kangaroo Island Australian Wildlife Journeys for providing a prize. The exhibition is on until 15 November.

01.01.2022 Even in 1914, good news was able to travel #FromAfar! Here we have a newspaper article from the Leeds Mercury in Yorkshire, England, reporting news about Sir Douglas Mawson’s Antarctic expedition, printed on 26 February, 1914. You may wonder why a Yorkshire paper would be interested in this expedition. It is because Mawson was born in Yorkshire, in a town called Shipley (West Yorkshire) in 1882. ... Although born in England, he came to Australia when he was young, and eventually went on to travel many thousands of kilometres making important explorations of Antarctica. This newspaper clipping reporting on Mawson’s exploits, as well as many others from newspapers around Europe, is part of our Polar Collections. Staying connected was just as important back then, as it is today! #FromAfar #ContentForConnection with #mySAMuseum #SAMCollections #Mawson #Polar #Newspaper #Antarctica See more

01.01.2022 #Patterns come in all different shapes and sizes and can be interpreted in many ways. This photograph from our Australian Polar collection taken by Frank Hurley, shows a number of colonies of bacteria, yeasts and moulds appearing on plates which created unusual #patterns in the petri dishes. These patterns depicts Dr Archie McLean’s work on human adaptation which involved studying the haemoglobin content in the blood of half the men at the Main Base in Antarctica in 1...912. They found it increased dramatically on their arrival early that year, blood pressure then becoming slightly more marked, with body weight increasing, but resistance to infection decreased. After a few months, Staphylococcus aureus, a common germ of civilisation, could not be isolated from throat, nose or skin of the six men subjected to regular bacteriological sampling. Note: During the two years the Main Base was occupied then men also successfully cultivated viable samples of yeast from their frozen supplies, which resulted in freshly baked bread each morning thanks to the nocturnal activities of the nightwatchman. #Pattern #ContentForConnection with #mySAMuseum #SAMCollections #Polar #PetriDish #Antarctica #MainBase #Yeast #Mould #Bacteria