How to submit your specimens to the WA Museum Terrestrial Vertebrates department.
Identifications & requests for information
Specimens for identification may be handed in at the Discovery Centre (Western Australian Museum - Perth), the Collections and Research Centre (Western Australian Museum - Welshpool), or any of our regional branches. Please indicate if you would like to be notified of the identification and provide contact details. Our staff will respond as soon as possible with the requested identification or information.
What do I do if I find something I think the museum can use?
Please contact our department first if you find an animal or animal parts that are in good condition and you think they may be valuable. If you cannot bring the specimen in immediately, wrap the specimen in newspaper and place the specimen in a sealed plastic bag (double bagged) or container and freeze. Fresh specimens can stay in the fridge for 2-3 days, however the sooner we have the specimen the better, as we will be able to remove tissue for genetic analysis. Alternatively you may email a digital photograph of the specimen and we will be able to assess if it is worth bringing in for further inspection.
What we need to know
A specimen needs the following basic information if it is going to be of value to the museum:
- date collected
- name of collector/s & contacts
- location (to the most accurate description or GPS reading)
- habitat
- how it was collected (i.e. found dead on road / hit by car / trapped etc)
- how it died (if applicable)
Voucher Material and Live Animal Specimens
Commercial and Government collectors please refer to the below documents. Specimens MUST be accompanied with the relevant data in hard copy. The forms have been developed to guide you in what information we require when submitting specimens. Additional data or photos are welcome. To avoid the rejection of material please read the Lodgement Instructions before bringing material to the Museum.