Conservation of Mammal Collections, Museum of Natural History, The University of Kansas

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ABSTRACT: DEB-9321021, PI-Timm: This support will allow preparation, incorporation and computerization of an important orphaned collection of Caribbean mammals by the University of Kansas Museum of Natural History, which holds one of the premiere research collections of living mammals in the U.S.. The project also entails improving and making accessible to researchers and students the sizeable spirit collection of mammals, which hitherto has been housed under crowded and poor curatorial conditions. This award is opportunistic, in that it occurs in concert with a planned expansion of the museum into a new wing to house all spirit collections. The systematic collections improved through this award are critical research and educational resources for studies in biodiversity. The collection of Recent mammals at the University of Kansas Museum of Natural History is one of the finest resources for research and education, being the fourth largest in North America and the second largest collection in a university museum. It's activity has produced crowed conditions which this collection improvement award will help alleviate through the provision of additional storage cases and curatorial material. Additionally, the collection is absorbing an orphaned collection of Caribbean mammals, which is extremely important to research and education on U.S. and Central American mammalian biodiversity.