Australian Wildlife

Australia is famous the world over for its unique and biodiverse animals: from charismatic mammals to fascinating spiders. If you are interested in the ecology, evolution, conservation or management of animals then it is important to understand their biodiversity and natural history. In this course we will put Australian terrestrial animals in an evolutionary context and explore recent research advances through pre-recorded lectures, interactive in-person lab practicals, and optional workshops and day trips. One half of the course will cover the enigmatic Australian frogs, reptiles, birds and mammals, with a particular focus on their diversity and natural history. The other half of the course will cover the enormous diversity of invertebrates with a particular focus on insects. The course includes contributions from researchers at the CSIRO Australian National Insect Collection and the Australian National Wildlife Collection, both located in Canberra. Lab practicals throughout the course focus on hands-on learning about key features of structures and how they function, specimen preservation and the use of biological keys for species identification. We have designed this course to complement other third year courses in ecology, evolution, biodiversity and conservation. It is fun, interesting and interactive. It will give you the practical skills and information you need to continue with animal biology in the future, including advice on future jobs that require these skills.