Since 2014, I manage the collection of mammals and birds at Naturalis. Amongst other things, I ensure that this collection remains well conserved, that it is accessible for research, that everybody can make use of the digital data and that new specimens are added to the collection. Obviously, I also work on presentations for the public and I ensure that other museums can borrow collection items.
Keywords
birds, mammals, mounted animals, alcohol collection, exhibitions, research, accessibility digital data
Thecollection
The Naturalis collection contains 400,000 bird specimens and 100,000 mammal specimens, and is still growing. Animals that are found dead are often included in the collection. Besides recent specimens, there are also specimens present that have remained conserved in the collection for more than 200 years and were part of the collection of our first director, the ornithologist C.J. Temminck. These specimens were therefore already present in the collection at the start of Naturalis. The collection is frequently consulted by researchers but is also of immense value for our own exhibition and for those of other museums.
Currentsubjects
The subjects that I am currently working on include a catalogue for scientific categories and new acquisitions for the collections, such as the bearded vulture and golden Jackal.
Whale strandings: What can we learn from it?
Preparation bearded vulture
Three meters wide, 6.5 kgs and the first of its species found in the wild in the Netherlands. Angèle, was a bearded vulture that flew into a windmill and died on the spot in May 2021. We will continue taxidermizing him today.
Importantpublications
Please see my Google Scholar page for my complete list of publications.
In themedia
Trouw: Het is wachten geblazen in het XL-depot [There’s a long queue in the XL depot]
Langs de Lijn: Pepijn Kamminga ontleedt aangespoelde vinvis [Pepijn Kamminga dissects washed up rorqual]
In 2019, the internet show Dumpert filmt je werkplek [Dumpert films you at work] travelled with the whale team to see how Naturalis helps out when a dead whale washes up on the Dutch coast
Watch the video
