A team member from Everything Dinosaur marvelled at a display featuring a pair of Homo erectus model skulls on display at a school. A visit to Painsley Catholic College back in 2018, provided us with the opportunity to photograph the clay models. The science and art departments had collaborated to create a beautiful exhibit that documented human evolution. Many different hominin species were illustrated. Our personal favourites were the pair of Homo erectus skulls.
The teachers at Painsley Catholic College had built a display of ancient hominins using replicas of stone tools and carefully constructed clay skulls. The image shows a pair of Homo erectus skulls. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur praised the teaching staff at the time for creating such an informative display.
The boom in the trade for mammoth tusks threatens extant elephant populations and their habitats. This is the conclusion of newly published research from the University of Portsmouth.
Conservationists and campaigners fear an increase in the buying and selling of mammoth tusks poses a direct threat to elephants. The trade in “ice ivory” was banned in the UK in 2018. The ban was imposed following a Portsmouth University led investigation into the British antiques trade of the material.
Humans encounter a Woolly Mammoth. A boom in “ice ivory” trade of mammoth tusks presents a threat to elephants and the environment. Picture credit: Mark Witton.
The Trade in Mammoth Tusks
Earlier this year (2023), it was announced the Ivory Act would be extended to protect five more endangered CITES-listed species, including the hippopotamus, narwhal, walrus, orca and sperm whale. However, new research highlights the unregulated sale of mammoth tusks needs to be addressed. The species fall outside of the regulation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). This is an international, multi-government agreement set up to ensure the survival of animals and plant species.
The authors argue that while woolly mammoths became extinct thousands of years ago, their lives and ultimate demise has much to teach us about how we conserve and protect existing elephant populations.
Prehistoric elephants on display at the Senckenberg Museum (Frankfurt). Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
What About Other Prehistoric Elephant Genera?
Everything Dinosaur notes, that many species of extinct elephant had large tusks. Whilst the tusks eroding out of melting Siberian permafrost might usually be associated with the Woolly Mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius), tusks from other extinct species might be traded too. For example, tusks from the American Mastodon (Mammut americanum) or the Columbian mammoth (Mammuthus columbi) found in North America might also be bought and sold.
The Wild Safari Prehistoric World Mastodon model. The trade in the ivory of other prehistoric elephants would also need to be controlled.
The picture (above) shows a model of the American Mastodon by Safari Ltd.
Prehistoric Elephant Tusks Labelled as Ivory from Extant Species
Lead author in the recently published paper, Dr Caroline Cox (University of Portsmouth) commented:
“There’s evidence traders are trying to sustain the illegal ivory market with mammoth tusks, by intentionally mislabelling ice ivory as elephant ivory. Modern elephants and woolly mammoths share a common ancestor, so their tusks have close similarities. Instead of profiting from these new discoveries, we should be learning from them – how mammoths lived and how they died – to help protect their endangered relatives.”
It is estimated the illegal wildlife trade to be collectively worth between $15-22.5 billion USD a year. This puts the trade on a par with the illegal arms trade, the illegal drugs trade and the trade in human trafficking.
Schreger Lines in Elephant Ivory
Co-author of the study, Luke Hauser (University of Portsmouth) explained:
“Structurally, mammoth ivory is fundamentally identical to elephant ivory. Both have Schreger lines, which are distinct characteristics of the species.”
The majority of the ivory coming out of Siberia is woolly mammoth, but because evolution is a slow process there would have been crossovers between their characteristics and their predecessors. In theory, a trader could have a document claiming a tusk is from a Steppe Mammoth (M. trogontherii) when in fact it is actually a Woolly Mammoth (M. primigenius). Conservationists could not argue otherwise without an expensive and lengthy DNA test.
It is more than a decade since eBay announced its own complete, worldwide ban on ivory sales. An on-line post stated that the global ban would “protect buyers and sellers, as well as animals in danger of extinction”. Unfortunately, recent studies have shown that sellers of illegal wildlife products operate on the dark web, rather than more openly through on-line social media and auction platforms.
The Trade in Mammoth Tusks Damages the Fossil Record
Dr Cox explained:
“While mammoth tusks continue to be in demand, particularly in the Far East, the Siberian tusk hunters of Yakutia recover only what the buyers want – the ivory. The remains of the mammoth are left behind and lost to science.”
The mining of mammoth tusks is dangerous. It is often illegal, and it damages the environment. The law of the Russian Federation states that only mammoth tusks that have come to the surface, usually as a result of the permafrost melting, can be harvested. However, this is extremely difficult to enforce. Miners can speed up the erosion process by using high pressure hoses to blast the permafrost. The industrial mining of the permafrost also releases huge amounts of greenhouse gases such as methane. This is leading to accelerated global warming.
The paper, published in the “Journal of International Wildlife Law and Policy”, states that the best and most effective way of tackling issues surrounding the “ice ivory” trade is international cooperation from nations sharing resources and intelligence.
Everything Dinosaur acknowledges the assistance of a media release from the University of Portsmouth in the compilation of this article.
The scientific paper: “Ice Ivory to White Gold: Links Between the Illegal Ivory Trade and the Trade in Geocultural Artifacts” by Caroline Cox and Luke Hauser published in the Journal of International Wildlife Law & Policy.
In 2015, Everything Dinosaur team members visited Wren’s Nest. This is a nature reserve and SSSI (Special Site of Scientific Interest). The exposed strata dates from the Silurian and it is full of fossils including the occasional trilobite. Whilst exploring this location, a photograph was taken of a trilobite tribute. A plaque honouring the “Dudley bug” (Calymene blumenbachii).
A trilobite plaque at the Wren’s nest SSSI (Dudley, West Midlands). Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
Remembering the Trilobite
The Trilobita were remarkably abundant and diverse during the Palaeozoic. These ancient marine arthropods originated in the Cambrian. The last of their kind are believed to have become extinct at the end of the Permian.
The abundant fossils to be found at the Wren’s Nest nature reserve represent life on a Silurian reef approximately 420 million years ago. Team members have visited Wren’s Nest several times. This location was designated Britain’s first National Nature Reserve for geology (1956).
The motif is an inscription it reads:
“Scour the ground for geological litter my feet drenched in an ancient sea.”
Everything Dinosaur team members have prepared some images of CollectA invertebrate models including the CollectA Age of Dinosaurs Popular trilobite model (Redlichia rex). Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
The picture (above) shows a CollectA trilobite model.
Over 700 different types of fossil are known from Wren’s Nest. Over eighty are unique to this location and found nowhere else on the planet.
A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented:
“Wren’s Nest is a geological gem. We recommend a visit, especially in the early summer months prior to the school holidays. In the height of summer this location can get extremely busy and there is limited nearby parking”
A fabulous dinosaur artwork created from drawings of children’s hands was spotted during a visit to a school to conduct a dinosaur and fossil workshop. The colourful dinosaur complete with big eyes and a pointed tail was on display outside a classroom.
A “handy” way to create a prehistoric animal in the classroom. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
Dinosaur Artwork
During our many visits to schools we have seen numerous examples of dinosaur inspired artwork. This particular piece caught our eye, as its design meant that every child in the class has had the opportunity to participate. Drawings of the children’s hands made up the dinosaur’s body. In the bright and spacious classroom, the children had built prehistoric animal dioramas using shoe boxes to house their dinosaur models.
The Everything Dinosaur website is user-friendly and so easy to navigate. It is jam-packed with lots of prehistoric animal themed gifts and toys. There are drawing activity sets too. Perhaps you will be inspired to create your own dinosaur artwork.
Team members at Everything Dinosaur spotted some colourful dinosaur eggs in a carefully constructed nest on a visit to a Cheshire primary school. Whilst reviewing some teaching work from early 2018, we found a picture of the beautiful dinosaur eggs.
Some beautiful and very colour dinosaur eggs spotted at Little Leigh primary school (Cheshire). Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
Dinosaur Eggs
The photograph of the dinosaur nest was taken on a visit to Little Leigh primary in Cheshire. Everything Dinosaur had been invited into the school to deliver a workshop to Year 1 children who were learning about dinosaurs. The dedicated teaching team created the eggs, and the children were asked about what materials could go into the nest to keep the eggs safe. This exercise was a great way for the pupils to explore the properties of materials. In addition, to learning about dinosaur eggs, the pupils had the opportunity to examine different nesting materials.
A spokesperson from the UK-based mail order company commented that they remembered the school visit. The spacious Year 1 classrooms were filled with lots of examples of the children’s work. One of the teachers had constructed a small dinosaur museum in a corner of the room.
A dinosaur museum spotted at a school. Picture credit: Little Leigh Primary/Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Little Leigh Primary/Everything Dinosaur
The spokesperson added:
“The children were very enthusiastic, and they wanted to give us a tour of their classroom. We enjoyed visiting the dinosaur museum. However, we had to cut our visit short, we had a dinosaur and fossil workshop to deliver.”
Afterwards we chatted to the teaching team. They thanked us for the visit, and we congratulated them on their excellent scheme of work.
Team members were going through their image archive when they came across a beautiful dinosaur letter. The letter had been sent into Everything Dinosaur by a girl called Emma. Emma was a pupil at Streethouse Primary school when Everything Dinosaur visited in November 2017.
Team members were invited into the school to work with the Key Stage 2 class for a morning. The workshop provided a provocation for the term topic. Over the course of the morning, we challenged the children to have a go at a variety of extension activities.
A Dinosaur Letter
Cursive writing on display from Year 5/6.
Picture credit: Emma from Streethouse Primary School
We remember visiting the school back in 2017. It was a pleasure to meet such enthusiastic pupils.
In Emma’s letter she thanked Everything Dinosaur for the school visit and stated:
“You made me more confident in answering questions.”
On a visit to the Manchester Museum a team member overheard a grandmother challenging her grandchildren. Her young charges were tasked with counting the fossils in a display cabinet. The cabinet contained various ichthyosaur fossil specimens. Part of the exhibit included marine reptile fossil dung (coprolite). The grandmother asked the children to have a go at counting ichthyosaur coprolites.
Counting ichthyosaur coprolites. A grandmother visiting the Manchester Museum played a counting came with her grandchildren. It involved counting ichthyosaur coprolites. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
The children were enjoying their visit to the Manchester Museum. After the photographs in front of the Tyrannosaurus rex cast (Stan), the grandmother set the counting challenge. We are not sure whether she knew that the display cases contained fossils of marine reptile poo, but the children were undeterred. They eagerly accepted the counting challenge.
Counting games can help young children become more confident. Counting games can help them to develop confidence with numeracy.
The Tyrannosaurus rex cast on display at the Manchester Museum. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented:
“There is lots to see and lots to do at the Manchester Museum. Staff hand out worksheets and encourage children to take part in various activities themed around the exhibits. We have not come across an activity that involved counting ichthyosaur coprolites before. We congratulate the family for their innovation.”
A model of an ichthyosaur. The Ichthyosaurus model (Wild Safari Prehistoric World) ready to take its turn on the Everything Dinosaur turntable. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
The image (above) shows a typical replica of an ichthyosaur. This is the Wild Safari Prehistoric World Ichthyosaurus model.
“There is an extensive display of ichthyosaur and other marine reptile fossil material on display. Several of the fossils of ichthyosaurs come from the Dorset coast. We have found some ichthyosaur fossils on the Dorset coast too. We do have ichthyosaur coprolite fossils in our collection. However, we have never played a counting coprolite game unlike the grandchildren.”
Our thanks to young dinosaur fan Jenson who provided Everything Dinosaur with a trio of colourful prehistoric animal drawings. A team member had visited Jenson’s school. The term topic had been dinosaurs and Jenson wanted to show his drawing of three colourful prehistoric animals.
Jenson provided Everything Dinosaur team members with a very colourful trio of prehistoric animal drawings. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
Colourful Prehistoric Animal Drawings
Several schoolchildren had produced dinosaur illustrations. The Everything Dinosaur team member praised the children’s efforts and commented:
“Such wonderful, colourful drawings of pterosaurs and dinosaurs. These illustrations make a fantastic classroom display. The boxes on the drawings allow the children to include some adjectives that describe their artwork. This helps them practice their writing skills as well as their hand-eye co-ordination.”
The spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur thanked the teaching team for inviting them to the school. He added that the term topic had been carefully planned. It contained lots of amazing lesson plans to help children with their reading, writing and general development.
Everything Dinosaur is based in the UK, and it supplies dinosaur and prehistoric animal related figures, gifts, soft toys, clothing and merchandise. Run by teachers and knowledgeable dinosaur enthusiasts helping collectors of prehistoric animal models and promoting education and an appreciation of the Earth sciences.
To visit the company’s award-winning and user-friendly website: Everything Dinosaur.
Everything Dinosaur team members were reviewing some wonderful examples of cave art created by Year 3 and Year 4 pupils. The children attended Bowlee Community Primary, and they had been studying life in the Stone Age. As part of an exciting and diverse term topic the children had recreated cave paintings.
A wonderful example of “Stone Age” cave art recreated by pupils at Bowlee Community Primary. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
Recreating Cave Art
A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur recalled visiting the school in 2017 and again in 2018. He praised the teaching team for their dedication and enthusiasm. The examples of the Stone Age drawings had been put on display outside the classroom. The children explained that they had enjoyed learning about their ancestors. They enjoyed creating the cave art and they were fascinated by the pictures of real cave art their teacher had shown them.
Oxford University Museum of Natural History has completed the purchase of archive material belonging to pioneering geologist the Reverend William Buckland and his wife Mary (née Morland).
This is an important, historical and culturally significant archive that has been acquired by the Oxford University Museum of Natural History (OUMNH). The material which documents the contribution to science by the 19th century theologian and geologist contains over 1,000 items. There are notebooks, family papers, drawings, artworks and letters. The collection is noteworthy as it also highlights the contribution of Buckland’s wife Mary (née Morland). Mary was a talented artist and naturalist.
A portrait of the Reverend William Buckland. Picture credit: Oxford University Museum of Natural History.
Funding the Acquisition
The acquisition has been made possible with support from the Friends of the National Libraries, Headley Trust, the Arts Council England/V&A Purchase Grant Fund and National Heritage Memorial Fund. Private donors also contributed.
Head of Earth Collections at the OUMNH, Eliza Howlett stated:
“The Museum’s acquisition of a large collection of Buckland papers from private hands is a game-changer for historians of science and others with an interest in the histories of gender, class, and colonialism. Combined with the already large and diverse Oxford collections, the new materials will confirm OUMNH as the epicentre for future research, and we are tremendously grateful to the many trusts and foundations, and to the private individuals, who generously contributed to this purchase.”
This important collection also includes correspondence between Mary Anning and William Buckland about new fossil discoveries. In a letter penned by Mary Anning the famous Lyme Regis resident informs the Reverend William Buckland about the discovery of Plesiosaurus remains.
Part of a signed letter from Mary Anning to William Buckland from December 21st 1830, informing him of a plesiosaur skeleton she had recently discovered. Picture credit: Oxford University Museum of Natural History.
William Buckland
William Buckland was a hugely influential figure in academia, religion, politics and science. He successively held the positions of Reader in Mineralogy and Geology at Oxford University; Dean of Westminster and Canon of Christ Church, Oxford.
He is accredited with the first, formal scientific description of a dinosaur (Megalosaurus bucklandii). This was one of three genera placed into the Dinosauria by Richard Owen in the early 1840s.
The partial dentary with teeth associated with Megalosaurus bucklandii on display at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
The reverend William Buckland also pioneered palaeoecology with is ground-breaking study of an ancient hyena den. Buckland was also a notable convert to glacial theory, and showed how glaciation rather than a global flood shaped the British landscape.
An Insight into the Life of a Pioneering Scientist
This extensive archive reveals aspects of Buckland’s life as a student at Corpus Christi College, Oxford, as well his work as a practising geologist, eminent member of the clergy and university lecturer. Evidence from the archive provides a comprehensive insight into the thinking and institutions of the early 19th century. During this time, the biblical interpretation of creation was being challenged. Material in the archive documents correspondence with major figures such as art critic John Ruskin and prime minister Robert Peel.
A watercolour of the Reverend William Buckland inspecting a rock formation in Snowdonia, by Thomas Sopwith (October 1841). Picture credit: Oxford University Museum of Natural History.
Identifying Iconic Artworks
The archive also includes original artworks, such as Thomas Sopwith’s watercolour of William Buckland exploring a rock formation armed with a geological hammer. It had been thought that this artwork portrayed Mary Anning. The collection also includes an exceptionally rare, coloured version of the lithograph based on Henry de la Beche’s drawing Duria Antiquior. The artwork, depicting prehistoric Dorset, is famous for being the first pictorial representation of a scene of prehistoric life based on fossil evidence.
Mary’s Contribution is Recognised
This substantial archive also includes a number of illustrations created by Buckland’s wife Mary (née Morland). Highlights include two of Mary’s sketchbooks. One of these, dating from before her marriage to Buckland, contains exquisite ink and watercolour drawings of natural history specimens, and highlights the huge artistic and scientific contribution she made to her husband’s work.
A watercolour of Dipus canadensis, a jumping mouse from Canada, by Mary Morland circa 1817 from her notebook of specimens. Picture credit: Oxford University Museum of Natural History.
Dr Simon Thurley CBE, Chair of the National Heritage Memorial Fund, commented:
“I am delighted the National Heritage Memorial Fund is able to support Oxford University Museum of Natural History to acquire the outstanding Buckland Archive and ensure that the collection remains together and is saved for the nation.”
Uniting the Collections
The Oxford University Museum of Natural History is already a significant repository for Buckland’s work. This new archive will fit with the Museum’s existing collection, helping to provide a more complete understanding of the contribution made to science and to scientific debate.
Reuniting these collections both physically and digitally will allow researchers and other museum audiences access to the full spectrum of Buckland material.
Everything Dinosaur acknowledges the assistance of a media release from the Oxford University Museum of Natural History in the compilation of this article.
