Archive 2018 February

Life of Museum Bugs: A photo collection and discussion

Franco Paolino, Animal Caretaker, Staten Island Children's Museum

Frank Indiviglio, Zoologist, Bronx & Staten Island Zoos (retired)

New York

Where: Linder Theater, AMNH, enter West 77th Street entrance

Date: Tuesday, February 20, 2018

Time: 7 PM to 8:30 PM

Franco Paolino serves as the Animal Caretaker for the live animal collection of the Staten Island Children’s Museum. The SICM arthropod gallery contains both living and mounted specimens. Come see rearing techniques, biology and behavior of many interesting arthropod species. Please take a tour http://sichildrensmuseum.org/exhibits/

Franco began his career at the museum as an Animal Care Technician working evenings caring for the museum’s collection. He took the opportunity of the quiet empty gallery in the evenings and the fact that many of the animals were most active at that hour to begin photographing them as they ate, drank and interacted. Many of the photographs are close-up views showing fine details of the animal’s anatomy. In 2017, Franco accepted the position as the Museum Animal Caretaker where his responsibilities now include design of animal enclosures/exhibits, creating standard care procedures, developing dietary plans and overall care of the museum’s live animals.

Frank Indiviglio’s wide interests have immersed him in work with captive and free-living creatures ranging from ants to elephants, but he focuses on invertebrates, amphibians, and reptiles. The only person in the Bronx Zoo’s 100+ year history to have worked in every exhibit building, Frank helped to establish the first invertebrate collection to be seen there in many decades. He also included invertebrate exhibits in the Staten Island Zoo’s renovated reptile house, where he served as consultant for several years. Currently a freelance consultant, Frank has written 5 books and numerous articles, and has designed exhibits and developed care/breeding protocols for the Brooklyn Children’s Museum, Maritime Aquarium, and other institutions. Frank will discuss the natural history and care of several native aquatic insects and spiders.

There will be a short presentation on bed bug rearing by Lou Sorkin.

Dinner: Senn Thai Comfort Food, 452 Amsterdam Avenue, 9:00 p.m.

Society meetings are always open to the public with no admission charge.

Past Monthly Meetings

November 2016