4th May -
Natural History Museum
Natural History Museum, Perpignan
In 1770 the University of Perpignan set up a natural history cabinet, for teaching purposes. The collections were partly preserved and in 1840 became the Municipal Museum
The collection was poorly maintained until the arrival of a young doctor called Emmanuel Bonafos, who was appointed professor of natural history at the Ecole Centrale and was also made director of the botanical garden.
Bonafos divided the collections into three sections: geology, zoology and herbaceous plants, which remained in the natural history cabinet of the Ecole Centrale, still housed in the building of the old university.
The fall of Robespierre in 1794, and the end of the ’Terror’ led to the establishment of a number of museums all around the country, mainly in provincial towns such as Grenoble, Tours, Nancy, Auxerre and Nantes.
From 19th century, the collections increased considerably with more birds and insects, molluscs, an Egyptian mummy still in its coffin....
The Amsterdam Albatros : a giant in danger
From Friday 4rd April - Friday 9th May Monday - Friday - 10 h -17 h) - FREE
From Thursday 3rd April, the Natural History Museum presents an exhibition on the Amsterdam Albatros.
Endemic to Amsterdam Island, part of the French Southern and Antarctic Territories, the Amsterdam Albatros, one of the largest birds on the island. (107-135 cm with a wingspan reaching 2,80 to 3,40 m) Unfortunately, it
has been listed as an endangered species since the 80s. With a population of only 150, the Amsterdam albatros breeds biannually, and only on a specific patch of this island in the Indian ocean.
It is threatened with extinction due to introduced predators (cats, rats....) and longline fishing.
Le muséum d’histoire naturelle présente à partir du jeudi 3 avril une exposition sur l’Albatros Amsterdam.
Cette espèce endémique de l’ile d’Amsterdam, qui appartient au Territoire Austral et Antarctique Français, fut décrite au début des années 80. Malheureusement l’oiseau, l’un des plus larges, est menacée d’extinction. Avec seulement 150 individus, une reproduction biennale, menacé par des espèces importées (chat, rat, bovin) et la pêche au long-lines, l’Albatros d’Amsterdam ne se reproduit exclusivement que sur un petit territoire de cette seule ile de l’océan indien.
Contact : Muséum 04 68 66 33 68
Muséum d’Histoire naturelle
12 rue Fontaine-Neuve
66000 - Perpignan
Tel : 04 68 66 33 68 / 04 68 66 36 90
Fax : 04 68 66 36 87
museum-histnat@mairie-perpignan.com
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