.... The paper then focuses in detail on the development of the Australian Museum from its initial beginnings as the Colonial Museum to its current role as one of the leading museums with its extensive collections which document Australia's animal biodiversity and cultural heritage. A chronological discussion...

... By signing the Rio Convention on environment and sustainable development, Australia has made a long-term commitment to the conservation of our unique flora and fauna. This includes the diverse, but often ignored small animals and plants living on and adjacent to our coasts. Many of these animals...

... a range of important related issues. The primary argument for a native animal pet industry is that it will generate major benefits for the conservation of Australia's biodiversity. However, the use of native animals as pets (and associated captive-breeding and re-introduction programs) will only ever...

.... Together with the Region's indigenous flora and fauna, Sydney's exotic plants and animals create a ‘hot spot for biodiversity’ exceeding any natural area in its richness, with a total species richness of higher plants and vertebrates in excess of 10,000 species. Recognition of the importance of non-native...

... Predicting how animal species might respond to climate change is an important step in developing effective tools for managing biodiversity in a changing climate. This task is made difficult due to a lack of reliable data on the animals and how they will respond to changes in their habitat...

... industry. There has been sustained growth in the industry (which included turtles for the Asian food market) since its establishment. In many countries, escaped and released animals have formed the basis of feral populations and in some areas they appear to have had a major impact on the biodiversity...

... this system breaks down, particularly when addressing the problems of conserving biodiversity. Experience has shown that a small representative sample of a plant community in a reserved area is not sufficient to maintain viable populations of plants and animals into the future. Vegetation and wildlife...

... of excitement about the animals involved and the issues. There was a strong link between the dedicated study of an invertebrate group and the recognition of contemporary issues in conserving biodiversity. It was arguably the most common theme, though the leadership being shown so far by most invertebrate...