Jack Ashby
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jackdashby.bsky.social
Jack Ashby
@jackdashby.bsky.social
3.1K followers 280 following 690 posts
Award-winning author #PlatypusMatters & #NaturesMemory. Assistant Director of @ZoologyMuseum.bsky.social at Cambridge Uni. President of the Society for the History of Natural History. Australian mammal nerd. He/him. Own views.
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jackdashby.bsky.social
Jack Ashby @jackdashby.bsky.social · Nov 13
OK here I go. Expect posts about the wonderful world of Australian mammals, the quirks of natural history museums, and chasing beasts around the place.
Reposted by Jack Ashby
kateraindrops.bsky.social
Christmas Wombat
jackdashby.bsky.social Jack Ashby @jackdashby.bsky.social · 2d
A beautiful sight, we're happy tonight,
Walking in a #wombat wonderland.
Happy Wombatmas on this #WombatWednesday.

#Tasmania #mammalwatching #WildOz #wombats
A wombat up to its belly in snow
December 24, 2025 at 11:38 AM
jackdashby.bsky.social
A beautiful sight, we're happy tonight,
Walking in a #wombat wonderland.
Happy Wombatmas on this #WombatWednesday.

#Tasmania #mammalwatching #WildOz #wombats
A wombat up to its belly in snow
December 24, 2025 at 11:35 AM
jackdashby.bsky.social
There are many books about #extinction, but this one is different.
"Ghosts Behind Glass" is a brilliant reflection on the specimens of extinct species that @dollyjorgensen.bsky.social encountered on display in #museums around the world: what are the stories being told, and why are they important?
The cover of Ghosts Behind Glass by Dolly Jørgensen, showing a taxidermy Carolina parakeet under a glass dome
December 19, 2025 at 7:38 AM
Reposted by Jack Ashby
jackdashby.bsky.social
Books make the best gifts🎁. Might I suggest these for the curious, inquisitive folk in your life:
🏛️ #NaturesMemory: Behind the Scenes at the World's Natural History #Museums.
🦘 #PlatypusMatters: The Extraordinary Story of Australian Mammals.
💯 Animal Kingdom: A Natural History in 100 Objects.
🦇 Wild
The cover of "Natures Memory: Behind the Scenes at the World's Natural History Museums" by Jack Ashby, depicting a bright green snail shell on a black background. The cover of "Platypus Matters: The Extraordinary Story of Australian Mammals" by Jack Ashby, depicting a photo of a platypus diving in blue water. The cover of "Animal Kingdom: A Natural History in 100 Objects" by Jack Ashby, showing a several specimens (a taxidermy bird of paradise; a pinned bumblebee; a viper skull; a chimp skeleton; a pinned butterfly; and a preserved sea horse) on a green background The cover of the children's book "Wild" by Jack Ashby, illustrated by Sara Boccaccini-Meadows, depicting many drawings of animals in forest background
December 8, 2025 at 8:02 AM
Reposted by Jack Ashby
jackdashby.bsky.social
Out this year, #NaturesMemory is an insider's guide to the world's natural history #museums. It explores:
🪰what you see (& don't see) when visiting.
🪓honest histories of how collections were made.
🌍how they can help save the world.
It's the first book to combine these social and scientific stories
The cover of "Natures Memory: Behind the Scenes at the World's Natural History Museums" by Jack Ashby, depicting a bright green snail shell on a black background.
December 8, 2025 at 8:02 AM
Reposted by Jack Ashby
jackdashby.bsky.social
The multi-award winning🏅 #PlatypusMatters tells the story of the world's best animals - the #platypus & its Aussie buddies - exploring not only the incredible ways they live their lives, but also how the wider world came to know them, and how this history shapes their conservation today.
The cover of "PlatypusMatters: The Extraordinary Story of Australian Mammals", depicting a photo of a platypus diving in blue water.
December 8, 2025 at 8:02 AM
Reposted by Jack Ashby
jackdashby.bsky.social
What's the only ethical way to fit #OneHundredAnimals in a Christmas stocking? 🎁🎄🎅
"Animal Kingdom: A Natural History in 100 Objects" tells 100 of nature's most incredible stories, through specimens in natural history #museums. 🐹🐨🐒🦍🐣🦟🦋🐝🐍🐛🦄🦫🦘
The cover of "Animal Kingdom: A Natural History in 100 Objects" by Jack Ashby, showing a several specimens (a taxidermy bird of paradise; a pinned bumblebee; a viper skull; a chimp skeleton; a pinned butterfly; and a preserved sea horse) on a green background
December 8, 2025 at 8:02 AM
Reposted by Jack Ashby
jackdashby.bsky.social
My children's book WILD encourages kids to spot similar features in completely different groups of animals, and to wonder why. Why are so many animals spiky?🦔🦔 Or have white bellies and black backs?🐧🐳 Or paddles?🦭🦆 Or venom?🐍🐝🕷️ Or eyes on tops of their heads?🐊🦫🦛
I hope your little people enjoy it!🎁
"Wild" by Jack Ashby, illustrated by Sara Boccaccini-Meadows, depicting many drawings of animals in forest background. The book is photographed among some cut-out paper leaves
December 8, 2025 at 8:02 AM
jackdashby.bsky.social
Everybody loves #Echidna Taxidermy Fails!
In #PlatypusMatters, I make the case that no species are more often inaccurately depicted in #taxidermy as #echidnas are.
zoekeansci.bsky.social Zoe Kean @zoekeansci.bsky.social · 9d
Have you ever spotted a museum specimen with this mistake? I learned about this common mistake in @jackdashby.bsky.social ‘s book ‘Platypus matters’ - which I highly recommend! Have been keeping my eye out on museum visits ever since.
December 18, 2025 at 7:37 AM
jackdashby.bsky.social
Name a mammal that's more perfectly rounded than a young #wombat. I'll wait.
#WombatWednesday #Tasmania #wombats #MammalWatching #WildOz
December 17, 2025 at 8:06 AM
Reposted by Jack Ashby
learnfromnature.bsky.social
Still looking for a great book #Christmas gift idea especially about #Nature @jackdashby.bsky.social
jackdashby.bsky.social Jack Ashby @jackdashby.bsky.social · 18d
Books make the best gifts🎁. Might I suggest these for the curious, inquisitive folk in your life:
🏛️ #NaturesMemory: Behind the Scenes at the World's Natural History #Museums.
🦘 #PlatypusMatters: The Extraordinary Story of Australian Mammals.
💯 Animal Kingdom: A Natural History in 100 Objects.
🦇 Wild
The cover of "Natures Memory: Behind the Scenes at the World's Natural History Museums" by Jack Ashby, depicting a bright green snail shell on a black background. The cover of "Platypus Matters: The Extraordinary Story of Australian Mammals" by Jack Ashby, depicting a photo of a platypus diving in blue water. The cover of "Animal Kingdom: A Natural History in 100 Objects" by Jack Ashby, showing a several specimens (a taxidermy bird of paradise; a pinned bumblebee; a viper skull; a chimp skeleton; a pinned butterfly; and a preserved sea horse) on a green background The cover of the children's book "Wild" by Jack Ashby, illustrated by Sara Boccaccini-Meadows, depicting many drawings of animals in forest background
December 15, 2025 at 8:53 PM
jackdashby.bsky.social
In my humble opinion, #marmots are the world's best non-Australian #mammals (they're basically Northern Hemisphere #wombats), and this one in Birmingham Museums stores perfectly captures their dumpy little character. #taxidermy
An adorable little taxidermy marmot on a storeroom shelf
December 16, 2025 at 7:31 AM
Reposted by Jack Ashby
newscientist.com
Natural history museums teach us about our world, but they aren’t telling us the whole story, writes curator Jack Ashby in Nature's Memory
A new book reveals the deep flaws in our natural history museums
Natural history museums teach us about our world, but they aren’t telling us the whole story, writes curator Jack Ashby in Nature's Memory
www.newscientist.com
June 30, 2025 at 7:14 AM
jackdashby.bsky.social
This was a really enjoyable read - the story of the #dingo, by Roland Breckwoldt, covering their natural history, but more importantly their politics. It's a fascinating insight into #dingoes' place in Australia. 📖🇦🇺 #WildOz
The book Dingo by Roland Breckwold. The cover shows a Dingo on wet sand, with the subtitle "The true story of Australia's most maligned native animal"
December 12, 2025 at 8:31 AM
Reposted by Jack Ashby
skylacine.bsky.social
Nature's Memory by Jack Ashby

Loved this behind-the-scenes look into natural history museums. Also touches on important issues regarding natural history (e.g. colonialism and sexism).

4/5
October 24, 2025 at 4:52 PM
jackdashby.bsky.social
There really is no doubt - #wombats are among the greatest things there have ever been. Even just stood around eating grass, they are glorious.
#WombatWednesday #Tasmania #MammalWatching #wombat #WildOz
December 10, 2025 at 8:24 AM
jackdashby.bsky.social
Books make the best gifts🎁. Might I suggest these for the curious, inquisitive folk in your life:
🏛️ #NaturesMemory: Behind the Scenes at the World's Natural History #Museums.
🦘 #PlatypusMatters: The Extraordinary Story of Australian Mammals.
💯 Animal Kingdom: A Natural History in 100 Objects.
🦇 Wild
The cover of "Natures Memory: Behind the Scenes at the World's Natural History Museums" by Jack Ashby, depicting a bright green snail shell on a black background. The cover of "Platypus Matters: The Extraordinary Story of Australian Mammals" by Jack Ashby, depicting a photo of a platypus diving in blue water. The cover of "Animal Kingdom: A Natural History in 100 Objects" by Jack Ashby, showing a several specimens (a taxidermy bird of paradise; a pinned bumblebee; a viper skull; a chimp skeleton; a pinned butterfly; and a preserved sea horse) on a green background The cover of the children's book "Wild" by Jack Ashby, illustrated by Sara Boccaccini-Meadows, depicting many drawings of animals in forest background
December 8, 2025 at 8:02 AM
jackdashby.bsky.social
Aw, there's a nice little shout-out for #NaturesMemory (and sex bias in natural history) in this @iflscience.com article about a rare sighting of a seven-arm #octopus, which can reach 75kg, 4 metres long, and has [ahem] eight arms. 🐙

www.iflscience.com/live-seven-a...
Live Seven-Arm Octopus Spotted In The Deep Sea – Only The Fourth Time It’s Been Seen In 40 Years
It actually has eight arms, but then the males do something rather strange…
www.iflscience.com
December 5, 2025 at 12:37 PM
jackdashby.bsky.social
Australia has no woodpeckers, but striped #possums are tropical #marsupials that do the same job: their big ears detect beetle grubs tunnelling in wood, which they chip out with large incisors, then use their elongated 4th finger to hook them out of the tunnels (just like aye-ayes do in Madagascar).
A gorgeous taxidermy striped possum on display in the Haus der Natur in Salzburg
December 5, 2025 at 9:55 AM
jackdashby.bsky.social
Five identical #taxidermy Bosc monitor #lizards in three #museums. All of them terrible (they do not resemble the live animal).
Surely they were prepared by the same person, presumably for as souvenirs. The two at @uclgrantmuseum.bsky.social came from a Customs seizure - I expect the others did too
A terrible overstuffed Bosc monitor from the Manchester Museum, photographed from above. It looks exactly the same as the lizards in the other museums. Two terrible overstuffed Bosc monitors from Birmingham Museums stores. Cotton wadding has been rammed into the empty skins so that they carry their own weight, like an inflated balloon animal. The wadding can been seen stick out of its mouth. It looks exactly the same as the lizards in the other museums. Two terrible overstuffed Bosc monitors from the Grant Museum of Zoology, UCL. Cotton wadding has been rammed into the empty skin so that it carries its own weight, like an inflated balloon animal. The wadding can been seen stick out of its mouth. It looks exactly the same as the lizards in the other museums. A live Bosc monitor, which looks nothing like the taxidermy specimens. Photo by Daniel Bennett
December 4, 2025 at 8:13 AM
Reposted by Jack Ashby
pavsmith.bsky.social
glorious critters!

go you little aussies!!!
jackdashby.bsky.social Jack Ashby @jackdashby.bsky.social · Oct 13
An #echidna working hard at finding insects in the hail and sleet.
#Tasmania #MammalWatching #WildOz #echidnas
December 3, 2025 at 4:14 PM
jackdashby.bsky.social
You don't see many #taxidermy dogs (there's a chapter on why "Ordinary Animals" are rare in #museums in #NaturesMemory). A rottweiler in Birmingham Museums has been posed to look more ferocious than the wolf & hyena next to it. Taxidermy poses often tell us about human social perceptions of animals
A taxidermy rottweiler posed with an open-mouthed snarl, teeth bared and eyes intense, with an aggressive pose. The wolf and hyena on the shelf next to it are posed much more neutrally
December 3, 2025 at 8:42 AM
jackdashby.bsky.social
The point of #taxidermy is to allow the viewer to forget the animal is not living, but there is a particular subset that deliberately poses it as obviously dead.
But almost every time the "dead" animal is a #fox. Why is this? It says something about society's complicated relationship with #foxes. 🦊☠️
A taxidermy fox posed as dead, at Naturalis in Leiden, Netherlands A taxidermy fox posed as dead and starting to rot, with its ribs exposed, at Oxford University Museum of Natural History A taxidermy fox posed as dead, with blood pooling from its mouth, at Birmingham Museums stores
December 2, 2025 at 8:50 AM
jackdashby.bsky.social
Here's a lesson in light-damage in #museums. #Taxidermy exposed to the light fades over time, ultimately creating specimens that no longer resemble the species they are supposed to represent. These two South American cock-of-the-rocks at Birmingham Museums are a clear "before & after".
Two taxidermy birds in a storage cage. On the left is a bird is bright hot orange, whereas the one on the right has faded to a muted baby pink
December 1, 2025 at 8:21 AM
Reposted by Jack Ashby
jimlabisko.bsky.social
Wholesome content of which @jackdashby.bsky.social will no doubt approve
lucagalletti.bsky.social Luca @lucagalletti.bsky.social · 26d
Release the beast! 😃

Platypus Conservation Initiative
November 30, 2025 at 1:59 PM