Museum and Taxidermy Section

MUSEUM & TAXIDERMY DIVISION

 Museum and Taxidermy Section is one of major Division of Zoological Survey of India present in Fire-proof Spirit Building of Indian Museum Complex. The Division maintains the seven Zoological galleries (Mammal gallery, Bird, Amphibia and Reptile gallery, Fish, Ecosystem andInvertebrate gallery)in Indian Museum Kolkata. For creating awareness on environment and its faunal resources, this Section participates in various Science Exhibitions with Ecological, Environmental and Conservational themes.

Sectional Holdings: 3050 Exhibits (Gallery exhibits, Reserve Collections and Loan Unit)

Gallery exhibits: 1844 (Mammal gallery: 353, Bird, Amphibia and Reptile gallery:  658, Fish gallery: 153, Ecology gallery: 132, Invertebrate: 548).

Type Specimen:  One Minke Whale(Balaenopteraacutorostrate) complete mounted skeleton, displayed in the Mammal gallery.

Exhibits of Zoological Galleries of Indian Museum, Kolkata are:

Invertebrate Gallery: 16 showcases with 548 models/ Exhibits (Protozoa, Porifera, Cnidaria, Platyhelminthes ,Nematoda, Annelida, Mollusca, Arthropoda, Echinodermata, Coral reefs, Insect inversion in Water, Interesting insects in Land, Wonders in deep hydrothermalvent, Arthropod & Minor Phyla).

Fish Gallery:  17 showcases (Elasmobranch, Hill-stream Fish, Pond Ecosystem, Marine Reefcod, Marine Ecosystem, Shark & Ray, Indo-Pacific Marine Fish, Air breathing fish, Living Fossil fish) 153 exhibits.

Amphibia and Reptiles: Six showcases [Amphibians & Reptiles, Reptiles, Marine, Reptilia (Crocodilia), Aquatic Reptiles] with 41 reptiles and 20 Amphibians.

Bird Gallery:  20 showcases [Hoatzin, Wetland, Migratory Birds, Mangrove, Scavenger Birds, Evergreen Forest, National & State Birds, Deciduous forest, Birds of China & South-east Asia, Alpine, Birds of South America, Birds of Desert (Africa), Birds of Australia & New Zealand, Island birds (Andaman & Nicobar Islands), Birds of North America, Europe & Africa, Birds of Antarctica] with 597 Birds (Indian Birds: 156 species, foreign birds: 60 species)].

Mammal Gallery:Total 314 exhibits under 143 species. Of which, 63 are foreign species and 80 Indian species.

Ecosystem Gallery:11 ecosystems (Marine, Coniferous, High Altitude, Mangrove, Scrubland, Desert, Terai

Grassland, Riparian, Wetland, Deciduous and Tropical rain Forest) with 132 exhibits.

Sectional Strength

• Dr. P. G. S. Sethy, Scientist-D &Officer-in-Charge
• Shri D. K. Pal, Sr. Artist
• Shri G. S. Munda, Artist Gr. I
• Shri Raja Das, Taxidermist Gr. I
• Ms. SoumiMukharjee, Sr. Zool. Asstt.
• ShriSumidh Ray,Jr. Zool. Asstt.
• Shri J. Haldar, Sr. Carpenter
• Shri V. K. Ram, Lab. Asstt
• Shri B. N. Mandal,Field Asstt.
• ShriKaushikJha,Field Attend.
• Md. A. Anwar, Office Attend.

                                   Invertebrate Gallery                                                                                             Mammal Gallery

                                    Ecosystem Gallery                                                                                                          Bird Gallery