Australian National Wildlife Collection

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The Australian National Wildlife Collection is a significant biodiversity resource aiding the study, classification and documentation of Australia’s terrestrial vertebrates (excluding fresh water fish) . In April 1976, it was formally recognised by its gazettal as the Australian National Wildlife Collection by the Commonwealth Government.

The Australian National Wildlife Collection holds approximately 200 000 irreplaceable scientific specimens, including skins, skeletons, specimens in spirit, bird eggs, tissues and a wildlife sound library. The collection focuses on terrestrial vertebrates of Australia and Papua New Guinea and rodents of South-East Asia. There are also specimens from other parts of the world.

ANWC research addresses the diversity, evolution, and conservation of Australia's wildlife, focussing on its systematics and taxonomy (study of evolutionary relationships among organisms) and biogeography.