August 2015
Monthly Archive: August 2015
August Rock, Gem, Mineral, Fossil, and Meteorite ID Clinic
![Plesiosaur vertbra Plesiosaur vertbra](https://www.rom.on.ca/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/blog_post/thumbnail/image005.jpg?itok=c5I3sONp)
The ROM's August ID clinic had a steady flow of visitors up to the museum closing at 5:30pm.
Museum Monday with Melissa
![Museum Monday with Melissa logo](https://www.rom.on.ca/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/blog_post/thumbnail/image001_8.jpg?itok=knYtoBPZ)
With summer ending soon, it is something you’ll want to cherish before it is gone. There is still much to warm up with at the Royal Ontario Museum this week.
Take a ROM walk through Cabbagetown North this Wednesday. Just look for the purple ROMwalks Umbrella at the Northeast corner of Parliament and Winchester Streets at 6pm.
#ROMSriLanka Kicks off Month-long Expedition
![Scenic view of Yala National Park in Southern Sri Lanka, one of the destinations for Burton's team. Photo courtesy of Balou46 via Wikimedia Commons photo of a an elephant standing in a wetland in Yala National Park in Sri Lanka with jungle and a mountain in the background](https://www.rom.on.ca/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/blog_post/thumbnail/lk-yala-elefantenfels_by_balou46_cc_wikimedia-2.jpg?itok=rWIy5P3_)
Guest blog written by #ROMSriLanka Communication team member Deirdre Leowinata
The ROM’s own Assistant Curator of Mammalogy, Burton Lim, along with his ROM Biodiversity team, are traversing the planet’s surface to reach the small and mysterious country of Sri Lanka between August and September for one purpose and one purpose only… to study the island's small mammals.
Weeks 2 & 3 of #ROMmeme
![](https://www.rom.on.ca/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/blog_post/thumbnail/cmxo8omwgaae0ve.jpg?itok=BxekF3Ll)
We are absolutely LOVING all the memes you guys are sending in for #ROMmeme. It's a beautiful mixture of pop culture references, natural history and ancient world cultures. The perfect trifecta, really.
Here's a selection from the last two weeks featuring many a reference to Mean Girls and, of course, cats.
When the BioBlitz Turns into a Treasure Hunt
![The kids of the Ontario BioBlitz guided blitz program learning about amphibians. Photo by Anne-Sophie Blanc Children listen to a guided blitz leader explain some interesting facts about plants and amphibians.](https://www.rom.on.ca/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/blog_post/thumbnail/2015-06-13_bioblitz_anne-sophie_blanc-1_blog-2_0.jpg?itok=kW1pmpT8)
Guest Blog written by 2015 Environmental Visual Communication student Anne-Sophie Blanc
The Bioblitz experience is educatiional and fun, but for kids it's even more than that, it's a real treasure hunt!
#ROMmeme Week 1: Prairie Dogs
![Prairie dogs get meme'd. ROMmeme prairie dogs. Caption: Alan! Alan! Alan! Steve!](https://www.rom.on.ca/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/blog_post/thumbnail/clveafgw8aercje.jpg?itok=ciwvG_St)
Thank you for submitting your hilarious takes on the prairie dogs meme. We essentially spent the entire week laughing at the entries below.
We'll share next week's image on Monday, so stay tuned!
BioBlitz Bits: The Bat Pack at Baker's Woods
![Burton Lim untangles a Big Brown Bat (Eptesicus fuscus) from a mist net during the 2015 Don Watershed Ontario BioBlitz. Photo by Samantha Phillips Burton Lim untangles a Big Brown Bat (Eptesicus fuscus) from a mist net during the 2015 Don Watershed Ontario BioBlitz. Photo by Samantha Phillips](https://www.rom.on.ca/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/blog_post/thumbnail/150613-bioblitz_sammy_phillips-23-2.jpg?itok=9_nwGocL)
Guest blog written by 2015 Environmental Visual Communication student Kendra Marjerrison
EVC student Kendra revisits the 2015 Don Watershed Ontario BioBlitz to share a newfound appreciation for bats after spending an evening with ROM scientist Burton Lim during his guided blitz bat hike
"Pseudo-Nature" and Photographic Integrity
![A gray treefrog (Hyla versicolor) sits on a tree branch at night. Photo by Sean de Francia A gray treefrog (Hyla versicolor) sits on a tree branch at night. Photo by Sean de Francia](https://www.rom.on.ca/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/blog_post/thumbnail/2015_06_13_sean_de_francia_19-2.jpg?itok=9kggB3PD)
Guest blog written by 2015 Environmental Visual Communication student Sean de Francia
A look into the ever-changing world of wildlife photography - would you stage a photo to get that perfect shot? What are the consequences of manipulating a scene with wild photo subjects?