The Museum may be closed, but there is amazing wildlife on your doorstep waiting to be explored. As we can’t celebrate our annual Zoology Live festival at the Museum this year, we are bringing it to you online instead with a week of films, interviews and activities. Every day at 4pm, join us on YouTube Live for wildlife films and live interviews with experts, and the chance to ask your questions about the animals you’ve seen in your garden or through your window. Join us and marvel at the animals living amongst us.

Take part in the Zoology Live Wildlife Challenge, a citizen science project where you can upload your wildlife sightings to iRecord to give us a picture over this week of the wildlife near you.

We also have a Zoology Live LEGO Creature Challenge, to build a creature inspired by local wildlife, and a Recycled Makes Challenge to create an animal using recycled materials. Send in your entries to feature on Saturday’s programme and to enter into a prize draw for a mini wildlife explorer kit. Find out more on the challenge blog posts.

If you are enjoying our Zoology Live Online Festival, do think about nominating us for the Kids in Museums Family Friendly Museum from Home award. We would also love to know what you think of the festival: you can find our online survey here.

Zoology Live 2020 Programme

Monday 22 June, 16.00-16.45: Minibeasts Part 1

How to set a pitfall trap and collect insects with Dr Ed Turner, including a LIVE interview and chance to put your questions to Dr Ed Turner about your minibeast finds.

Discover the amazing world of snails with Dr Richard Preece, including a LIVE interview and chance to put your mollusc questions to Dr Richard Preece.

A LIVE interview with PhD student Kate Howlett, who is looking at the link between biodiversity and wellbeing.

Get involved: find out how to take part in our Zoology Live Wildlife Challenge, adding your wildlife finds to help us build a picture of wildlife where you are.

Join us on YouTube Live by clicking here.

Tuesday 23 June, 16.00-16.45: Minibeasts Part 2

Butterfly spotting with Museum Research assistant Matthew Hayes, including a LIVE interview where you can put your butterfly questions to Matthew.

Dragonflies and damselflies with Duncan Mackay, including a LIVE interview where you can put your dragonfly and damselfly questions to Duncan.

Get involved: Find out how to make an insect hotel to support wildlife near you, and take part in our Recycled Makes Challenge

Join us on YouTube Live by clicking here.

Wednesday 24 June, 16.00-16.45: Pond watch and creating wildlife films

Pond-dipping with Dr Frances Dipper, including a LIVE interview where you can find out about life in water, from ponds to the ocean, and ask your questions about aquatic wildlife.

Wildlife film making on a budget with Ellie Bladon, including a LIVE interview where you can put your questions to Ellie about her experiences and top tips for capturing wildlife on film.

Relax and watch one of Ellie’s films all about hazel dormice.  

Join us on YouTube Live by clicking here.

Thursday 25 June, 16.00-16.45: Listening to and identifying birds

Explore bird song with Dr Tony Fulford, including a LIVE interview and chance to put your questions to Tony on how to listen to, record and identify birds from their songs.

Discover more about birds with Dr Andrew Bladon, including a LIVE interview where you can put your questions to Andrew about birdwatching, bird behaviour and conservation.

Get involved: Find out how to join in with our LEGO Challenge celebrating the wildlife on your doorstep.

Join us on YouTube live by clicking here.

Friday 26 June: Night time wildlife – bats and moths

Moth trapping with expert Annette Shelford, including a LIVE interview and a chance for you to ask questions with Annette about top tips for spotting moths and why moths are important.

Surveying bats with Henry Stanier, including a LIVE interview where you can put your questions to Henry about bats and their amazing biology.  

Watch as we set up a moth trap, with the results to be shown on Saturday morning.

Join us on YouTube Live by clicking here.

Saturday 27 June: Zoology Live!

11.00-11.15: Check back for wildlife sightings sent in during the week. Then catch up with the moth-trapping from Friday evening. Ask your questions and get help identifying moths and other insects.

Join us on YouTube Live by clicking here.

12.00-12.15: Check back for wildlife sightings sent in during the week. Then catch up with Dr Ed Turner and his pitfall traps. He will be here LIVE to answer your questions on any animals you have found this week.

Join us on YouTube Live by clicking here.

13.00-13.15: Check back for wildlife sightings sent in during the week. Then catch up with some of the insect surveys from the week and find out about beat netting to look at insects living in trees.

Join us YouTube Live by clicking here.

14.00-14.15: Check back for wildlife sightings sent in during the week. Then catch up with Pondwatch with Dr Roz Wade, including LIVE pond-dipping results with aquatic ecologist Dr Frances Dipper, who will be here to answer your questions about animals that live in the water.

Join us on YouTube Live by clicking here.

15.00-15.15: Want to know more about wildlife film making? Ellie Bladon will be giving us her top 5 tips and then joining us LIVE to answer your questions. Then the Museum of Zoology team will bring Zoology Live! 2020 to a close (almost!) with our top 10 spots, pictures from the recycled makes and LEGO challenges & data recorded throughout the week.

Join us on YouTube Live by clicking here.

16.00: Join us for our fun Zoology Live! quiz. Enter the quiz before 5pm on Saturday 27 June, and you could win one of our Wildlife Explorer kits!