Museum of Zoology and Comparative Anatomy of the University of Cagliari
The zoology collections hold several thousands of specimens and they have been recently rearranged and curated according to a new exhibiting perspective. These collections are historically important but they are also significant from a scientific and educational point of view. Visiting this exhibition can be highly inspirational for both scholars in the field and laypeople interested in nature.
The Zoology Collections of the University of Cagliari are at least two hundred years old. The oldest specimens belong to the “Gabinetto di Storia Naturale” (a sort of natural science laboratory); with the support of Viceroy Carlo Felice, they were collected by Lodovico Baille at the end of the 18th century. The Gabinetto was donated to the Royal University of Cagliari in 1806.
Since 1927, the Zoology Collections have been housed in the Institute of Marine Biology, which was later renamed the Department of Animal Biology and Ecology. During the World War II bombings, the collections were severely damaged and in the 1960s they were reordered and made available to students of natural sciences and biology to aid their study of zoology and comparative anatomy.
Each room houses animals from different geographical areas. Many exotic species from various continents can be seen, including the Southern Three-banded armadillo, Australian koal, Platypus, Myrmecophagidae, Three-toed sloths and several monkeys.
Specimens of all main vertebrate and invertebrate animal species can be found. Also, all the best- known and most common Italian and Sardinian fauna are on display, along with exotic and rare species ranging from small insects to whales, sharks and elephants.
Sardinian fauna is well represented by a detailed collection including many endemic species. Not only common species but also some that are extremely rare or extinct can be seen. In particular, visitors can find the Black vulture, Bonelli’s eagle, Griffon vultures and wild cats. There are also dioramas that recreate the original environment of mouflons and monk seals. The latter is represented by a rare stuffed adult specimen.
Of particular interest is the comprehensive and organically unified Ornithology Collection. It includes Sardinian existing and extinct birds of prey, as well as some exotic birds such as the Passenger pigeon (which is now extinct, with only seven more stuffed specimens in existence worldwide) and the rare New Zealand kiwi.
A guided tour of the collections must be booked in advance.
