Protection needed for international species collections

摘要

The destruction of most of the zoological collection of the Butantan Institute in Sao Paulo, Brazil, by a fire on 15 May, will affect zoology worldwide (see Nature 465,272; 2010). Safeguarding and financing such important collections, including those housed in facilities in developing countries, should be an international concern.rnMore than 80,000 preserved snakes and 500,000 arthropods were lost. Holdings included undescribed species, holotypes used to name species, testimony specimens and extinct animals, all gathered over the past 100 years, plus materials on loan from other institutions.