“Museums have two main objectives: the increase of knowledge and the diffusion of knowledge.”

-Alexander Ruthven, 1929, former Director of the University of Michigan Museum of Zoology

THE VALUE OF BIOLOGICAL COLLECTIONS

The ultimate reference objects underlying all understanding of biodiversity on this planet are plant and animal specimens. For each species a taxonomist formally describes in a print publication, a “type specimen” and often along with it a “type series” of specimens are archived in a zoological or botanical collection. In a process little changed since the colonial era, knowledge about Central African biodiversity is largely generated by foreign specialists, working on specimens they expatriate to museums in Europe and America. Little of what they learn is effectively communicated back to the countries of origin.

Things have worked this way out of necessity, not out of any sinister intent. In most of Central Africa there are no suitable places to archive specimens and few, if any, taxonomic experts to make use of these specimens or the publications based on them. In the developed countries of the West, curators of natural history museums play a crucial role in national conservation efforts by providing expert identification of organisms and data on species distributions to resource managers and by educating the general public about organisms. The absence of such professionals and institutions in Central Africa threatens the sustainability of international efforts to conserve its imperiled biodiversity. The Central African Natural History Museum Initiative (CANHMI) is an evolving draft plan to address this situation.

NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUMS IN CENTRAL AFRICA?

We want to create functional, regional natural history museums in Central African countries. The word “museum” needn’t evoke an image of something grand on the scale of the British Museum or the Smithsonian. A small museum may or may not have exhibits inside its walls for the public. Instead, the term conveys something about the institution’s mission: that it serves the dual functions of primary research on biodiversity and the diffusion of knowledge of biodiversity to decision-makers and to the public. This latter function can take many different forms.

Such institutions in these countries would help correct two distinct and serious deficiencies with the conservation strategies currently employed.

Issue #1:

There is a disconnect between the conservation community and the systematics community that is a detriment to both.

Conservationists need reliable, up-to-date, geo-referenced data on plant and animal distributions to work effectively. For most plant and animal groups in Central Africa such data is limited and the quality of these data is usually low. Often species inhabiting a particular area cannot be reliably identified in-country and many are yet unknown to science. Expertise on Central African taxa concentrated in institutions and individuals in New York, London and Brussels does the conservationist surveying a particular region of Central Africa little good. This is the so-called “taxonomic impediment” that has been recognized by world governments signatory to the Convention on Biological Diversity.

Systematists seek to document and describe biodiversity, learn the evolutionary relationships among organisms and improve classification systems. But because most of them are employed in places remote from biodiversity hotspots, progress in this work is slow and there is a real risk of extinction of organisms before they are even discovered. Their work is hindered by a scarcity of colleagues and resources for systematic biology in the countries that harbor the most undescribed biodiversity.

Functioning natural history museums on the ground in Central Africa, staffed by well trained professionals working in concert with their colleagues at European and North American museums and universities would quicken the pace of new species discovery, advance the systematic biology of Central African organisms, promote the careers and public profiles of Central African scientists and improve the data available to conservation scientists.

Issue #2:

There is another disconnect between conservation efforts and popular values and customs in Central Africa. If these efforts are to succeed, the preservation of biodiversity must become a value shared by Central Africans themselves.

The poaching of protected species for the bushmeat market and habitat destruction are the biggest threats to wildlife in the region. More Central Africans must come to understand that current practices are not sustainable and learn to value wildlife in new ways. Central African officials and decision-makers must bring a sense of environmental stewardship to their jobs. Conservation gains will be temporary if concern for animal populations and habitat preservation is seen as a value system imposed from the outside. Central African natural history museums, staffed and run by qualified and highly skilled Central Africans, could serve an important educational and public relations role by helping to promote conservation values.

There are indeed some well trained Central African taxonomists and systematists. However, in many cases they lack the resources to work effectively in their field of inquiry. The biological collections that exist are often in poor condition from lack of funding. There are few ways for African students to develop research ideas and pursue educational opportunities with practicing systematists in the West and too few jobs in Central African countries for qualified scientists.

There is much to be figured out. We have just begun the conversation and we’d like you to be part of it. Send us an email to let us know you’re interested, or leave us a comment below.

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