Uploaded October 2014 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
In January 2014, Emily accompanied Curator of Mammals Bruce Patterson on a field expedition into the bat caves of Kenya. They were joined with Field Museum Media Producers Greg Mercer and Emily Ward to document the experience. This is the 1st installment in a 2-part series of highlights from the trip; there's much more to come!
Video created by:
Emily Graslie: Writer, host
Greg Mercer and Emily Ward: Field Museum Media Producers
Expedition team:
Dr. Bruce Patterson: MacArthur Curator of Mammals, The Field Museum
Dr. Paul W. Webala: Head of the Department of Natural Resources at Karatina University, Kenya; Field Museum Research Associate
Michael C. Bartonjo: Student at Moi University, Kenya
Sintoyia Taiti: Kenya Wildlife Service Ranger
Daniel Kyenze: Kenya Wildlife Service Driver
Aziza Zuhura: Database Technician and Preparator, National Museums of Kenya
With support from:
The Field Museum
Chicago, Illinois
Scientific research and equipment funded by:
JRS Biodiversity Foundation and Bud and Onnolee Trapp
Thanks to Martina Šafusová, Tony Chu, and Barbara Velázquez for translating. Without them, we'd just have to -wing- it.
In January 2014, Emily accompanied Curator of Mammals Bruce Patterson on a field expedition into the bat caves of Kenya. They were joined with Field Museum Media Producers Greg Mercer and Emily Ward to document the experience. This is the 1st installment in a 2-part series of highlights from the trip; there's much more to come!
Video created by:
Emily Graslie: Writer, host
Greg Mercer and Emily Ward: Field Museum Media Producers
Expedition team:
Dr. Bruce Patterson: MacArthur Curator of Mammals, The Field Museum
Dr. Paul W. Webala: Head of the Department of Natural Resources at Karatina University, Kenya; Field Museum Research Associate
Michael C. Bartonjo: Student at Moi University, Kenya
Sintoyia Taiti: Kenya Wildlife Service Ranger
Daniel Kyenze: Kenya Wildlife Service Driver
Aziza Zuhura: Database Technician and Preparator, National Museums of Kenya
With support from:
The Field Museum
Chicago, Illinois
Scientific research and equipment funded by:
JRS Biodiversity Foundation and Bud and Onnolee Trapp
Thanks to Martina Šafusová, Tony Chu, and Barbara Velázquez for translating. Without them, we'd just have to -wing- it.
![Alligator Dissection [Live Stream]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Yd4LevXVfmc/mqdefault.jpg "Alligator Dissection [Live Stream]
Watch the short(er) version here: https://youtu.be/AQ2nS0AdIlY
Welcome to The Brain Scoops dissection livestream! This event took place in The Grainger Science Hub at The Field Museum in Chicago, Illinois on Friday, June 7th. ↓↓↓ Click below for for the FAQs. ↓↓↓
Got a question? Leave it in the chat box! Raven in the Grainger Science Hub will be moderating your comments, and passing along questions from you! Please be kind to one another. :)
FAQs:
1. Whos doing the dissection?
Me (Emily) and Josh Mata, Collections Assistant in Reptiles/Amphibians
2. What is this specimen?
Were preparing (skinning + dissecting) a juvenile American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis)
3. Who are all the people in the background?
The dissection is happening in the Field Museums Grainger Science Hub! It is open to anyone who paid for basic admission to the museum.
4. Why are you doing this?
For science! and education! The alligator was donated by researchers at the Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge in Louisiana. This specimens skeleton will be added to the Fields research collections.
5. Where is this specimen from?
The alligator was donated by researchers at the Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge in Louisiana.
6. Did you kill it?
We did not. It had been in the freezer for around 10 years after it was donated; we do not know how it died.
But, there are many instances where collecting animals for research is important, and to be supported. We made a whole video about it for you: Whered you get all those dead animals? http://bit.ly/2zDVLo8
7. What are you doing with it?
We will skin the specimen, remove the major muscles and organs, take a tissue sample for DNA research, run the skeleton through our flesh-eating dermestid beetle colony, and finally place the specimen in an educational collection.
8. Will I be able to watch this later?
Yes! The video will be archived on our channel for future viewing.")
