Jan 26 - New Exhibit Of Gorham's Cave Species To Go On Display At The Gibraltar Museum
A new exhibit of Gorham’s Cave species of Great Auk and Little Auk was unveiled at the Gibraltar Museum this morning.
Dr John Cortes, the Minister for the Environment and Climate Change, was invited to see the sculptures before they go on display by Museum Director Professor Clive Finlayson and Dr Geraldine Finlayson.
The Great Auk became extinct in the 19th Century - remains of individuals have been found in Gorham's Cave.
Professor Finlayson explained how the birds have been represented in their winter plumage and will go on display at the Museum soon, and they will be making other species as well.
Dr Cortes said Little Auks are very rare down here, and he would spend many hours watching out for them down at Europa Point.
He added: “It is a great shame that for the Great Auk, it was just a couple of hundred years ago that man made it extinct because it was accessible, it couldn’t fly away, they would eat it and the eggs and there is a lesson there for all of us to ensure that these things don’t continue happening.
“It’s great to continue reconstructing pre-historic Gibraltar and I know it’s something Clive will continue to do.
“We’re not going to get the Great Auk back but there’s no harm in recovering the lost wildlife of Gibraltar and the Museum going back so many thousands of years really give it its basis.
“It’s a wonderful exhibit and I am sure people are going to love seeing it.”
{fcomment}
