Voucher Specimen Collection Preparation Identification and Storage ...

and Peromyscus tissue separate from other specimens so that only they need to be treated
with extra caution.
• Keep specimens cold (ice packs in an insulated bag works well) and freeze as soon as
possible. Dry ice in an insulated chest will last up to eight days in the field and can be
used to refreeze the ice packs as well.
4.3.3 Whole Specimens
• Currently the Royal BC Museum is the only facility in the province with the necessary
biohazard equipment and staff trained to prepare whole small mammals as museum
specimens for identification. Because of the health risks and because of the need to meet
museum standards for prepared specimens it is recommended that this work be done by
the Royal BC Museum. It would be necessary to arrange to get this work done at the
Royal BC Museum before field work is started.
• The Royal BC Museum is also willing to hold specimens in an unprepared state for as
long as a researcher needs (for a storage fee) if that is all that is required by the
researcher. At the end of the storage period the Royal BC Museum is then free to use the
specimens in whatever manner they see fit including disposing of them.
Collecting
Care should be taken in handling fresh small mammals and their traps because of disease
hazards. Rabies risks are covered by the mandatory RIC Bat Inventory training course. It is
strongly recommended that the RIC Small Mammal Inventory training course be taken as
well to cover methods of dealing with the risk from Hanta virus (in Peromyscus) and plague.
Killing
• To kill small mammals humanely place them in a sealed container with a cotton ball
soaked with Isoflurane (available from veterinary suppliers) for about 10 minutes.
Storing specimens in the field
• Seal specimens individually in a ziplock type plastic bag with a field label as described
in section 2.4.2 with the date, location, collector and field reference number. Keep bats
and Peromyscus separate from other specimens so that only they need to be treated with
extra caution.
• Keep specimens cold (ice packs in an insulated bag works well) and freeze as soon as
possible. Dry ice in an insulated chest will last up to eight days in the field and can be
used to refreeze the ice packs as well.
• Fluid preservation of small mammals is not recommended because it is not possible to
see coat colours and because it roughly doubles the preparation time and cost. In an
emergency, where freezing is not possible, specimens can be fixed in 10% formalin or in
95% ethanol.
• Tissues may need to be taken in the field for mDNA Analysis. Check with the lab where
this work is to be done for preservation method.
Preparation
• In the case of mammals it is best to prepare the specimens as soon after collection as
possible to avoid freezer burn, etc. However, if the researcher has no need to have the
specimens prepared then they can be left unprepared.
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