The Mammal Image Library began serving educators worldwide in 1978 with an initial set of 200
35mm color slides of mammals. The collection now includes more than 1300 slides representing
nearly 800 species from over 80% of the families of mammals. Slides for this program serve as a
visual resource at all levels of instruction and in a wide variety of other applications such as
scientific publications, books, magazines, newspapers, displays at zoos and national parks, and
many others. As of 1995, more than 110,000 slides are in use in more than 3,000 institutions in
every state in the USA and in at least 50 other countries. All income from the sale of slides and
catalogs is used solely for maintaining and expanding the services of the Mammal Image Library.
The catalog includes a Table of Contents by Order, Index to Scientific Names, and Index
to Common Names. An order form ("Slide List") and various other forms are provided as
inserts in the printed copy of the catalog, which may be ordered from the Business Manager. Mammalian orders are arranged in phylogenetic sequence, whereas
families, genera, and species are arranged alphabetically within each order. Subspecies names,
when known, are given as part of the slide description.
Each species entry includes the scientific name, common names(s), and geographic distribution,
followed by a list of the slides available for that species. Each slide entry consists of catalog
number; brief description of subject; location where photograph was taken, if known; date of
photograph, if known; name of photographer or other person who contributed the slide. The
taxonomic classification used in the catalog with few exceptions follows that found in "Mammal
Species of the World" (Wilson and Reeder, 1994).
Placing orders.Personal orders cannot be
made by FAX unless a credit card number and the expiration date are included, because personal
orders must be prepaid. Institutional orders can be made by FAX. Inform your Business Office
that a list of slides, which includes the catalog number and the scientific name, must accompany the purchase order. A free Slide List is available free of charge from the Business Manager that can also be used as an order form.
Payment. Payment by institutions must be made within 30 days of receipt of slides.
Personal orders for slides or catalogs must be prepaid. Slides cost $3.00 US each, and catalogs
are $4.00 each to addressees in Canada, USA, Mexico, and $5.00 elsewhere. There is a 10%
discount for orders of 50 or more slides. Checks or money orders must be in US dollars, and
must be drawn on US banks. Personal payments can be made by means of Visa or MasterCard
credit cards at no additional cost.
Shipping. The Mammal Image Library pays all shipping and handling costs to addressees in
Canada, USA, and Mexico, but there is an additional shipping charge of $2.00 US for sending
slides elsewhere. Please allow four weeks to receive slides; contact the Business Manager by
telephone, FAX, or E-mail if there is an urgent need for slides. Please keep in mind that the
Mammal Image Library is operated on an all-volunteer basis and that required professional duties
may prevent the Business Office from handling your order on short notice.
The originals of slides offered in this catalog were contributed to the Mammal Image Library with
the understanding that the Mammal Image Library will sell copies only for optical projection for
nonprofit instruction. However, some contributors will allow their slides to be used for other
purposes; this permission is set forth in a written "Contribution Agreement" between the
contributors and the Mammal Image Library. These additional permissible uses, and arrangements
for royalties derived from additional uses, vary among the contributors. Persons or organizations
wishing to use slides for purposes other than projection for nonprofit instruction or copying the
slide in any way must first contact Dr. Robert Sikes of the Mammal Image Library to get information about the use of specific slides. Failure to obtain
the required permission jeopardizes the ability of the Mammal Image Library to operate its
program. This program depends on the good will of contributors, the voluntary efforts by the
MSL Committee, and the willingness of purchasers of slides to abide by the wishes of the
contributors.
The Mammal Image Library offers several Special Series, which are sets of slides and scripts about
the biology of various mammals. Prices and descriptions of each are available by clicking on each title.
1. Sperm Whale Stranding (Oregon Coast, 1979)--12 slides and 2-page script
2. Subterranean Mammals (1986)--17 slides and 7-page script
3. The Rhinoceroses (1990)--26 slides and 8-page script
4. Elephants--An Overview (1996)--20 slides and 18-page script
5. Elephants--Evolution, Anatomy, and Reproduction (1996)--20 slides and 20-page script
6. Elephants--Conservation, Ecology, and Behavior (1996)--20 slides and 16-page script
In 1992, the Mammal Image Library instituted a program whereby grants in the form of MSL slides
can be obtained by educational institutions in developing countries. More than 60 grants have
been awarded thus far. Institutions can select up to 50 slides of their choice, and can reapply
annually. Grants are made to institutions, not individuals, and must be generally available at the
institution for use by the staff. Information about the program can be obtained from Dr. John O
Whitaker, Jr.
The MSL urges members of the American Society of Mammalogists and others to assist this
effort by supplying information about (or to) appropriate institutions.
The Mammal Image Library continues to expand its collection and we urge photographers to
donate or lend slides to the program. These slides are especially valuable in developing countries
where environmental education programs typically are in early stages of establishment. Slides of
mammals found in those countries are especially needed. There remain, however, significant gaps
in the coverage of mammalian species in North America, and we solicit slides of those species
also.
Slides may be contributed at any time. Slides are added to the program on an irregular basis, and
are described on separate inserts until the next catalog is prepared.
Donation or loan of original transparencies is much more satisfactory than even high-quality
duplicates. Contributors receive a captioned copy of each slide selected and thus will continue to
have the use of that image. All originals are stored by the photographic firm handling our work
under conditions of controlled heat and moisture.
Those wishing to contribute to the Mammal Image Library may obtain a general impression of
needed subject matter by perusing the Slide List or this catalog (especially the indexes). In
addition to filling obvious taxonomic gaps, slides are needed for illustrating important aspects of
life history, behavior, anatomy, or other subject matter categories. Finally, we need slides that are
in various ways superior to those already in the collection. For example, more than one-third of
the slides depict mammals in artificial situations (hand held, in cages, zoos, etc.). If interested in
contributing slides please contact the committee chairperson for
additional information.
The success of the Mammal Image Library reflects the voluntary support of many individuals,
including some who are not members of the parent organization, the American Society of
Mammalogists. Donations of slides have been received from more that 160 persons from 15
countries. Their contributions will have an important beneficial impact on education in the natural
sciences in many countries. We extend our thanks to everyone who in some way has made this
program possible and successful.
Sources of Slides from other Nonprofit Organizations
The Laboratory of Ornithology (Cornell University, Sapsucker Woods Rd.., Ithaca, NY 14850)
sells slides of birds, reptiles, amphibians, and wildflowers. Emphasis is on species from eastern
North America, but some bird species slides depict species from elsewhere.
The American Fisheries Society (5410 Grosvenor Lane, Suite 110, Bethesda, MD 20814-2199)
sells slides of freshwater fishes from northeastern North America and marine fishes from the
northern Atlantic coast of North America.