Mirounga leonina, southern elephant seal. Although seals spend a lot of time in the water, they evolved from a land-dwelling ancestor over 25 million years ago and still have to come back on land to breed.

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Identification qualifications

Moss, 4kDo you identify animals or plants?

Are you confident in your ability?

Do you require others to identify animals and plants? Are you confident in their ability?

How do you demonstrate your identification credentials to clients, customers or recruitment boards?

An Identification Qualification (IdQ) will add authority to your tender or CV

The IdQ scheme aims to improve standards in environmental monitoring, impact assessment and conservation work by awarding certificates in competence in animal and plant identification to biologists and ecologists. Identification skills are assessed by experienced NHM scientists, using practical examinations appropriate to the way professional identification is carried out.

As a world leader in taxonomy, The Natural History Museum is ideally placed to develop this vocational accreditation scheme.