Time & Location
25 Feb 2026, 18:30 – 21:00
Franschhoek, 15 Akademie St, Franschhoek, 7690, South Africa
About the event
Finding Old Fourlegs: The Remarkable Story of the Coelacanth
Prof. Mike Bruton
Weds 25 Feb, 18:30, Franschhoek Theatre
The capture of a living coelacanth off East London in 1938 was one of the greatest biological discoveries of the 20th century. It was like finding a living dinosaur walking down the street, but more so as coelacanths predated dinosaurs by over 150 million years! The subsequent discovery and study of living coelacanths off Mozambique, Tanzania, Kenya, Madagascar, the Comoros, and even in Indonesia has shown that, although the coelacanth has a primitive anatomy, its behaviour and breeding strategy are very advanced. This talk will detail the discovery of the coelacanth, as well as considering the reasons why ‘old fourlegs’ has been such a successful survivor.
Secure your spot at this event for R250, incl. wine and snacks. Booking is essential, as seats are limited! Bookings can be made by emailing smalltalx.info@gmail.com,…