University says sorry for throwing away lizard dung collection

LONDON - A British university has apologized to a Ph.D. student for throwing away his treasured, seven-year collection of lizard dung.

Daniel Bennett has told Times Higher Education magazine that he had collected the dung in the Philippines while studying the rare butaan lizard, a relative of the Komodo dragon.

The material was to be studied as part of his doctoral research.

Bennett says the 35-kilogram bag was thrown away by cleaners at his lab at Leeds University in northern England.

He says the dung represented seven years' worth of field work, and its loss left him reeling.

Bennett says he rejected the university's compensation offer of US$750 and will "see them in court."

[link to www.cbc.ca]