We’ve all been there. You’re trying to take a selfie with a tapir, and the blasted thing only goes and eats your spectacles.

Try getting selfie with tapir. Tapir eats glasses.

— christopher schmitt (@fuzzyatelin)

This photo, captured by Christopher Schmitt, assistant professor of biological anthropology at Boston University, succinctly demonstrates how academics across the world are – day in, day out – risking everything in their relentless pursuit of knowledge.

It is also one of hundreds of tweets sent using the hashtag – a collection of honest scholars revealing those moments when their hands-on research didn’t go exactly to plan. A bit like #OverlyHonestMethods, which saw academics revealing some of their not-so-scientific approaches.

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Professor Schmitt wasn’t the only one encountering problems with animals…

Accidentally glued myself to a crocodile while attaching a radio transmitter.

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— Agata Staniewicz (@AgataStaniewicz)

Hyrax nibble engine wires. No headlights. No indicators. Horn beeps intermittently of its own accord.

— James Probert (@SerengetiFire)

When your drugged zebra finds the ONE tree on the Namibian plains, which also has a neck-height fork

— Carrie Cizauskas (@CarrieCizauskas)

when you’re trying to get a young Yellow-Crowned Night Heron to cooperate for a picture… But

— Trill deGrasse Tyson (@JasonWardNY)

 …and transport was also a real issue.

Rental car companies probably should ask if you are a field biologist

— Marcella J. Kelly (@marcellajkelly)

Don’t enter a wadi without a proper car.

— Matthias Lang (@MatthiasLang2)

My landrover on the way back from the garage

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— Sarah Durant (@SarahMDurant)

In fact, some scholars seemed intent on getting themselves stranded…

Getting the truck stuck in a river in the middle of Mongolia whilst searching for bats ”

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— BATTULGA Nergui (@tomoomn)

Field assistant got stuck during pond survey. Took photo then helped :)

— Chris Hassall (@katatrepsis)

Swimming after run-away boat in croc-infested waters

— Diana Sharpe (@sharpe_diana)

…but even when they did arrive safely, not everyone had the right tools for the job.

Dropped phone to a deep hole in the ground. Spent rest of the day digging it up.

— KMO Archaeology (@KMOArchaeology)

When you realize the you’ve been radio-tracking is actually just beeps from the crosswalk

— Cylita Guy (@CylitaGuy)

Finally, spare a thought for the University of California, Davis’ Alan Krakauer. I certainly wouldn’t want to switch places with him…

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Learning the hard way how windy it gets in Wyoming.

— Alan Krakauer (@alan_krakauer)

You can see more #FieldworkFail tweets .

chris.parr@tesglobal.com