Natural History Museum Closes Because of Chemicals in Taxidermy Collection

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — A South Dakota museum has closed after nearly 40 years over considerations that the chemical substances in its taxidermy assortment might endanger guests and workers, the affiliated zoo introduced Thursday.

The Nice Plains Zoo said Thursday that it’s has closed the Delbridge Museum of Pure Historical past in Sioux Falls. The zoo’s CEO Becky Dewitz stated sturdy chemical substances had been used within the taxidermy course of and that exams discovered detectable ranges of these chemical substances within the museum, KELO-TV reported. It wasn’t a simple resolution to shut the museum however it’s the proper one, she stated.

“The specimens had been harvested within the Nineteen Forties by means of the Seventies. Previous to the Eighties, it was widespread to make use of sturdy chemical substances within the taxidermy course of all around the world for preservation of the hides,” the zoo stated in a statement on its web site.

The museum’s assortment of animals on show was one of many largest within the area. Sioux Falls businessman Henry Brockhouse assembled the gathering that features animals from six continents over a number of many years. Photographs of the gathering present an elephant, giraffe, rhinoceros, zebras and different animals.

Sioux Falls legal professional C.J. Delbridge purchased the gathering in 1981 and donated it to the town to ascertain the Delbridge Musuem of Pure Historical past in 1984.

“Because the specimens proceed to age, there may be extra potential for chemical publicity,” it added. “Out of an abundance of warning,” the town and zoo determined to decommission the gathering. Dewitz stated this course of will take a very long time as a result of a lot of the animals are actually endangered and guarded underneath federal legislation.

The zoo and metropolis will work with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to securely get rid of the taxidermy mounts, a course of that’s anticipated to take a number of months.

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