SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — A South Dakota museum has closed after nearly 40 years over issues that the chemical compounds in its taxidermy assortment may endanger guests and employees, the affiliated zoo introduced Thursday.
The Great Plains Zoo stated Thursday that it’s has closed the Delbridge Museum of Natural History in Sioux Falls. The zoo’s CEO Becky Dewitz stated sturdy chemical compounds have been used within the taxidermy course of and that assessments discovered detectable ranges of these chemical compounds within the museum, KELO-TV reported. It wasn’t a simple choice to shut the museum however it’s the appropriate one, she stated.
“The specimens were harvested in the 1940s through the 1970s. Prior to the 1980s, it was common to use strong chemicals in the taxidermy process all over the world for preservation of the hides,” the zoo stated in a press release 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 a long time. Photos of the gathering present an elephant, giraffe, rhinoceros, zebras and different animals.
Sioux Falls lawyer C.J. Delbridge purchased the gathering in 1981 and donated it to the town to determine the Delbridge Musuem of Natural History in 1984.
“As the specimens continue to age, there is more potential for chemical exposure,” it added. “Out of an abundance of caution,” the town and zoo determined to decommission the gathering. Dewitz stated this course of will take a very long time as a result of plenty of the animals at the moment are endangered and guarded underneath federal regulation.
The zoo and metropolis will work with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to soundly eliminate the taxidermy mounts, a course of that’s anticipated to take a number of months.
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