<div dir="ltr"><div>A community member has approached us with a vintage tiger rug in very poor condition.  I do not intend to accept it.  The damage is extensive enough that it is not suitable for display.  For something in this condition, I would normally recommend destruction.  However, given its age (earlier than 1940) and species, I wonder if anyone is aware of research that could use such a specimen?  I am aware of, and have dealt with, the various challenges in transferring ownership of tigers, but if there is a productive use for the specimen, I would like to help facilitate that.  <br></div><div><br></div><div>I can imagine  biological conservation work that uses 
stable isotopes or similar methods might benefit from hairs or other small portions.  Perhaps historical analysis, too, since the specimen seems to have been acquired as a middle-market retail decor item, not as a hunting trophy.  The head is excelsior, open mouth components artificial, no paws, and skinning mistakes were repaired with leopard skin as part of mounting.  I don't think it has any value in re-mounting, though it might have limited value in 
repair

of a damaged specimen.  Thanks for any leads and, of course, if anything seems promising, USFWS will be involved before transfer of anything is initiated.</div><div><br></div><div>--Steve<br></div><div></div><div><br>-- <br><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><table style="color:rgb(80,0,80);border:none;border-collapse:collapse"><tbody><tr style="height:105.75pt"><td style="border-width:1pt;border-style:solid;border-color:rgb(255,255,255);vertical-align:top;padding:5pt;overflow:hidden"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><a href="http://miamioh.edu/" style="color:rgb(17,85,204);font-family:Arial;font-size:14.6667px;white-space:pre-wrap" target="_blank"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/XJ5DMP6umr5RXMwwfFxywBX-JWsf-WNO39lXVO_domBk1a31KpJbIP67S7iE696m7zJdc0E-5gkkVN9LmVeJmxZ3aXNXnONxaFSZi-fX8Kmv1mjcV2dETLlXyxGzYYjwYAw9pcaM" style="margin-left:0px;margin-top:0px" width="152" height="128"></a><br></p></td><td style="border-width:1pt;border-style:solid;border-color:rgb(255,255,255);vertical-align:top;padding:5pt;overflow:hidden"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:rgb(204,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Steven M. Sullivan</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial;font-style:italic;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:x-small">Director </span>| <span style="background-color:transparent;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial;font-style:italic;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:x-small"><a href="http://miamioh.edu/cas/academics/centers/hefner-museum/" target="_blank">Hefner Museum of Natural History</a>  </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><font size="1"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Miami University</span></font></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial;font-size:x-small;white-space:pre-wrap">100 Upham Hall </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial;font-size:x-small;white-space:pre-wrap">100 Bishop Circle</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial;font-size:x-small;white-space:pre-wrap">Oxford, OH 45056</span><br></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:1pt"><font size="1"><span><span style="font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Museum: 513-529-4617</span></span></font></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:1pt"><font size="1"><span><span style="font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Cell: 708-937-6253 </span></span></font></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:1pt"><font size="1"><span><span style="font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><br></span></span></font></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:1pt"><font size="1"><span><span style="font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The Museum is open to the public weekdays 9-4, free admission</span></span></font></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:1pt"><i style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><font size="1">Connecting you to the nature in your neighborhood...and the world.</font></i><br></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:1pt"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:x-small"><br></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:1pt"><font color="#000000"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:x-small">The Hefner Museum recognizes the Myaamia and Shawnee people who, along with other indigenous groups, were the first stewards of this land's biodiversity.</span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:x-small"> </span><a href="http://miamioh.edu/diversity-inclusion/land/index.html" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:x-small" target="_blank">http://miamioh.edu/diversity-inclusion/land/index.html</a></font><br></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:1pt"><font size="1"><span><span style="font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><br></span></span></font></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:1pt"></p></td></tr></tbody></table><br></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>