[Nhcoll-l] Bear Cub in a Jar

[Susan Gallagher]

Hello List,

Question on final preparation of a wet specimen. This is for educational 
use only ('m at a nature center, not a museum.)

Nearly two years ago my center received a dead black bear cub, around 
3.5 kg.

Since then, and on the advice of John Simmons (John are you still on 
this list??) I shot it up with a full bottle of Everclear, then put it 
in a plastic bag full of ETOH (like marinating meat) and left it in a 
refrigerator.

Well today I took it out, squashed it into a jar, and it looks 
fantastic! No odor really other than alcohol, and no slippage of the 
fur. Just one tiny spot that looks a little raw, probably from the cub's 
original injury.

I'd like to seal him up in the jar in clear liquid, as colorless as I 
can get it.

The liquid I drained him from was slightly brownish, like weak tea, and 
he still has some of that liquid coming out of him.

Should I rinse him first with water? Or with isopropyl alcohol? Then 
fill the jar with ETOH?

Also any advice on sealing the lid? The jar I have had actually been 
donated by someone on this list who had been looking to re-home some 3-5 
gallon glass jars a while ago. It came with a screw-on metal lid with a 
waxy paper insert.

This doesn't need to last forever. Education collections generally do not.

Any advice appreciated. We have several wet specimens here that make 
great learning motivators for kids. And we also have lots to teach kids 
and visitors about black bears, so I think this will make a great 
teaching tool--if I can make it look as "acceptable" as a dead baby bear 
in a jar can be for the public.

Thanks for your time in helping a long-time list lurker.

Sue

-- 
***********************************************
Susan Gallagher, Chief Naturalist
Carbon County Environmental Education Center
151 East White Bear Drive
Summit Hill, PA  18250

sugal at ptd.net
www.carboneec.org