The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) is setting up an educational memorial for the local mountain lion that was hit by a car this December, after it became a minor celebrity in the city, seen prowling the urban landscape via cameras and leaving its mark with tracks in the snow. The wild cat's journey ended tragically when it was struck on Interstate 394 on December 6, as reported by the MPRB.
"Many of us were captivated by the prospect of such a majestic animal living among us and were saddened to hear how it met its end," MPRB Superintendant Al Bangoura said in a statement, on the plans to turn its taxidermied remains into a teaching moment, which will show the diverse wildlife that can be found in urban Minneapolis, even though is not commonly seen it's still there among us. The mountain lion had taken quite the trek from the Oglala National Grasslands in northwest Nebraska, traveling an impressive 650 miles to Minnesota.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) collected the creature after it was killed and now, in collaboration with the park board and supporters, they plan to preserve the animal and feature it in an educational display. Citizens will be able to observe the display at various program facilities. More details are expected to be released as the project develops, with the MPRB sharing updates on the arrangements.
Interested in supporting the Minneapolis Mountain Lion's legacy, the MPRB is calling on community help to fund the display, contributions can be made by check to "Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board" with "mountain lion" noted in the memo, or by calling their customer service for debit or credit card donations, donations which can help make the planned exhibit a reality and, perhaps a teaching tool that makes the big cat's untimely demise a conduit for city dwellers to connect more deeply with the often unseen natural world that surrounds them.
