The International Wildlife Museum in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, known for its taxidermy exhibits of exotic wild animals, closed its doors on Dec. 31, 2023, according to its website and social media pages.
The Safari Club International Foundation, which runs the museum located on ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ west side at 4800 W. Gates Pass Road, also announced .Ìý
The link to the notice calls the closure temporary, but nothing in the group's statement says that.
The Safari Club is based in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥. It is a pro-hunting organization that also promotes and funds wildlife conservation efforts.
The museum located in a castle-like building at the base of the ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ mountains, was founded in 1988.
Calls to the museum direct callers to the facility's website online, with no opportunity to leave a message.
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All scheduled events have been canceled, and efforts to return loaned taxidermy animals are ongoing, the website says.
"The remaining museum’s taxidermy, animals, and exhibits will be relocated to new locations to continue educating the public on wildlife appreciation and the role of wildlife management in conservation," the museum notice said.
A tiger killed in India in 1969, a rhino taken by President Theodore Roosevelt and penguins from Richard Byrd's South Pole discovery trip were have been displayed there, according to the website .
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Eddie Celaya is a breaking news reporter and host of the "Here Weed Go!" podcast. He graduated from Pima Community College and the University of ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ and has been with the ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ since May 2019.
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