Protecting animal trophies top priority
"We have to make sure they are protected. They can't be replaced," - Leonard Sternadel
By SHANNON CRABTREE scrabtree@leader-news.com

The El Campo Museum of Natural History is searching for ways to protect its irreplaceable animal trophy mounts during upcoming Civic Center renovations.

And since those displays are actually owned by the city of El Campo, City Council will be involved in the effort.

"We will have to protect them so they don't get destroyed," city Community Service Director Leonard Sternadel said. "Some we will shelter in place because of the size of them. The dioramas, for example, the only way to move them is by breaking them.

"We will move them out if we have to, but it is worth taking a chance to protect them in place," he added. "Moving them could cost $100,000."

The El Campo Civic Center is scheduled to undergo a major floor-to-roof renovation from August to October of next year (please see related story).

That's likely going to equal a five- to sixmonth shut down for the museum, probably starting the first of July, according to Museum Director Cheri McGuirk.

Everything from dust and falling debris to weather conditions and pests can affect the animal displays.

"We have to make sure they are protected. They can't be replaced," Sternadel said.

The museum has 15 to 20 large animal mounts which are permanently affixed to the concrete floors.

Most of the museum trophies, originally the private collection of Dr. E.A. Weinheimer, were taken between the mid- 1960s and mid-1970s, the museum director said, adding changes in hunting as well as import/export laws make it impossible to obtain new samples.