Three Operation Wildlife (OWL) member volunteers, Betty Parinas, Linda Andersen, and Hazel Sumile took a road trip out to Brigham Young University-Hawaii Campus on the North Shore community of Laie to visit the BYU-Hawaii Museum of Natural History. They met with the museum’s curator, Dr. Phillip Bruner, and obtained a few “gifts” from the school, which is dismantling its museum and the collection this summer.

The ladies were fascinated by the displays of all the “real” animals (the huge polar bear, brown bear, moose, small animals, birds and more) that have been taxidermied by various people and students, as well as by the Dr. Bruner himself. Betty Parinas was surprised by how many of the animals she had known back in the old OWL Zoo days.

Assistance League of Hawaii was gifted with two turtles that are in great condition, as well as a boxful of furs, feet, and other “stuff”! We sincerely thanked Dr. Bruner and his staff for providing Assistance League of Hawaii with such an opportunity to see this fabulous collection as well as to be entrusted with some of its specimens.

The newly-donated specimens will join our collection of biofacts that are used as part of Assistance League of Hawaii’s Operation Wildlife program and shared with 4th grade students around Hawaii during each school year.

A big mahalo to BYU-Hawaii for their generosity in sharing their priceless collection with us.