The University has just initiated "The original Nittany mountain lion fund." This fund is intended to restore a 140-year-old specimen, which is a real treasure to Penn State, and its students, alumni, and friends. As you know, the mountain lion is Penn State's mascot and is a symbol of pride, endurance, and beauty.

This particular specimen was killed in 1856 in Susquehanna County and is the only mounted specimen of the eastern mountain lion in Pennsylvania. The mountain lion went extinct in the Commonwealth around 1871. This "original" moutain lion specimen has a rich and interesting history. It was displayed in the 1893 Chicago World's Fair.

After the fair, it was donated to Penn State where it was displayed on the first and second floors of Old Main at the University Park Campus until 1929. When Old Main was rebuilt in 1929, the mountain lion was salvaged by the zoology department, stored in Watts Hall, and used for teaching purposes in zoology classes. In 1953, the mountain lion specim was loaned to the Carnegie Museum of History in Pittsburgh, where it was part of public exhibit displaying endangered and extinct Pennsylvania animals. The display was entitled "Deadline for Wildlife" and remained on view for 18 years. It was dismantled in 1971, and the mountain lion was stored at the Carnegie Museum. In 1993, the mountain lion finally was returned to its home at Penn State!

The lion will be restored by a professional conservator from the Smithsonian Institution. It then will be displayed in an airtight, humidity-tight case. The restoration process tentatively also will involve the development of educational materials, visual displays, and interactive computerized video materials that describe the history of this mountain lion specimen, the history and current conservation efforts for mountain lions in North America, and information on the role of Penn State in the conservation of its wildlife (plant and animals) resources.

My hope is that this display will be placed in a conspicuous and convenient location on the University Park campus for the enjoyment of Penn Staters for many generations to come. Donations to the "The Original Nittany Mountain Lion Fund" can be sent directly to:

Development Office

232 Agricultural Administration Building

The Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA 16802

Please indicate that this contribution is to "The Original Nittany Mountain Lion Fund," Budget 404-53, Fund 2675, Allocation Code XCANL.

Thanks for your support!