Cincinnati Zoo passenger pigeon question

DavidBrown

DavidBrown

Well-Known Member
15+ year member
I have read that the last known passenger pigeon died at the Cincinnati Zoo and is now on display as a mounted specimen in some kind of memorial exhibit at the zoo.

I have looked through the gallery and there are pictures of the aviary that the pigeon lived in but none of the actual exhibit.

Does anybody have any pictures of this exhibit that they could share and/or describe the exhibit?

Thank you.
 
Perhaps this will do it:

A Trip to the Holy Land, Part II, Piketon and Cincinnati

As I recall, the mounted specimen is not the actual "Martha."

What I find equally interesting is that in the Bronx Zoo archives are letters between director William Hornaday and Cincinnati Zoo director Sol Stephen (two lions of early American zoo world) attempting to obtain additional Passenger Pigeons. I don't recall the date of the correspondence, only that it occurred after - unbeknownst to them - there were no more free birds alive. They lamented being unable to get any birds for the Bronx Zoo.
 
DavidBrown said:
I have read that the last known passenger pigeon died at the Cincinnati Zoo and is now on display as a mounted specimen in some kind of memorial exhibit at the zoo.
Click to expand...

To the best of my knowledge "Martha", the last known passenger pigeon, that died in Cincinnati Zoo in 1914, is mounted in the Smithsonian Institute in Washington.

I saw it on display there years ago. I believe that it is no longer on exhibit at the museum (although I am not completely sure about that as it is many years since I was last there).
 
Comrades,

A link to this thread just appeared on my blog. I was not previously familiar with Zoo Chat but having perused it a bit, I have now joined your fascinating community. Perhaps you would be interested in a few more details on the fate of Martha. Upon her death in Cincinnati, Martha was frozen in a large block of ice and sent by train to the Smithsonian. When her corpse arrived, it was dissected by Dr Shufheldt who published the results in the Auk. Martha was put on display for many years. On at least two occasions she was taken aboard aircraft for trips to CA and Cincinnati, (These were the only flights she ever made, for she hatched, lived, and died in captivity.) It is my understanding that the bird is not currently on display but to mark the centenary of the species’ extinction, the Smithsonian is planning an exhibit to honor the occasion. Presumabley, Martha will be on view.

Check some of my blog’s (Birdzilla.com) most recent postings for they deal with Project Passenger Pigeon, the effort to mark the centenary of the bird's extinction in 2014. Well over 30 organizations have so far joined to both tell the bird's story to as many people as possible and then to use that story as a portal into consideration of current issues related to extinction. So far the Cincinnati Zoo is our only zoo but other participating institutions include Smithsonian, Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Wesleyan University, Philadelphia Academy of Sciences, and Indiana State Museum. In addition, I am writing the first history of the passenger pigeon in over 50 years and a documentary film is being produced. I think that this project offers many creative ways to reach beyond the conservation community and engage a wide range of people. If anyone wants more information please let me know.
 
joelgreenberg said:
Comrades,

Check some of my blog’s (Birdzilla.com) most recent postings for they deal with Project Passenger Pigeon, the effort to mark the centenary of the bird's extinction in 2014. Well over 30 organizations have so far joined to both tell the bird's story to as many people as possible and then to use that story as a portal into consideration of current issues related to extinction. So far the Cincinnati Zoo is our only zoo but other participating institutions include Smithsonian, Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Wesleyan University, Philadelphia Academy of Sciences, and Indiana State Museum. In addition, I am writing the first history of the passenger pigeon in over 50 years and a documentary film is being produced. I think that this project offers many creative ways to reach beyond the conservation community and engage a wide range of people. If anyone wants more information please let me know.
Click to expand...

Welcome to ZooChat Joel, and thanks for the information on the fate of Martha. Hopefully some more zoos will mark the anniversary of the passenger pigeon extinction...this is a very significant event for conservation history and a teachable moment to try and stop anthropogenic caused extinctions from happening more. Do you have a website or can people contact you about this through your blog? I would like to try and get something started through our local Audubon chapter here in California.
 
project passenger pigeon

David,

Thanks for your kind reply. There is a functioning web-site but it needs upgrading, a process that is slowly happening as we are relying on donated help. It is Project Passenger Pigeon Most of the recruitment efforts have targeted areas within ppigeon's old range, but since the story is compelling and the loss of biodiversity is happening everywhere, we would love to see the project spread to wherever people are interested. (We have a participant in Bangladesh!) People can also contact me through my blog. I would love to communicate with with you David or anyone else interested in helping with the project via e-mail and or telephone. I am not sure the best way to share this kind of information: one way would be for you to send it to my blog and I simply won't post it. I look forward to hearing from you.

Joel
 
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