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(Please excuse any cross-postings; we are trying to get the word out as widely as possible.)

September 1, 2014 marks the centenary of the extinction of the passenger pigeon. This exquisite bird, which once roamed North America in awe-inspiring flocks, was hunted to extinction, its last members passing away in zoo collections.  Project Passenger Pigeon, a coalition of over 150 organizations, has formed to use this event as a teaching moment to familiarize people with the story of the passenger pigeon, and to use that story as a portal into consideration of current events related to extinction and the connections between people and nature.

To advance these goals, the University of Michigan Museum of Natural History has created nine downloadable museum panels that are now available to all institutions interested in participating in the anniversary.  Entitled "A Shadow Over the Earth," the exhibit discusses the passenger pigeon story, extinction more broadly, and steps we can take to preserve the biodiversity that is still with us. 

Project Passenger Pigeon offers these panels free to any educational organization.  You can access them at http://passengerpigeon.org/everyoneinvolved.html. Merely download and print.  The panels have no copyright restrictions: all images are public domain or otherwise free for this use, and UMMNH is waiving its intellectual property rights in exchange for a credit on the title panel.  Blank panels will soon be available as well so each institution can augment the display with local materials and interpretation. 

In addition to the panels, coalition members have created other tools to help institutions join in the commemoration.  These include a Power Point presentation, two plays (one for children and one for adults), a documentary, and a speaker’s bureau. 

For more information, visit passengerpigeon.org

   

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