Salvage Wildlife to Inform Environmental Health, Ecology, Education
Help us learn more about Minnesota’s wildlife and ecosystems
Salvage Wildlife, a new project funded by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund (ENRTF), will help turn tragedies into scientific data.
Learn more about the project, Salvage Wildlife partners, and specimen stories, by exploring our interactive Story Map.
Every day thousands of wild animals are killed due to natural and human-related causes, such as collisions with windows, buildings, powerlines, windmills, and vehicles. These dead wildlife are often just discarded or overlooked, but each animal carries a wealth of information both as an individual and as a biological record of the environment it lived in. Natural history museums are repositories of these specimens and the important biodiversity information they provide.
The goal of the Salvage Wildlife project is to recover samples and data from wild, deceased birds and mammals across Minnesota to support research and education on environmental health, ecology, and conservation. These specimens will bolster our understanding of how wildlife respond to changing environments, contribute to informed management decisions, and build a strong system of monitoring for big issues including disease emergence and spread, environmental contaminants, and declining populations of species that are important in the healthy function of our ecosystems.
How can you help?
KNOW THE LAW: In most cases, possession of wildlife for personal use is not allowed under federal law. However, you are allowed to temporarily hold and transport birds and mammals that were found dead (with the exception of threatened or endangered species) to museums and other organizations that maintain salvage permits for scientific or educational purposes.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR:
- Freshly dead, intact birds and mammals (no maggots or sign of rot)
- If road killed, not significantly flattened
- Please DO NOT pick up:
- Large mammals (deer, moose, bear, or wolves)
- Bald or Golden Eagles
- Non-native rats or mice from human structures
- Domestic animals or livestock
- If you find an animal still alive, please contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitation center.
HOW TO COLLECT AND SUBMIT: Safety first! Use caution if retrieving animal carcasses near roads, and always wash or sanitize your hands after collecting.
- Pick up using plastic bag (like a glove; do not touch the dead animal directly)
- Write down the following data and place in bag with specimen (or fill out this form):
- WHERE you found it [address, cross street, or GPS coordinates]
- WHEN you found it [date]
- WHO found it [full name; this is optional]
- HOW the animal died, if known [roadkill, window strike, cat kill, etc.]
- Close bag tightly and store in a freezer as soon as possible
- Transfer to the Bell Museum or one of our statewide partners
- Front Desk at 2088 Larpenteur Ave West, St Paul
- Wednesday – Sundays 10am-4pm
What will we do with the specimens?
Specimens will be prepared for scientific use by technicians in the Bell Museum and Science Museum of Minnesota. This process includes collecting information such as standard measurements, sex, age, and reproductive condition, and saving materials such as feathers and fur, skeletons, and tissues for genetic and chemical analysis. These different parts of animal carcasses are useful for tracking the spread of diseases, tracing the prevalence of toxins, assessing environmental conditions, and understanding ecological interactions with other animals and plants (such as diet and parasite loads). All data and materials will be archived in natural history museum research collections, and will be available for agencies, scientists, educators, and other users in Minnesota and beyond.
FAQs
What if I find an injured animal that is still alive?
Please call a local wildlife rehabilitation center or DNR office. Please do not bring this animal to the Bell Museum, we are not qualified, equipped, or licensed to treat live wildlife. We strongly recommend that you do not attempt to handle this animal on your own without consulting experts.
What if the animal is too large?
If the animal is too large to safely pick up and temporarily store in the freezer, please call your local DNR office. They will often come out to help.
Should I kill animals for this project?
NO! Please do not harass wildlife; this may be a crime in many areas. We are only interested in using already deceased animals for this project.
Why is it illegal to possess wildlife?
Most birds and several mammals are protected by federal and state laws. Only organizations with the proper permits may possess specimens for scientific or educational purposes.
Is it possible that these animals have diseases?
Yes, this is a possibility. This is why we strongly advise that you do not touch any part of the animal with your bare hands (use plastic bags as gloves) and keep the bag tightly sealed. We also recommend washing your hands well after handling. If you follow these precautions, it is extremely unlikely that any diseases will transfer to you. However, if you are still uncomfortable with the idea, no worries. You can leave the animal as is and let nature take its course.
How can other wildlife organizations help?
We are in the process of building an extensive network of collaborators across Minnesota that can help us with specimen collection and storage, public outreach, and other programming associated with this project. If you would like to be part of this team, please contact us at bellbirds@umn.edu
How can I get more information about this project?
You can check our website. We will be frequently updating this site with more information as we progress in building our network and as we collect data throughout this project. If you have specific questions, you can contact us at bellbirds@umn.edu
Related Reading
-
Specimen Spotlight: Burrowing Owl
A unique specimen recently added to the collections Read More -
Specimen Spotlight: The Great Indian Hornbill
A unique specimen with a storied past Read More -
From roadkill to research: Collect dead wildlife to help science
Read more on MPR Read More -
Inside the Bell Museum's Collections
Take a behind-the-scenes look at the Bell’s scientific collections Read More
Salvage Wildlife Partners
Funding for this project was provided by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR)
Leading Institutions
Partners accepting specimen donations:
- Bell Museum, Falcon Heights, Ramsey County
- Science Museum of Minnesota, St. Paul, Ramsey County
- University of Minnesota-Morris, Morris, Stevens County
- Tettegouche State Park, Silver Bay, Lake County
- Agassiz Environmental Learning Center, Fertile, Polk County
- Resource Management Division, Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Cloquet, Carlton County
- Concordia College, Moorhead, Clay County
- Long Lake Conservation Center, Palisade, Aitkin County
Partners contributing specimens (but not accepting donations):
- Raptor Center, St. Paul, Hennepin County
- Superior National Forest, Tofte Ranger District, Tofte, Cook County
- Harriet Alexander Nature Center, Roseville, Ramsey County
- Stop the Thud Program at UMN, St. Paul, Ramsey County
- Western EcoSystems Technology, Inc., Golden Valley, Hennepin County
- 1854 Treaty Authority, Duluth, St. Louis County
- Superior National Forest, Kawishiwi Ranger District, Ely, St. Louis County
- Ney Nature Center, Henderson, Sibley County
- Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center, Lanesboro, Fillmore County
- Twin Cities Coyote and Fox Project, St. Paul, Ramsey County
- Minnesota DNR, Camp Ripley, Little Falls, Morrison County
- Minnesota Zoo, Apple Valley, Dakota County
- Minnesota DNR, Fergus Falls, Fergus Falls, Otter Tail County
- Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, Roseville, Ramsey County
- Minnesota Master Naturalists, Statewide
- MN DNR Area Wildlife Manager, Division of FAW, Grand Rapids, Itasca County
- Oxbow Park and Zollman Zoo, Byron, Olmsted County
Partners in information sharing and distribution:
- Minnesota Discovery Center, Chisholm, St. Louis County