MEEKER | Antler Taxidermy and Professionals of Africa Museum, which is located in the heart of Meeker, Colorado, has unveiled a rare addition to its wildlife museum: a snow leopard.
Owners Bill and Donna Wille are thrilled to showcase this unique specimen, offering visitors a rare opportunity to see the elusive animal up close.
Snow leopards are critically endangered and are very difficult to find and come by. Bill Wille said he wasn’t actively seeking one because of their rarity.
“These beautiful animals are threatened by a variety of factors,” Wille explained. “Poaching for their skin and for traditional medicine is a big issue. Additionally, human settlement in their habitats has significantly reduced their numbers.”
The journey to acquiring the snow leopard began when the Willes’ longtime inspector at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reached out with some unexpected news.
“My inspector called and said, ‘We’ve obtained an animal you might be interested in purchasing,’” Wille said. “She added, ‘You’re classified as a museum, and I’ve known you for years. I thought of you as soon as we got this.’”
The snow leopard arrived at the museum in excellent condition, despite the challenges involved in handling such a rare specimen. Snow leopards typically weigh between 48 and 120 pounds.
Wille noted that he couldn’t weigh this one because he only received the hide and had to prepare it for display.
Creating a mount for the snow leopard proved to be a technical challenge. Standard snow leopard forms aren’t available, so Wille had to adapt by ordering a generic leopard form and customizing it.
“The hardest part of the project was the rods that run throughout the body of the form,” Wille said. “They’re three-quarter-inch threaded rods. I also had to construct a rock base with a solid back to ensure the piece was rigid because it spans eight feet.”
Wille explained that making the base involved layering double three-quarter-inch plywood supported by four-by-fours to create a solid panel. “It became a solid piece once everything was in place,” he added.
The entire project, including constructing the rock base and preparing the snow leopard, took a year to complete. Wille said the rock base was the most time-consuming part, while the snow leopard itself was a joy to work on.
“The cat was easier because I was so excited to see it come together,” he said.
Wille’s excitement for the project stems from his passion for wildlife and conservation. As a member of the Snow Leopard Conservancy of Tajikistan, he has long admired the species.
Snow leopards are known for their speed, agility, and stealth taking of animals. Wille talked about the plans he has in the future with the snow leopard, including pairing the snow leopard with an ibex mount, representing the predator-prey relationship seen in the wild.
“I was planning a hunting trip to Tajikistan to get an ibex,” Wille said. “If I had that ibex, the snow leopard would have been mounted with one paw on its back. I haven’t made it there yet, so I had to finish the piece as it is.”
Maintaining such a rare specimen requires careful attention to detail. Wille uses chemical treatments to protect the mount from insects, including the high-altitude moths that can damage the piece.
“I usually set off insect bombs—six of them—twice a year when we’re not here,” he explained.
“We also treated it with Eddyline U in the tanning solution, which bugs don’t like.”
Wille noted that additional precautions include placing an insect bomb directly underneath the display to ensure the specimen remains pristine.
Now complete, the snow leopard is on display at the Antler Taxidermy and Professionals of Africa Museum in Meeker. The Willes encourage both community members and visitors to stop by during business hours to view the extraordinary piece.
“This is a rare chance to see such an incredible animal up close,” Wille said. “We hope people come away amazed and with a greater appreciation for wildlife conservation.”
The museum’s new addition serves as a reminder of the importance of preserving the world’s rarest and most magnificent creatures.
By JARED HENDERSON
