The falcon specimen that went missing from the Department of Biological Sciences was returned anonymously as early as Saturday morning.
“Apparently it was found in the hallway at the same location it was taken from,” said University Police Captain Mike Campbell.
The taxidermy specimen was removed from a display case on the third floor of the Life Sciences building sometime between Nov. 8 and Nov. 13.
“It was pretty quickly concluded,” Campbell said.
While there are no leads on the culprit, the biological sciences department’s wishes were for it to just be returned, Campbell said, referring to it as a “no questions asked scenario.”
The falcon was part of the biological sciences department’s Ornithology Collection of more than 2,400 birds, according to a University press release this weekend. About 1,100 specimens are on display on the third and fourth floors of the Life Sciences Building.
While the exact age of the missing falcon is unknown, it is one of the older parts of the collection. It is still used for teaching and research at the University.
The peregrine falcon has been the University’s official mascot since 1927.
