Springfield wildlife museum will offer outdoors adventure

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- "Jaws" slips from the water, stands on his hind legs and playfully waves to his trainer, who hands the North American river otter a bite of fish for his good work.

On the floor below, a worker is removing a tape cover from the acrylic front of a 220,000-gallon saltwater tank where the other Jaws -- sand tiger and bonnet head sharks -- will play. It's all part of the effort to ready Wonders of Wildlife American National Fish and Wildlife Museum for its Nov. 2 public opening.

As the name implies, the 92,000-square-foot facility is dedicated to the outdoors and conservation. It's filled with hunting and fishing displays and videos, along with numerous interactive exhibits with computer simulators that let visitors do everything from reel in a trophy fish to hear stories about the contributions of famous sportsmen, such as Teddy Roosevelt and James Audubon.

The Wonders of Wildlife -- referred to by locals by the acronym "WOW" -- has been four years in the making. It got its start from an idea that began with John L. Morris of the city's famed Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World.

It got off the ground in October 1997, when Springfield officials announced plans for a 2 1/2-cent increase in the city's hotel-motel tax to be used in part to pay for the project.

Morris donated a parcel of land on the northern edge of his shopping center in the heart of Springfield for the museum. His total donation has since risen to about $10 million with contributions that includes a prized fishing lure collection.

Besides city tax dollars and private donations, municipal bonds and federal and state grants are helping fund the $52 million project. It also has 25 conservation partners that range from Audubon International to Outdoor Woman.

WOW spokeswoman Vickie Hicks admits that it's a common misconception that the project is part of Bass Pro. Another misconception is that the museum will offer only stuffed and mounted animals.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

WOW has about 160 live animal species -- from mammals and birds, to reptiles, amphibians, fish and insects.

Hunting gallery

Visitors begin their self-guided tour at "tree top" level along an elevated walk through the woods and a free-flight aviary. The trail winds past the Otter pond, where Jaws and playmate Scooter turn somersaults and chase each other in the water.

Farther down the path is the "Why I Hunt Gallery." It features everyone from a Native American -- known for using every part of a slain animal -- to a modern-day hunter.

"We know that this could be troublesome for some people," Hicks says. "But hunting does play a widely accepted role in conservation."

Perhaps the showcase of the museum, is its "Out to Sea Gallery." WOW mixes 25 tons of a product called "Instant Ocean" with 220,000 gallons of city water to create a home for four species of sharks and other salt water fish, says Dan Dibble, life support systems engineer at the museum.