Zoo selling reindeer poo necklaces

-

Quote:

Officials at an Illinois zoo said the facility's gift shops will soon be selling necklace pendants made from dried reindeer dung.

The Miller Park Zoo in Bloomington said the Magical Reindeer Gem necklaces, which go on sale Friday for $15 each, were inspired by tree ornaments made from the same substance that went on sale at the zoo last year, The (Bloomington) Pantagraph reported Tuesday.

"We kept hearing from people who were buying the ornaments, 'Do you have any jewelry?'" said Susie Ohley, spokeswoman for the Miller Park Zoological Society.

"We thought we would make them available for the big shopping day," she said of the launch Friday, the largest shopping day of the year. "It may be silly, but it not only brings in money and support to the zoo, (but) it brings people smiles."

Ohley said the zoo expects to make as much as $16,500 from sales of the ornaments and necklaces during the holiday season.