Rare animal specimen donated to Sichuan museum

Kenneth E. Behring (third on the right), an 88-year-old American philanthropist confined to a wheelchair, rises to his feet to pose in front of the specimen of two South African oryxes he donates to the Chengdu Museum in Sichuan province on Tuesday night. [Photo by Huang Zhiling/chinadaily.com.cn]

A brief donation ceremony was held in the Chengdu Museum in Chengdu, capital of Southwest China's Sichuan province, on Tuesday night.

Kenneth E. Behring, an 88-year-old American philanthropist confined to a wheelchair, donated the specimen of two South African oryxes.

"He has signed an agreement to donate the specimen of nearly 300 rare animals including the antelope and polar bear to the museum. All the specimen will open to the public next summer," said Xiao Feige, an information officer with the museum.

Behring had donated rare animal specimen to museums in Beijing, Dalian, Shanghai and Tianjin cities and Shandong province in China before his trip to Chengdu.

He said that he had donated animal specimen to many countries hoping the donations would keep the memory of the beautiful animals.