Necklaces, ornaments made from dime-sized pieces of reindeer dung earn Ill. zoo nearly $21K

Reindeer dung ornaments, jewelry net Ill. zoo $20K

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Necklaces and Christmas ornaments made from dime-sized pieces of reindeer droppings have earned a Bloomington, Ill., zoo nearly $21,000 this holiday season.

The Miller Park Zoological Society made about $5,000 selling reindeer-dropping ornaments last year. It added necklaces this year when customers asked if jewelry was available.

The reindeer droppings are dehydrated, sterilized and spray-painted with glitter. They’re called “Magical Reindeer Gems.”

The ornaments cost $7.50 at the zoo’s gift shop or $10 by mail. The necklaces sold for $15 at the gift shop, or $20 by mail.

The zoological society says the ornaments and necklaces sold nationwide. Requests also came in from other countries, but federal regulations don’t allow reindeer droppings to be exported.

Information from: The Pantagraph.