Camerino museum finds abandoned tiger remains and symbolic letter

A tiger head and skin were discovered abandoned in a box in front of the University of Camerino's Museum of Sciences. The remains, which show signs of age and damage, belong to a species protected under the Washington Convention (CITES).

Accompanying the remains was a symbolic letter written from the perspective of the tiger. The letter claimed the animal had lived in Camerino for many years, having been purchased during a time before protective laws existed, and requested to remain in the city to be admired in a museum.

Authorities, including the Carabinieri CITES and the Forestale of Camerino, have seized the remains as part of a criminal investigation to determine their origin and identify who left them. The Ministry of Environment and Energy Security will decide on the final destination of the specimen, though there is a possibility it could be housed at the University of Camerino's Paleontology laboratory. Illegal possession of protected species carries penalties including arrest and significant fines.