"Still, it's taking an animal for public display," said Michael Markarian, executive vice president of the Humane Society. "You can't take this and justify it with such altruism."

Markarian wondered why the museum is not supporting the translocation of excess rhinos in the reserve to other African countries, such as Uganda, which are attempting to repopulate the species.

"Can you imagine the transporting cost of that?" St. Clair said of the three-ton animals.

Markarian said the Humane Society has not thought about taking any adversarial action if the university goes through with its display.

The museum plans to go forward with the exhibit because officials say the legitimacy by which they acquired the animal and the rhinos' self-sufficient population are reasons enough to continue the educational display.

The exhibit will be on display until Jan. 31, and one museum official says the skin is likely to be stretched over a Styrofoam model sometime next week.

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