Wisconsin drivers have another way to express their support for the state's wildlife. On Wednesday, the Department of Natural Resources unveiled a new license plate. Proceeds from its sales will go to help endangered species.
The new endangered resources plate made its premiere at a zoo near Green Bay. Voters chose the new design during online voting last fall.
DNR Secretary Matt Frank said the chosen design, a badger plate, won hands down.
The badger now joins the grey wolf plate which has been available since 1995. Frank says that plate has generated around $500,000 a year to be used on a variety of research projects on more than 200 species of plants and animals, including the badger and kirtland's warbler.
With the additional plate, Frank says it's possible sales could generate a million dollars a year for the endangered resources fund.
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He acknowledges tough economic times may deter people from paying the extra $40 for the specialty plate. But he says it's a worthwhile cause.
Frank says $25 of the $40 goes directly to the endangered resources program.
The badger figures prominently on the new plate but it isn't alone. The state's official animal is joined by other prairie critters, a meadowlark, swallowtail butterfly and a sunflower.