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New life at the ‘Sterling Zoo’

Published 4:42 am Tuesday, September 19, 2017

By Elizabeth Earl

Two teddy bears hide in the trees near the dropoff point for solid waste at the Sterling Transfer Site on Saturday, Sept. 16, 2017 near Sterling, Alaska. The attendants at the transfer site, where trash is picked up and taken to Central Peninsula Landfill, rescue stuffed animals from the trash and giving them new life in the “Sterling Zoo,” where they rest in the bushes and trees surrouding the transfer site to greet visitors throughout the summer. They go into “hibernation” in the winter, resting on a shelf to stay dry before reappearing the following summer. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)
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Two teddy bears hide in the trees near the dropoff point for solid waste at the Sterling Transfer Site on Saturday, Sept. 16, 2017 near Sterling, Alaska. The attendants at the transfer site, where trash is picked up and taken to Central Peninsula Landfill, rescue stuffed animals from the trash and giving them new life in the “Sterling Zoo,” where they rest in the bushes and trees surrouding the transfer site to greet visitors throughout the summer. They go into “hibernation” in the winter, resting on a shelf to stay dry before reappearing the following summer. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)
Two teddy bears hide in the trees near the dropoff point for solid waste at the Sterling Transfer Site on Saturday, Sept. 16, 2017 near Sterling, Alaska. The attendants at the transfer site, where trash is picked up and taken to Central Peninsula Landfill, rescue stuffed animals from the trash and giving them new life in the “Sterling Zoo,” where they rest in the bushes and trees surrouding the transfer site to greet visitors throughout the summer. They go into “hibernation” in the winter, resting on a shelf to stay dry before reappearing the following summer. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)
A stuffed dog and two teddy bears lounge on an armchair near the dropoff point for solid waste at the Sterling Transfer Site on Saturday, Sept. 16, 2017 near Sterling, Alaska. The attendants at the transfer site, where trash is picked up and taken to Central Peninsula Landfill, rescue stuffed animals from the trash and giving them new life in the “Sterling Zoo,” where they rest in the bushes and trees surrouding the transfer site to greet visitors throughout the summer. They go into “hibernation” in the winter, resting on a shelf to stay dry before reappearing the following summer. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)
A wooden eagle keeps lookout near the attendant’s station near the dropoff point for solid waste at the Sterling Transfer Site on Saturday, Sept. 16, 2017 near Sterling, Alaska. The attendants at the transfer site, where trash is picked up and taken to Central Peninsula Landfill, rescue stuffed animals from the trash and giving them new life in the “Sterling Zoo,” where they rest in the bushes and trees surrouding the transfer site to greet visitors throughout the summer. They go into “hibernation” in the winter, resting on a shelf to stay dry before reappearing the following summer. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)
A taxidermied brown bear keeps an eye on visitors entering the Sterling Transfer Site on Saturday, Sept. 16, 2017 near Sterling, Alaska. The attendants at the transfer site, where trash is picked up and taken to Central Peninsula Landfill, rescue stuffed animals from the trash and giving them new life in the “Sterling Zoo,” where they rest in the bushes and trees surrouding the transfer site to greet visitors throughout the summer. They go into “hibernation” in the winter, resting on a shelf to stay dry before reappearing the following summer. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)
A group of teddy bears, a stuffed fox and a toy husky greet visitors to the Sterling Transfer Site on Saturday, Sept. 16, 2017 near Sterling, Alaska. The attendants at the transfer site, where trash is picked up and taken to Central Peninsula Landfill, rescue stuffed animals from the trash and giving them new life in the “Sterling Zoo,” where they rest in the bushes and trees surrouding the transfer site to greet visitors throughout the summer. They go into “hibernation” in the winter, resting on a shelf to stay dry before reappearing the following summer. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)
A stuffed version of The Bear in the Big Blue House character says goodbye to visitors near the attendant station at the Sterling Transfer Site on Saturday, Sept. 16, 2017 near Sterling, Alaska. The attendants at the transfer site, where trash is picked up and taken to Central Peninsula Landfill, rescue stuffed animals from the trash and giving them new life in the “Sterling Zoo,” where they rest in the bushes and trees surrouding the transfer site to greet visitors throughout the summer. They go into “hibernation” in the winter, resting on a shelf to stay dry before reappearing the following summer. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)

Making a routine run to the dump is a little brighter for those headed to the Sterling Transfer Site.

Stashed in the bushes, trees and corners of the transfer site, stuffed animals peer out to greet visitors dropping off their trash. The animals, ranging from tiny husky dolls to a full-sized taxidermied brown bear, came out of the trash dropped off at the site, rescued by the attendants and put on display each summer.

The transfer site is one a handful around the borough, where local residents can drop off solid waste to be taken to Central Peninsula Landfill near Soldotna.

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