This medal was chosen as the 18th issue of the prestigious Society of Medalists series in 1938.
The obverse shows wood duck preening, new fern fronds uncurling in background. Around, CONSERVE WILD LIFE; in lower right, signed G.K.LATHROP / ©
The reverse bears a kneeling pronghorn with large barrel cactus behind.
Gertrude Lathrop was an early environmentalist. She was deeply concerned with preserving wilderness and wildlife and railed against inhumane traps, farmers who killed predators, the use of furs in fashion, indiscriminate use of poisons, and the slaughter of entire species of birds and animals.
She chose the wood duck because it was endangered by the draining of wetlands and the pronghorn because by 1938 the only exemplars to be found lived on reservations.
The medal measures 73mm in diameter and was struck by the Medallic Art Company of New York. Its reported mintage is 1,025 pieces in bronze and 100 in silver.