DENVER- Harvester Ants. That's just one of the many proposed mascots the University of Colorado Denver is considering.
The university hopes to introduce a mascot for its downtown and Anschutz Medical campuses, which both fall under the University of Colorado Denver umbrella.
Although UCD is technically a University of Colorado campus, Boulder's Ralphie the Buffalo, is not used for any Denver campus activities. The University of Colorado Colorado Springs has the mountain lion as its mascot.
UCD does use the same colors to coincide with the University of Colorado school system: gold and black, with a touch of silver.
In September 2011, University of Colorado Denver students were surveyed to see if they would like to have a mascot of their own. The Student Government Association collected a total of 1,125 surveys. The school says that of the students who responded, 600 voted in favor of a mascot and 200 voted against it.
The Student Government Association will narrow down the options for a possible mascot.
As of now, here are the proposed mascot options for CU-Denver: Harvester Ants, Charging Moose, Golden Elk, Mighty Megalodon (an extinct species of shark), Stegosaurus, Lynx, Serpent, Marmot, Rattlesnake, Prospectors, Fourteeners, Brewers, Miners, or keep no mascot.
A final decision on a mascot is expected by the end of the Spring 2012 semester.
The University of Colorado Denver says its club hockey team and other student groups would be, most likely, among the first adopters of a new mascot.
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