Cardinals aren't just for fans of Mooney and Canfield schools. Supporters of wildlife in Ohio can display the state bird on their car, truck or S-U-V.

The Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles is now selling a new northern cardinal license plate, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

The new image was created in celebration of the plate’s 20th anniversary.

The original northern cardinal wildlife license plate was released in 1997, and it featured artwork by Ohio wildlife artist John A. Ruthven.

Ruthven, now 92, has been hunting, fishing and painting for most of his life. He created new artwork for a redesigned license plate.

Proceeds from the sale of the plate are deposited into the division’s Wildlife Diversity Fund and is used to support conservation and education efforts throughout the state.

The Wildlife Diversity Fund supports projects that have worked to reintroduce native Ohio species, such as river otters and ospreys, as well as increase numbers of rare species such as bald eagles, brook trout, lake sturgeon and freshwater mussels.

Since 1997, sales of Ohio’s wildlife license plates have generated more than $13 million for worthwhile conservation projects across the state. More information about the Wildlife Diversity Fund is available at wildohio.gov.

The cardinal license plate costs $25 in addition to the yearly vehicle registration fee, and $15 from the sale of each license plate supports Ohio’s wildlife diversity.

Wildlife conservation plates can be registered only to passenger vehicles, noncommercial trucks, motor homes and trailers

For more information about ODNR Division of Wildlife’s specialty license plates, visit bmv.ohio.gov or call 888-PLATES3.