The Skill of Taxidermy

By Steve McIntyre

We have been preserving dead animals for thousands of years. It is believed the ancient Egyptians developed ways of doing it as early as 3000 B.C.E. if not earlier. Although they weren’t skinning their subjects it was all about preservation with the use of chemicals for embalming. Little care was taken as to the natural appearance of the finished mount.

The heyday of what has led to modern taxidermy was the Victorian era. With museums starting to amass large collections, taxidermy enabled the general public to see all sorts of exotic animals that otherwise would be impossible with no TV or photography. This, plus the fashion for hunting, led to some large companies setting up taxidermy studios with Rowland Wards of London being one of the best known. Their work is still highly sought after by collectors and regularly turns up in specialist taxidermy sales today. As a modern day taxidermist, it is a wonder to me how they were able to produce such quality mounts in a time of no freezers. Decomposition is the biggest enemy of the taxidermist, and a skin would arrive from South Africa in London to be prepared and mounted by a person who would, in all probability, have never seen a live example of the animal in front of them. Today I just hit Google and have literally thousands of images for reference instantly. They also worked with dangerous chemicals such as arsenic to preserve the skins which we certainly don’t do today.

The Victorians were also very keen game hunters with a lot of taxidermists kept busy mounting their trophies for them. This is another change, because although still happening, trophy hunting is looked upon very differently today. So for me as a modern taxidermist that only really does birds, it is important that any bird I do mount has not been killed for the purpose of taxidermy. Having said that, I will take on birds to mount that have been dispatched for things like pest control as this would have happened regardless of me mounting it. Most of my subjects are roadkill, garden birds that have flown into a window or just left by the neighbourhood cat.

Whilst the modern methods of taxidermy have changed from older ways mainly due to the facilities and materials available, the actual method is not really that different. Today we have, as mentioned before, freezers where a specimen can be stored for several years, provided it is frozen soon after death. Another big advantage today is that I can make a phone call and have a pair of eyes the next day and they will be anatomically correct for almost anything. The Victorians had to make and paint their own which is not only time consuming, but also quite an art form.

Once the specimen is thawed out on the bench in front of me, I have a pair of eyes, a clear idea of how the finished mount will stand i.e. on a log, on the ground etc. I will now take lots of measurements, body width, depth etc. These are very important to make the correct size manikin, with wires that are threaded through to attach the legs and wings, and the neck. That done, the skin which has been thoroughly cleaned and dried will be put over the manikin and sewn up. Now the work really begins for the taxidermist to make the mount look like the real thing. A lot of skill is needed to position the skin into the right places so that all the feathers will lay in the correct manner. Wings, legs and neck must also be set correctly. It's worth mentioning that the word taxidermy comes from the Greek words taxis and derma which basically means positioning and skin. Once all of this is done the drying process begins and every day it must be checked to make sure nothing has moved as it dries. Once dried it will be a lot of work to make alterations. Now all that is left to do is to present it to the new owner and it’s a joy to often see the expression of wonder as you hand it over to them and if you’ve done a good job, it will still be in that state for many years to come.

About the author

Steve McIntyre has had a longstanding interest in wildlife and nature which led him towards taxidermy as a method of preserving the beauty of the mammals and birds he admires. With a concern for animal welfare, he ensures that his stock have died or are found. His practice is in North Yorkshire and he is a member of the UK Guild of Taxidermist. Steve McIntyre Taxidermy