Stuffed Animals A Modern Guide to Taxidermy

380 Pages·2016·8.87 MB·English

by  Divya Anantharaman

To our friends, family, and those who have supported us
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER 1: THE HISTORY OF TAXIDERMY
CHAPTER 2: ETHICS
CHAPTER 3: STUFF YOU SHOULD KNOW
CHAPTER 4: REFERENCE, REFERENCE, REFERENCE. AND
REFERENCE.
CHAPTER 5: MAMMALS
CHAPTER 6: BIRDS
CHAPTER 7: FORMS AND FINISHING
CHAPTER 8: TANNING HIDES
CHAPTER 9: LET’S GET CREATIVE
CHAPTER 10: THE WHOLE ANIMAL
CHAPTER 11: HUNGRY YET? LET’S EAT!
RESOURCES
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
INDEX
ABOUT THE AUTHORS

INTRODUCTION
WHY TAXIDERMY?
Perhaps you’ve picked up this book after a visit to some edgy art gallery and
want to know how those snakes became so perfectly posed and lifelike. Or
you’re fresh from a visit to the natural history museum and want to know what
exactly is underneath the fur and feathers in those splendid dioramas. Maybe you
are wondering if there is anything you can do with the roadkill you keep driving
by, or you are envious of your crazy uncle’s jackalope. Or maybe one of your
friends got you this book on a dare.
Whatever drew you in, you’ve made a great choice! Taxidermy is a mix of art,
science, and a little alchemy; it lets you explore and engage with the natural
world in ways most others don’t. We hope this book demystifies the practice,
makes taxidermy accessible to anyone, anywhere, and shatters the gross
stereotypes (like the common misconception that taxidermists produce nothing
more than “stuffed animals”—most taxidermists cringe at this term and its crude
origins).
And why not? Humans need the outdoors to survive. Even if you live in the
city, you feel happier when looking at green things, warm things, and furry
things (and feathery things, and scaly things, etc). Reclaimed wood, leather, and
even house- plants are remnants of nature that we bring indoors in an attempt to
reconnect. Does anybody really want to live in a plastic house? Taxidermy is all
about appreciating nature, preserving and paying respect to something that
would otherwise be left to rot. Some people see it as morbid, but we see it as
being comfortable with— and accepting of—the inevitability of death. Aside
from its scientific and artistic purposes, taxidermy serves as a beautiful reminder
of our own mortality, capturing the ephemeral in a perfect moment.