TAXIDERMY

Katrina G. Gepilano
BIO 102
2nd Sem, S/Y 2019 – 2020
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Katrina G. Gepilano
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Katrina G. Gepilano
Taxidermy is the art of mounting or replicating animal specimens in a
lifelike position for display or study.
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It involves preparing, preserving, and mounting the skin, hair, feathers or

scales of animals.

The original stuffing process of the taxidermist has been largely superseded by
modeling techniques.
I.
INTRODUCTION
Taxidermy from Greek taxis meaning “arrangement” and derma meaning
“skin.”

Taxidermy is used to mount hunting and fishing trophies, and many natural
history museums have taxidermists on their staffs to prepare animal specimens
for display.

Taxidermy requires some familiarity with anatomy, natural history,

Katrina G. Gepilano
drawing dissection techniques, drawing, mechanics, dyeing, sculpture.
painting, and tanning.
 Among materials used by a taxidermist are various knives and other tools, chemical
solutions and modeling and artists’ materials.

5 Upon acquiring a specimen, the taxidermist records measurements, exact coloration

and special external features.

Photographs, drawings or tracings are helpful to this.

After the animal is skinned, a detailed model is made of its body.

II.
MOUNTING An armature resembling the skeleton is made first, or the skeleton itself may be
used.
PROCEDURE
S Over this framework the body is built up either with plaster of Paris or modeling
clay.

The animal skin, treated with preservative chemicals are tanned, is then fitted over
the completed model and the incisions sewn together.

Katrina G. Gepilano
Final touches including placing of glass eyes, modeling of the face and combing of
the hair or fur.
 For birds, the taxidermist generally uses a balsa or cord-wrapped excelsior model to which the
skin is affixed and the head, feet, and wings attached with wires.

Reptiles and amphibians are often cast in plaster, wax or plastics and then painted.

Fish are usually replicated as painted synthetic models, although actual parts from the specimen,
such as fins or the tail, are sometimes incorporated.

II.
MOUNTING Note that techniques vary with the kind of animal, but in all cases the skin is removed, cleaned,
chemically treated with a preservative, and placed on a prepared model made of a stable, strong
PROCEDURE material that will withstand insects and changes in humidity and temperature.

S
The model is sculptured to reproduce the exact size and shape of the specimen and can be made
from a material such as balsa wood, laminated paper, wire mesh with paper-mache, foam
plastic, or fiberglass.

Katrina G. Gepilano
Fish, reptile and amphibian skins tend to lose color and must be painted after mounting.
 7 III. HISTORY
The art of taxidermy is no th
As an occupation,
At the beginning of the 17 rudimentary taxidermy
more than 350 years old,
century bird specimens from
although the curing and
India were stuffed and was practiced in England
tanning of skins dates from
mounted in the Netherlands. at the end of the 18th
prehistoric times.
century.

An important commercial house In 1861 Ward’s Natural

of the time was the Maison The Akeley method of mounting
Science Establishment was large mammals, for imposing museum
Verreaux in Paris which created
founded in Rochester, New displays with habitat backgrounds,
a camel-lion display purchased in was developed about the turn of the
1869 by the American Museum York, by the American
Taxidermist Henry Augustus 20th century by the American explorer
of Natural History in New York and naturalist Carl Akeley.
City. Ward.
Katrina G. Gepilano
8 IV. MATERIALS
Scalpel
Scissor
Forcep
Bone cutter
Saw
Hammer
Hand drill
Needle
Nylon
Katrina G. Gepilano

Drift wood
 9 V. PROCEDURE
1. Measurement, description, drawing and/or photography. These are done for accuracy
in the molding process.
2. Killing.
For birds, this is accomplished by breaking the vertebral bones in the neck area.
Allow the blood to drain out of the animal’s body.
3. Skinning.
Make a longitudinal slit along the middle ventral part of the body of the bird, taking
particular care not to lose or disarrange the feathers that cover its body. The
breastbone has to be cut with a bone cutter. Another slit has to be made from the
breast to the forelimbs. Gently separate the skin from the internal organs using
scalpel and forceps. Remove all internal organs except the bones in the head,
forelimbs and hind limbs. Clean thoroughly the inner surfaces of the skin.
Katrina G. Gepilano
10 V. PROCEDURE
4. Fixing.
Treat the inner surfaces of the skin with borax powder. Using a
syringe, inject formalin into the head, forelimbs and hind limbs
where some internal organs remain.
5. Molding.
Use wire and cotton to fill the body cavity and to mold the bird into
its lifelike size and form. Suture together the skin along the
longitudinal slits. Adjust the head and the limbs to the desired
position.
6. Mounting.
Mount on driftwood in a natural perch position.
Katrina G. Gepilano
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Katrina G. Gepilano
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Katrina G. Gepilano