Not too many people think of taxidermy in Cody, WY as something with a lot of depth. For most, it’s just a matter of artistically preserving game animals—whether it’s a big bass or a beautiful lion. But, in fact, taxidermy has a depth of interesting facts and a background that spans hundreds of years into the past, with some surprising information to go along with it! Take a look at 10 things you probably didn’t know about taxidermy:
- Every taxidermist has their own technique, much like a painter or sculptor has their own style. Sure, the art form has roots that every taxidermist will learn and use, but professionals will adopt their craft to their own preferences. An though quality results may look the same, nearly every taxidermist will get to the finished product in a different way!
- Taxidermy actually started out as a way to show wealth and power, rather than hunting prowess! Early Victorian aristocrats would have exotic animals stuffed for decoration, to show off their prestige, despite not hunting these animals or even seeing them alive in the wild!
- Taxidermy was simply called “stuffing” for many years, until the first taxidermy animals were used on display at the Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle in Paris, France. For the exhibit, the word “taxidermy” was used to describe the preserved state of the animals, which is Latin for “skin arrangement.”
- Taxidermy is actually divided into two classes: specimen taxidermy and trophy taxidermy. The former works to replicate animals exactly as they’re seen in the wild, while the latter aims to portray animals as hunting trophies. Presentation determines the class of taxidermy in Cody, WY.
- The largest taxidermy animal in the world is an 8-ton whale shark at the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum in Centerport, New York. Amazingly, this massive specimen was actually preserved twice—the original taxidermy model was severely damaged and eventually restored using a myriad of innovative methods.
- Novelty taxidermy has been around just about as long as regular taxidermy. In fact, some of the earliest examples of novelty taxidermy—the jackelope (jackrabbit and antelope) and the gryphon (lion and eagle)—were believe to be real by many people! Conversely, the platypus was thought to be a fake animal, constructed for novelty purposes!
- Charles Darwin was actually an established taxidermist! He used the skill when he travelled to the Galapagos Islands in order to bring back specimens for further study and to help him catalog illustrations in his notes.
- Very early taxidermy was actually very, very dangerous! The preservatives used by pioneers included arsenic and sometimes mercury—both of which are deadly for humans. Taxidermy workshops were usually treated with the same care as a chemistry lab.
- There are numerous laws, regulations and codes that must be taken into account by taxidermists to ensure every specimen they’re preparing is legal! For example, restrictions on exotic birds in particular are notoriously strict!
- Every two years there’s a World Championship of Taxidermy! This event sees professionals from around the world, competing in a number of categories and styles to see who’s the best taxidermist around.
Who knew taxidermy in Cody, WY could be so interesting and exciting? There’s a reason we’ve been doing it for more than a decade and there’s a reason we continue to offer our expert craft to our customers!