Taxidermy (from the Greek: taxis, order, and derma, skin ‘arrangement of the skin) is the art of preparing and arranging animal skins so that they resemble their natural form as closely as possible (Diz. St. Nat.).
Taxidermy, more commonly known as embalming, is the modern discipline used to preserve animal bodies after their death. This technique uses only the skin, which is specially prepared (cleaned and tanned) and then fitted onto a polyurethane mannequin. This material allows the anatomist to create a true sculpture of the animal’s anatomy and reproduce the shapes and movements of the animal when it was alive.
Taxidermy can be performed on commission, whether for domestic or wild animals, and although each preparation falls within the traditional category, it can be defined as a unique and unrepeatable work of art. There are also purely artistic preparations (artistic taxidermy).
Regarding the preparation (embalming/taxidermy) of a pet, such as a dog or a cat, it must be said that the final result of this process should be understood as a good compromise between the subject as it was in life and the new taxidermied (embalmed) subject. To the people who decide to take this path, I say that their choice is a good solution to lessen the pain of losing their “beloved friend” and that the final result, after the processing stages, transforms into an excellent Consolation.
I am often asked what the difference is between Taxidermy and Embalming.
Well, in fact, there is no difference, because embalming is understood to mean taxidermy. In reality, however, embalming is a practice dating back to the ancient Egyptians at the time of the pharaohs, which was carried out by embalmers. The technique was very different from modern taxidermy, but the purpose is the same: the preservation of a body after death. Today, people commonly speak of embalming, implying the practice of taxidermy. Since this word (Taxidermy) is not widely known, the word embalming continues to be used due to phonetic tradition and habit. In any case, today if someone searches the web for the word “embalming” because they want information on the possibility of having an animal embalmed, they will find a taxidermist. Therefore, have no fear, because Taxidermy is Embalming and vice versa.
To debunk a common myth, I would like to clarify that during the stages of embalming or taxidermy, the naturalist preparator (taxidermist) does not proceed by removing the viscera of the animal to be preserved (as the ancient Egyptians did). It is a widespread and misleading belief to think of the embalmer as a dark, mysterious, and cruel creature working in the shadows, or illuminated by dim lights, intent on removing an animal’s insides to then fill it with straw and finally sew it up with a needle and thread. On the contrary, the taxidermist (embalmer) concentrates and works only on the animal’s skin. The carcass (the mortal remains) is not opened, and none of its contents are removed. The body is used only as a model from which to draw inspiration for the creation of the anatomical sculpture of the subject being worked on. To be more precise and to clarify the two terms, Taxidermy and Embalming, one must compare and understand their respective results at the end of the process.
Embalming (Egyptian embalming), as a final result, produced and would still produce today (if it could still be practiced) a mummy. We all know what a mummy looks like. Once the tomb is uncovered and the famous bandages are removed, a shriveled and unsightly being would appear before our eyes. Indeed, the appearance of a mummy is unpleasant, to say the least. No one would want their dog or cat preserved with such an appearance.
Nowadays, that type of embalming is no longer permitted and cannot be practiced. On human beings, however, not only is embalming prohibited, but so is taxidermy. In fact, applying the taxidermy technique to humans is not permitted by law. Furthermore, as things stand, the taxidermy technique would not lead to a good result with a human specimen. We humans, unlike (almost all) animals, are not covered in fur, feathers, or scales, and our skin, which is less thick and robust than that of animals (both wild and domestic), does not allow for an acceptable degree of preservation after the tanning process. There are other techniques for the preservation of a human body, which I will not elaborate on in this section. These are plastination, petrification, and tannization, in addition to the possibility of immersing the body or parts of it in a solution of formaldehyde, glycerin, or alcohol for conservation purposes.
Taxidermy (more widely known as embalming) leads to decidedly more comforting results compared to Egyptian embalming. In fact, after an animal has been worked on by an expert taxidermist (always be wary of those who lack experience and try to improvise), the final result is a beautiful surprise or, in the case of beloved pets, an excellent consolation. Through modern taxidermy, preparations of the highest level are obtained, similar in every way to the animal when it was alive. If it is wildlife, the work is simpler; on the contrary, if it involves beloved pets, the work becomes more difficult. In the first case, it is a matter of considering a wild animal for which the client normally does not have an emotional memory and for which, in most cases, they do not feel affection. In this case, the preparation and its degree of beauty will be determined purely by the mere ability to cover a pre-made mannequin with the wild animal’s skin. Of course, it is not just about covering it, but about applying the taxidermy technique, with all its difficulties, in the best possible way.