The Science of Monsters

Kelly:“Heathcliff and Cathy, love the Wuthering Heights reference! What sort of reactions do you get about being a taxidermy enthusiast and collector? And what are some inaccuracies people believe that are not true about taxidermy and bone/fur collection?”

Lexi Ames: “While most people find it engaging and enjoy asking questions about the animals and process, some people are very disturbed by it, either in reaction to the welfare of animals, or the fear of death and the nature of dead bodies. As an animal lover myself, I understand where the concerns of those in the former category come from. Hunting practices and meat consumption can be highly divisive topics, and I try to keep up with facts on both sides of the equation to facilitate conversation and keep my own mind open. The animals and bones in my collection have come to me in mostly gentle ways, usually after a natural death. I believe people in the latter category, those afraid of the dead body itself, reflect the state of America’s disengagement with death as a society. We interact with death very little, and sterilize the experience when we do. However, new death movements here in the states, such as greener burial practices, are making people slowly more comfortable with mortality. Even pet taxidermy is becoming more common. I think we are seeing a turning point in accepting reminders of death, like taxidermy and open conversations on the topic, back into our homes. Maybe it can even unite the country! Game taxidermists and pet taxidermists coming together could be a beautiful thing.

Another common misconception is that it is a highly dirty and unfeeling practice and composed mostly of men. While there are precautions to be taken, and animal bodies do harbor bacteria and foul smells, the process requires a steady, gentle hand. A deep respect for the animal’s remains is required to make the creature life-like again. And the field is far from lacking women—almost all the taxidermists I follow on social media identify as women! It’s a very exciting time for the art form.”

Meg:“You managed a bird and small mammal specimen collection in college, do you think that experience impacted your views on death?”

Lexi Ames: “A quick background on the collection: The Lawrence University ornithology collection is made up of some three-hundred birds from over two-hundred years of collection (we also had many small mammals like voles and bats). I digitized the collection, and obtained the proper paperwork from the Wisconsin DNR to collect birds killed in window-strikes to add to the assemblage. I was also trained to preserve their bodies as study skins. A study skin is the bird’s intact pelt, wings, head, and legs with the internal organs, fat, and muscles removed. It looks like a bird sleeping neatly on its back with the wings tucked under and the eyes stuffed with cotton. My views of both death and conservation were sent into overdrive while working with the birds. The sheer numbers being killed on a campus the size of just a few city blocks was astounding. Sometimes as many as four birds would be killed all at once when their flock migrated through and became confused by the glass, and our freezer was constantly full. The diversity of species was also quite impressive, and made me want to spread word about doing more to protect the birds as they passed through. The preservation process of turning a body into a study skin is also quite intimate, and a very hands-on process. Stated simply, the bird’s body and soft tissue must be turned out of the skin, leaving behind a sort of bird jacket. The inside of the “jacket” is then cleaned, dried with sawdust, stuffed with cotton, stitched up, and left to dry on its back. It’s a delicate procedure, and requires speed and gentleness. I always felt very lucky to be able to witness the inner workings of these little creatures. They’re highly delicate, and each was an individual, like a person. Some would have particularly thick wing muscles or bright feathers compared to other members of their species, or a weaker, less healthy bird may have evidence of mites and ticks. I was always moved by the experience.”

Kelly:“Fascinating! Meg is not okay right now because she has a fear of birds.”

Meg:“I do!”