Taxidermy as a profession and education

There are currently about 40 people working in taxidermy in Finland. They are involved in the versatile tasks of Finland’s natural history museums, such as construction of displays for exhibits and scientific collections, planning, renovating, augmenting and upkeep of the collections, or as private specialists. There are also some amateur taxidermists – their association ‘Eläintentäyttäjät ry’ has about 130 members. Hunters and recreational fishermen comprise the majority of clients of private craftsmen. As a result, customer service skills are especially important for practitioners of taxidermy.

Taxidermists must handle various natural materials and therefore need to have a solid background in animal and plant physiology. They must also deal with anatomical castings, photographs, literature, nature videos and other material from various sources.

The majority of the finished works are comparable to fine art, and anybody attaining a vocational degree in taxidermy is expected not only to have technical knowledge of different materials but also artistic talent, a flair for proportions and a sense of colour.

Taxidermists work mostly indoors, but sometimes there is some preliminary work that must be done outdoors under unpredictable conditions and in difficult terrains. A professional taxidermist can independently take part in all different stages of the taxidermy work, design and realization of exhibitions, upkeep, and expansion of collections and exhibitions.

The degree in taxidermy

There can be 2–4 degree positions in the taxidermy team at any one time and the degree takes 3–4 years to complete. The students take part in the work of the teams and are actively involved in construction of displays. Practical training abroad is often included in the degree. An experienced taxidermist can also obtain the degree by demonstrating one’s skills in an examination, without any official education. More information on applying for the programme and obtaining the degree is available from Chief Taxidermist Ari Puolakoski.