Taxidermy, The Craft Of Preserving Dead Animals, Is Itself Heading Towards Mortality

PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 16th Apr, 2021 ) :A mounted dead lioness displayed at the entrance of Wildlife office with a tag hung on its neck `Ghost of Galliyat' terrified almost all the visitors because of its lifelike appearance made possible through the craft of taxidermy.

The human eater lioness that devoured six women within few days and spread terror in Galliyat in 2006 was so perfectly preserved and stuffed by Taxidermist, Abdul Rehman that it continues to cause terror posthumously by giving the impression of a real leopard starring angrily towards visitors with long canine being visible due to open jaw.

Abdul Rehman, the only Taxidermist working with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Wildlife Department for the last 36 years, has stuffed and mounted almost all the wild species being found in the province and 250 of his artifacts are on display at museum of the department.

Taxidermy is an art of preparing, stuffing and mounting the skins of dead animals and birds with a lifelike effect.

Unfortunately the rare art of preserving animals and birds is on its own heading towards mortality because of extreme paucity of professional taxidermists in the country.

In the whole Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province which is providing habitat to maximum number of wild species including mammals, birds and reptiles being found in the country, has only one taxidermist responsible for preserving of any dead specie.

Abdul Rehman, the only Taxidermist in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Wildlife Department is doing his job for the last 36 years and will soon reach the age of superannuation. After his retirement, the department will have no other professional taxidermist to work with same dexterity as being performed by Abdul Rehman.

"I learn this skill from my uncle, Aurangzeb Khan Jadoon who worked at Lahore zoo,"Abdul Rehman informed APP.

It took around six years to me to learn the skill from my late uncle, Rehman explains. He said three sons of Aurangzeb Khan have inherited the art and adopted it as a profession in Lahore.

Abdul Rehman apprised that the craft of taxidermy was introduced in Pakistan by Britishers who trained few locals including Aurangzeb Khan Jadoon.

There are few other professional taxidermists in Karachi, Islamabad, Jehlum and other cities, but in the whole KP there no other one, Rehman informs.

He said he has imparted training to his son who do taxidermy occasionally on request of some friends. My son is also doing taxidermy in private sector by stuffing pet animals being brought by their owners.

Abdur Rehman added that taxidermy of wild species are banned under the Wildlife and Biodiversity Act, but fancy pet birds and animals which are not wild can be preserved for business purpose.

About the number of taxidermists in Pakistan, Abdul Rehman said National Conservation Council is gathering information in this regard to compile data.

Abdul Rehman said taxidermy has great potential in conservation of rare wild species by creating awareness through display of dead animals and birds.

People who visit museum of Wildlife witness such rare species which is not possible for them to see by themselves in the wild. Through display of dead animals, people get awareness and knowledge about different kinds of wild species.

Similarly, students also gets help in knowledge about features, colours and body parts of different wild species by observing stuffed animals and birds, Rehman opined.

"The art of preserving dead animals and human beings is ancient, but is not given due consideration as there is no institution in our country to give formal education on it," says Bilal Mustafa, Research Scientist Zoology Department Govt College Lahore.

Talking to APP, Bilal said it is a matter of concern that number of taxidermists in our country is very meager and the art is on the verge of extinction.

He said there are a number of zoos in the country and according to set rules there must a museum within the vicinity of every zoo for display of all kinds of dead animals, birds and reptiles through stuffing and mounting.

A lot of dead animals are being dumped in waste or buried due to lack of time to send the carcasses to taxidermists for preservation and display.

Through this skill our country can earn a lot of foreign exchange even by stuffing of those birds and animals whose hunting is allowed on seasonal basis, Bilal opined.

He said a lot of black partridges and ducks are hunted during hunting season and if the features of killed birds are utilized for taxidermy, it can create livelihood for countless number of people.

Similarly, he continued, a lot of peacocks die in Sindh due to natural causes and if these dead birds are properly preserved, they can fetch a handsome earning for the taxidermists and the departments as well.

Some people are much attached with their pet animals and birds who in case of death wanted to preserve it and keep at home, but due to lack of any professional taxidermist they could not fulfill their dream.

Bilal said under set rules of Wildlife Protection, taxidermy should be promoted as a source of livelihood and for creating awareness among masses and for education purpose.

He said a number of foreign hunters who come to Pakistan for hunting of Markhor at the cost of an hefty amount and the whole this practice is being done just for display of the preserved Trophy at their home.

"Taxidermy needs official attention and patronage for saving this skill from becoming extinct and also for tapping its potential of creating livelihood besides earning foreign exchange through it," he suggested.