I ask because I always figured the taxidermist stuffed animals they killed, but someone told me many do it (including that person) only to animals' bodies they find which have died from natural causes, to preserve nature's beauty.

I still don't think it's right. I think the animal's body should be left to decompose and let it go on its natural cycle. But I'd like to hear what everyone else thinks about this!

And I don't mean to offend anyone by this post, so I'm sorry if I do.

_________________

I chose "depends..." and here's why... In a way taxidermy really creeps me out, I remember going to my Uncle's house and he had all these deer heads, a raccoon, a mongoose with a cobra, squirrel and other poor critters who met their end at his hands, and while I was able to get a closer look at the animals, the fact that they were dead and stuffed gave me a really uneasy feeling... I have also been in a rich hunters "trophy room" where there were lions (even a baby one), bears, water buffalo, zebras, a tiger, a giraffe and all other sorts of exotics and while it gave me the opportunity to inspect animals that I may never see that close again, I left the room in tears and pain for the animals who had been killed purely for sport, I don't like this type of taxidermy and yet, at the natural history museum I saw many similar animals preserved this way and displayed as though they were in their natural environment. There are several species there that are now facing extinction so I believe that for educational purposes, taxidermy does have it's place.

_________________

I chose the first option, lol... It just makes me feel incredibly yucky to thin that they have been stuffed - I understand years ago why this would have been neccessary, but with all the technology we have now I just think we have all the info we need...

_________________

I voted for depends. People are always going to hunt, and I'm a firm believer in waste not want not. If fur, bone ect can be put to use to create something beautiful (as a by product of legitimate hunting/culling ect) then I think it's fine. Wasting everything for the sake of a head mounted in your living room, not so much in to that.

_________________


Listen and in thine heart engrave my words; Keep closed thine eye and ear 'gainst prejudice;
Of others the example fear; think always for thyself: Consult, deliberate, and freely choose.
Let fools act aimlessly and without cause. Thou shouldst, in the present, contemplate the future.

(The Golden Verses of Pythagoras - D'Olivet)

I'm not sure if this is a question regarding the ethics of taxidermy in general or just specifically those animals stuffed that died naturally...?

Anyway, I appreciate the look and feel of taxidermied animals. I see it as a way of honouring that animal, in much the same way that African hunters use teeth, skins, etc. to bring good medicine to them/their villages and to acknowledge the sacrifice and majesty of that animal.

_________________
PM me any time!

My family are hunters for food. Anything we kill is for survival. We are also commercial Ranchers and Farmers. We do our best to preserve nature as well as provide food for others and feed to those who do so as well. We have several mounts on our wall and to me that is our way of honouring the beast for providing us with nourishment. I do not support the hunting and killing of animals for sport and over the years have saved & rehabilitated many different wild animals even a red tailed hawk (full grown) who didn't feell grateful for the favor and tried to get me in the clutches of his talons when he felt better. lol. We need to preserve the natural balance of nature for sure. I believe we should harvest only what we need and make the most of what is useful.