Terrific Taxidermy

All images © Elaine Wright

Elaine Wright, SEWBReC

SEWBReC had an interesting day at the National Museum of Wales Collections Centre (https://museum.wales/ collections-centre/) in April, selecting some spare taxidermy kindly offered to us by the Museum. These items were originally used to educate school children, but are no longer used by the Museum, so were offered to SEWBReC and other partners. There were over 130 pieces of taxidermy available, so we liaised with the other Local Environmental Records Centres (LERCs) https://www.lercwales.org.uk/ in Wales, and came up with a wish list before heading to Collections Centre in Nantgarw.

The National Collections Centre is a fascinating place, filled with Museum items not currently on display. From buses to life-size Tyrannosaurs toes, there was plenty to distract us from the task at hand.

We picked out about 40 specimens to share amongst the Welsh LERCs and their partner organisations. Highlights ranged from a (very heavy!) Peregrine Falcon (destined for Cofnod in north Wales) to a tiny Pipistrelle Bat which will be well used by the Natur am Byth! project.

We spent quite a lot of time playing taxidermy Tetris to fit everything into two small cars, and we still need to spend some time finding space for everything at the SEWBReC office!

Thanks very much to National Museum of Wales staff for allowing us to rehome these items, so they can continue to be used to educate the public about our wonderful Welsh wildlife.