Taxidermy is the art of preparing, stuffing, and mounting the skins of animals for display or for scientific study, and can be applied to all vertebrates. Taxidermy skills become critical in biological research because study specimens permit detailed study of species limits, molecular genetics analyses, and in mapping distributions of species across broad regions. Additionally, specimens prepared
for display can be very important in tourism and biodiversity conservation through creation of awareness about threats to species, building knowledge and understanding, and attracting visitors to museums or parks. In many African countries, few if any people have any taxidermy skills. This investment may help to ensure continued conservation of local species, awareness about biodiversity, and information-rich specimens for scientific research and teaching.
