Taxidermy at Tring

Derek Frampton talks about how he became a taxidermist and the secrets of his craft.  WARNING: This video shows an animal being skinned.  It may not be suitable for young or sensitive viewers.

Preserving animals to make them appear lifelike is called taxidermy. It stops the animals from decomposing and shows us how they may have looked when they were alive. This gives people the chance to see them close up and get an idea of their size and shape, or the texture of their feathers or fur.

All these advantages help scientists to describe different species. The Natural History Museum at Tring has outstanding examples of 19th century taxidermy and modern taxidermy as well.

Cartoon image of footprints leading through closing door

Our scientists study the snails that host the schistosomiasis parasite, which causes a disease that affects nearly 200 million people.