Taxidermy (from the
Greek for
arrangement of skin) is the art of preparing, stuffing, and mounting the skins of
animals (especially
vertebrates) for display (e.g., as
hunting trophies or museum display) or for other sources of study (like species identification) or simply the preservation of a beloved pet. Taxidermy can be done on all vertebrate species of animals, including
mammals,
birds,
fish,
reptiles, and
amphibians.