Stuffed dogs, cats and hummingbirds, the art of preserving pets opens in Colombia

Dogs, cats, hummingbirds and even a small hammerhead shark are some of the animals that, stuffed, decorate the walls of the studio of Miguel Vargas, who claims to be the only taxidermist who practices this profession in Bogota.

At only 33 years old, with a self-taught education and a Biology diploma from the National University of Colombia, he is dedicated to making art from the death of some of the most beloved family members, pets, giving them a “eternal life” with loved ones.

His career in taxidermy began more than ten years ago while he finished his studies and discovered a great interest in the art behind the immortality of animals.

The word taxidermy is derived from the Greek taxis, which means placement, and derma, which refers to the skin. And although its history dates back to the Chinchorro culture of Chile between 7,000 and 1500 BC, this practice of freezing animal bodies in time arrived in Colombia many years later, in the 1960s.

What was historically a practice of keeping large animals like lions or bulls and small ones like hummingbirds or turtles alive for display in homes and museums is facing a crisis due to a population that is becoming less and less interested in this.

Vargas explains in an interview with EFE that the majority of animals seen in his studio are commissioned by owners of domestic pets who “Many times they forget to pick them up.”.

His hands shake from fatigue: “I work about six hours a day in a row, and where years ago I received around two animals a year to dissect, now I receive one or two a month”and specifies that for them to look realistic, it has to proceed within 24 hours of death.

As he clutches the open body of a black cat that is ready to take its final form, he regrets being the only one in the Colombian capital who is still dedicated to taxidermy.

From taxidermy to skeletons

Although Vargas began dissecting animals he found on the street and then moved on to commissions in a more professional manner, at this point in his career the technique he most enjoys is organizing the bones and assembling the complete skeletons of the animals. animals.

“I like bones better,” He states and adds that not only is it a practice that he enjoys more and takes less time, but it is also the modality that is most often requested of him.

While a taxidermy process can take more than 70 hours, in the case of skeletons, which consists of handling more than 200 pieces that have to be joined to form the complete sequence, it can take 40 hours.

Vargas holds in his hands the complete skeleton of a rat, a piece that could look like a dinosaur from an archaeological museum to anyone, but which he assembles himself with the help of a wire and for which he charges his clients between 550,000 and 800,000 pesos (between 130 and 190 euros; and 140 and 200 dollars).

In fact, he explains with enthusiasm that he is beginning to develop a museum project with some colleagues from the National University dedicated to bird watching: “I have not seen a museum like this anywhere in Colombia.”

Social rejection

Taxidermy could be associated with poaching and illegal practices, but Vargas affirms that he does it for the love of animals and for its artistic function.

“It is a challenge, overcoming phobias is not easy,” says the biologist while saying that in Bogotá he knew an older man who this year decided to retire from the profession.

The young man offered free courses on several occasions for people who showed interest through his website, but he regrets that none of them went ahead: “There are young people who seem interested, but when I tell them they don’t have to pay, they don’t show up.”

Justifies that currently the lack of knowledge associated with this art “is very large” and generates a lot of social rejection, but he hopes that younger generations will show a willingness to learn.

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