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Taxidermist

Taxidermists preserve mammals, birds, reptiles and fish for display in museums or private collections.

Annual Salary

£16,000 to £30,000

Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)

Working hours

18 to 39 variable

You could work: freelance / self-employed; managing your own hours

5.4%
Future employment

There will be 5.4% more Taxidermist jobs in 2027.

Day to day tasks

As part of your day-to-day duties, you may:

  • keep accurate notes about an animal's death
  • use hand and power tools to remove the animal's skin and skull
  • make artificial parts like eyes, beaks, and fish scales
  • build the interior support frame using wood, metal or plastic
  • reconstruct the animal to create a lifelike model
  • build a mount or natural backdrop for the display
  • keep up to date with UK legislation on the use of dead animals

Working environment

You may need to wear protective clothing.

You could work in a creative studio, in a workshop or in a museum.

Your working environment may be cramped and involve using chemicals.

You can get into this job through:

  • working towards this role
  • specialist training courses
Work

You could start as an assistant by finding a taxidermist who is willing to take you on and train you. You'll need an interest in taxidermy and some artistic ability.

It may also be possible to work as a customer service assistant in a larger workshop, dealing with enquiries and booking appointments. You would then train while working to get the skills and knowledge needed to qualify.

Other routes

You could do an introductory course in taxidermy, offered by qualified members of the Guild of Taxidermists.

This would be a good way to learn more about the job and to meet people in the industry, which could lead to a trainee position.

Requirements and restrictions

You'll need to:

  • Taxidermy is governed by strict regulations, covered by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.

More information

Career tips

You may find it helpful to have experience or qualifications in biology, anatomy or art and design.

Professional and industry bodies

You could join the Guild of Taxidermists for professional development and to make industry contacts.

Further information

You can find out more about becoming a taxidermist from the Guild of Taxidermists

You can find out more about creative careers from Discover Creative Careers.

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You could lead a team of taxidermists in a museum or offer workshops for taxidermy amateurs and professionals.

If you're self-employed, you could sell your own work or offer a repairs and restoration service. You could also hire out models to the props department of a film, TV or theatre production.

As your experience grows, you could become a master taxidermist and get specialist commissions.

Skills required and how your skills match up

What skills are required?

You'll need:

  • knowledge of the fine arts
  • design skills and knowledge
  • the ability to work well with your hands
  • to be thorough and pay attention to detail
  • the ability to work on your own
  • persistence and determination
  • the ability to sell products and services
  • customer service skills
  • to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device
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