The Ultimate Taxidermy Quiz

Taxidermy is the art of preserving the skins of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish.

The term is derived from two Greek words: taxis, meaning arrangement, and derma, meaning skin.

Museum taxidermists preserve and prepare replicas of animals and also make artificial plants, rocks and soil.

Professionals that specialize in taxidermy must have a thorough knowledge of drawing, painting, zoology, botany and sculpture.

Tanning is often used to preserve animal skins.

Specimens of vertebrates are mostly made using the freeze-dry method.

The rhinoceros is the oldest mounted specimen in existence.

The oldest rhino was mounted in the Royal Museum of Vertebrates in Florence, Italy, at about 1600.

Carl E. Akeley devised a standard method of mounting called hollow-model method in the early 20th century.

Roland Howser devised the freeze-dry method in the 1950s.

Ambrose Daigre devised the solid foam model method in the 1960s.

American taxidermists rake in about $600 million a year.

It was begun in England.

Charles Darwin was an early taxidermist who sought to preserve his findings at the Galapagos Islands.

The State of Oregon charges $6.50 to issue a permit to practice taxidermy and the permit must be renewed each year.

According to taxidermists, fish are the toughest animals to mount, because they have to be completely recreated with paint over the entire body of the fish.

When borax is spread over the skin of a fish, it allows the fish to dry slowly and hence prevents shrinkage.

Wire frames and paper mache have been replaced by polyurethane foam.

Rogue taxidermy is also called "carcass art" because it utilizes all kinds of animals to create new "species" -- like a fish with a monkey's head or a goat with turkey's wings.

Renowned British explorer James Cook was also an early taxidermist who discovered new species during his travels.