Keep your pet forever even if it is dead

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Kathmandu, June 7

This is how a master loves his pet one tames. Prudhyumna Mishra of Kaldhara, Kathmandu mourned deeply when his pet died a few months ago after he tamed it for 14 years.

This is just an example of generosity that a master is fond of pets. “I grieved a lot and felt extremely sad as my dog left this world. I wanted to be with it till the end though I know we all are mortal,” Mishra said. “If possible, I would like his body to keep at my home forever.”

“Don’t worry. You can display it in your room as in a museum. Now, it is possible to keep pet’s body just like alive through using the taxidermy technique,” said Dev Chandra Shrestha, the only taxidermist of the country. Shrestha has been working in the Natural History Museum (NHM) for the last 32 years.

The museum has thousands of specimens of animals and insects including indigenous and rare ones. “It is very important to keep the samples of the animals as well as raising awareness to preserve such wildlife for the next generation,” said Dr Keshab Shrestha, chief at the NHM.

“You can use the taxidermy method at your home too if you get a simple two-day training and some objects such as blade, corn powder, cotton, alcohol, spirit, resin, scissor, knife, coir, needle, nylon string and glue,” said Dev Chandra. “First, you have to sort out all the flesh and fat from the body of an animal by protecting feather skin contact.”

“Then, you need to work on it immediately after you get the fresh dead body of animal and maintain its body looking alive by using this method,” said Shrestha. “One of my students told me that she used this method and kept her dead parrot for good.”

Hari Prasad Sharma, lecturer at the Central Department of Zoology, Tribhuvan University, said that it was very useful to utilise the dead bodies of animal for various purposes. “We can decorate our houses from it and also sell it to others for earning money from the animal you find dead in your area,” said Sharma, who is getting taxidermy training at the NHM.

The NHH in cooperation with the World Wildlife Fund is providing training for the students of campuses and schools, teachers and other persons interested in nature conservation. Dr Shrestha said, “Two dozens of individuals are being trained this time.”

The NHM has provided training for about 1,000 persons. “We can provide training to anybody interested at minimal cost for training materials only,” added Dr Shrestha.

This news was published on THE HIMALAYAN TIMES, June 8, 2009.