A woman in the U.K. is “killing” it in taxidermy as she stuffs dead birds for a living — and is now seeking to teach her skill to others.
Elle Kaye, 31, has been a taxidermist for over a decade. She prepares, stuffs and/or mounts birds for display or study.
She said she originally wanted to be a veterinarian but realized she “wasn’t academic but had a creative eye,” as SWNS noted of her abilities.
Kaye is based in Wembley, Greater London.
On her website, she explains that all the “specimens I work on are [a result of] natural deaths (age, sickness or injury, window death) and come from zoos, breeders or aviculturists.”
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Kaye said that when she “first joined the industry, the resources were limited and there was little-to-no community — especially for the younger generation of taxidermists. I did the work, but it was an arduous process of learning and relearning methods and processes.”
She said it was also “pretty lonely.”
She added, “Now that I have almost a decade of practice under my belt, I think it’s really important to cultivate safe spaces for people who historically haven’t had access,” as SWNS reported.
Another one of British woman Elle Kaye’s stuffed birds. After she started looking into taxidermy, she said she “fell in love” with the work. (SWNS)
After a college lecturer suggested to her that she look into taxidermy as a possible career, she spent days reading literature on the subject and decided it was the route for her.
Kaye said, “It married my interests — both my love of animals and creativity,” as SWNS noted. “It was the perfect pairing for me … This work will teach us about the planet and the species on it.”
She added, “I believe there is a fine line between being a taxidermist and a puppeteer. I have been asked to make shoes and clothes out of bird skins, which I declined.”
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She said that in the past, she’s also been “asked to make furniture and hybrid creations — the combinations of two different animals — which again, I always refuse.”
“I have been compared to serial killers, like Jeffrey Dahmer,” she said. “I have had people say [that] I should burn in hell … I work on my own, so I have to handle the negativity on my own.”
A stuffed peacock by Elle Kaye. “I have worked with all sorts of birds, both wild and exotic,” she said. “I have worked with flamingos, swans, peacocks, parrots and local British birds like robins and woodpeckers.” (SWNS)
Kaye explained that she’s a “massive bird lover” and specializes in birds.
“I have worked with all sorts of birds, both wild and exotic. I have worked with flamingos, swans, peacocks, parrots and local British birds like robins and woodpeckers.”
She said that when she began work in this field, she believes she was one of a few women to take this career path.
She also said that working with dead animals makes her appreciate her life more, as SWNS reported.
“Because you have that reminder of mortality so frequently — it reminds you of the fragility of life [and] keeps me grounded in enjoying my life.” She also said, “It reminds me not to take every day for granted.”
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Details about her work can be found at ellekayetaxidermy.co.uk