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August 2013 Newsbytes archive

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Brooklyn Anthropomorphic Taxidermy class sold out

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Taxidermy Class

A class on Anthropomorphic Taxidermy was held last Sunday in Brooklyn, New York, suggesting that the hobby is far from a historical pursuit.

Run by taxidermist and tattoo artist Susan Jeiven, the $45 class assumed no prior experience, and supplied each student with a deceased mouse obtained from a snake-feed store. The 15 places quickly sold out.

Last chance to see: Anthropomorphic Taxidermy at the Museum of Everything

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WalterPotterUpperTen.jpgAn exhibition of the works of Walter Potter, Victorian taxidermist and collector, is being extended at London's Museum of Everything.

Walter Potter (1835-1918) was a self-taught English taxidermist who created elaborate anthropomorphic tableaux of small mammals and birds. These dioramas, along with various other odd items, were put on display in Potter's museum in Bramber, Sussex.

Video: BrewDog's 'End of History' promoted using fursuits

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As reported by the BBC, Scottish brewery BrewDog has created twelve bottles of beer of 55% alcohol content, bottled in stoats and grey squirrels and sold for £500 (US$775, €595).

Its creators claim the animals involved were roadkill, and say the beverage was infused with "nettles, juniper berries, and mead" in a video which combines fursuits and German sausage:

Note: Flayrah does not endorse the production or consumption of the depicted beverages.

Dog decpaitation sparks 4chan witch-hunt

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The San Antonio Express-News has posted a follow-up to their original story about Wolfie Blackheart, a 18-year-old tail-wearing "werewolf" who wants to be a taxidermist.

Wolfie gained attention after the media heard how she removed a dead dog's head to boil and preserve it, as she has done with the heads of several other animals.

The new article talks more about the involvement of 4chan regulars, who tracked Wolfie down after seeing a picture of the severed head.

Placed under investigation by Animal Care Services and the San Antonio Police, Wolfie was ultimately cleared, as "the dog was already deceased at the time of the beheading."

Victorian Taxidermy Collection to Hit Auction

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The Museum of Curiosities is auctioning off the works of Victorian taxidermist Walter Potter, which includes some 6,000 stuffed animals.

Potter's first work was his pet canary, which is now 160 years old and is included in the collection which ranges from large animals to exhibits of "kittens taking tea and bunnies learning their alphabet".

Funeral Home Dioramas

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San Sanfillippo is a funeral home director. He said that the old people didn't know what to do at funerals. So he started an unusual hobby: stuffing and posing dead animals.

West Bank Zoo Struggles On After Losses

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In a land of perpetual violence, even the animals are not immune. Several recent deaths at the Qalqiliya Zoo - some attributed to tear gas and gunfire - have led to a macabre sort of "taxidermist's zoo".

The zoo's veterinarian, Dr. Sami Khader, also happens to be a taxidermist, and has mounted their zebra, giraffes, and a growing list of other animals in an effort to help the zoo continue its mission in educating the public.

Museums Battle for Possession of Horse's Head

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"Old Baldy" - the horse of Civil War General George Meade - continues to wade through battle 121 years after his death. The Grand Army of the Republic Museum and the Civil War Library and Museum both claim ownership of Old Baldy's head and want it for their own.

Victorian anthropomorphic displays of stuffed animals.

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Like something out of an early "Toy Story," the kittens cluster rigidly around a table laden with tea and cakes, while nearby two rakish squirrels smoke their pipes — watched by a two-headed lamb and conjoined twin piglets.

Read the full article here.

Stuffed Animals Promote Conservation?

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No, not that sort of stuffed animal. We're talking real stuffed animals. A New Zealand couple has 300 stuffed animals in their collection. They claim that their collection promotes conservation and a greater appreciation for animals.

Sure. Nothing says "conservation" like a stuffed polar bear in your living room...

Lifeless Leopard Lifted

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A stuffed leopard was stolen from the University of Missouri School of Natural Resources. The Leopard is valued at over $10,000. You can see the full story here.