“Q: wait what’s wrong with rogue taxidermy”
Okay listen I’m going to tell you my problem with rogue taxidermy and it definitely isn’t the problem you are imagining.
Now, I believe you brought this up due to my offhand “get rid of those hares with deer antlers strapped to their heads already” and you are correct, I have nothing wrong with a taxidermist doing whatever the heck they want with whatever legal animal parts they want! My initial point was that I think we all agree that the aforementioned taxidermist should not then try to dupe millions by claiming their creation is a new mystery species (/phylum??) for money/fame.
Source: Wikipedia
So no, I have no problem with rogue taxidermy in general (especially since, as I just found out, the field is DOMINATED by ladies. NICE.), provided it doesn’t result in yet another hoaxed cryptid.
Source: Amber Maykut
What I DO have a problem with is rogue taxidermists like Enrique Gomez de Molina, who traffic in illegal animal parts so that they can create more “exotic” taxidermied creations. The guy claims to be raising awareness of the exotic animal trade and extinction, and then makes $80k off of each piece. RIDICULOUS. I do not care how “evocative” your endangered species chimera is, you are PART OF THE PROBLEM