Taxidermy Tetris

How does our Materials Conservation team move enormous rhinoceros specimens? On giant skateboards of course!

We are currently moving giant animal specimens around to prepare them to be relocated. The large animals will eventually be housed in a brand new facility at Castle Hill in Sydney’s northwest, which will be opening in 2016.

The giant animals are being placed into new wooden crates with Perspex viewing windows. This is so when they are in storage in future visitors can clearly see the specimens.

Animals that are too big to put into crates are stored on large movable platforms with lockable wheels. One big problem is a lack of space, so it’s like a giant game of taxidermy Tetris!

This week, we had to move the rhinoceros, the baby elephant and the pterodactyl to get to the bison and whale skulls. The Conservation team had quite a workout that day.

Be sure to check out the other great pics from that day (under Related Images on this page).