August 26, 2020 • bachelor insider
Why Kendall Long Wants to Break the Taxidermy Stereotype
Kendall Long wants to remind you that although many people may think "serial killers and murderers collect taxidermy," that is far from the truth. She’s here to shed some light on it.
Kendall posted a video on her Instagram Tuesday that delved into her love of taxidermy and why she finds it so "fascinating." The "Bachelor in Paradise" alumna started the video by showing off a birthday present she recently received from friends that know her "all so well": a taxidermy squirrel in a canoe.
She explained, "Why a taxidermy squirrel in a canoe? Well, I have collected and loved taxidermy for such a long time. A lot of you who know me from 'The Bachelor' probably know me as the crazy taxidermy girl, and there’s a big reason for that. I absolutely love natural history, studying animals, and I think taxidermy is the art of nature preserved."
Kendall assured viewers that she’s never killed an animal and also has no interest in "wanting to taxiderm your animal."
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She continued, "For me, taxidermy is a way for me to celebrate my love of nature and animals that I find so fascinating."
Items in her collection include birds and "wet specimens." She’s also made her own mounts to hang up some of her favorites.
Kendall mentioned some taxidermy stereotypes and sought to dispel them. She said, "Another stereotype: taxidermy is not just for men. There’s a lot of amazing women who are in the field of taxidermy." She even mentioned some of their names in her video comments section so anyone who was curious could do further research on the topic.
She expressed towards the end of her video, "Though taxidermy usually has a bad rap, it’s not necessarily for everybody. Most people think serial killers or murderers collect taxidermy. If anything, I hope I can be someone that breaks the stereotype and sparks curiosity."
