Teaching Specimens

In addition to re-homing live animals, we have over the last 15 years amassed a collection of parts and derivatives of natural history specimens.

None of the specimens that we have, which are not antique, have been killed to produce these.

The specimens have been donated to us by zoos and collections when captive animals have died of natural causes, donated by members of the public and schools for educational purposes, collected and prepared from road kill animals or been donated to us by various conservation groups or the UK authorities from seized or confiscated specimens.

All of these specimens are available for free loan to any recognised educational facility on a short term basis.

Clcik Here to view the list of available specimens

Wildlife Crime

Over the past few years a large number of our specimens have been used by DEFRA wildlife inspectors (now Animal Health) to train other DEFRA wildlife inspectors and police forces in the identification of endangered species which are regularly traded as live specimens or as taxidermy specimens.

It is hoped that the use of these specimens (Live & Dead)will improve the standard of training, so cutting down on incorrect identifications, improving wildlife crime detection and protecting genuine private keepers from over keen officials.

In addition to that our selection of dead specimens is regularly used by the educational departments in Zoos to help educate visitors about the trade in dead protected species overseas, thus helping to reduce the tourist trade in endangered species.