Abu Dhabi: Taxidermy is the technique of preserving dead animals and mounting the specimens for display. With gazelles, deer and falcons cramming his stall at the Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition (Adihex), a taxidermy expert based in Saudi Arabia spoke of the pieces that are most sought-after by customers.

Khalid Monem, the manager of Nojah Embalming Birds & Animals, set up a stall at Adihex for the first time this year, encouraged by the number of UAE customers seeking out his services.

“A lot of my customers are Emirati and they would come to Saudi [Arabia] to have their animals preserved by us. That is why we decided to come to the exhibit this year to showcase our work,” he said.

Speaking to Gulf News, Monem points to the gazelle and the houbara as the most profitable items. Typically found in the Emirates, these desert inhabitants are the most popular among customers regionally and internationally thanks to their competitive price tags.

In general, the cost of each piece varies depending on the animal and depending on whether it is imported and its size; the larger the animal, the more expensive the piece.

However, the exception to this rule is the falcon, being the national bird of four Gulf states. Only the most affluent buyers can afford a choice of preserved falcons, as this particular fowl is the most expensive creature when it comes to taxidermy in the region, according to Monem.

“No animal is off limits when it comes to being stuffed,” he says.

Simplifying the lengthy process involved in his trade, he explained that the hide is the first element to be removed, after which iron is mounted into the legs for stability before the piece is stuffed with fibre to fill out the rest of the shape.

Explaining why purchase of these life-like items is so desired, Monem says that people who buy them are usually wildlife enthusiasts who enjoy the company of animals.

With a long list of fauna allowed to be stuffed, preserved, mounted and sold, a number of stalls filled Hall 10 of the Adihex this year, giving animal lovers the opportunity to purchase life-like replicas of their favourite denizens of the wild.

— Heidi Pullyard is a trainee at Gulf News.