A woman who used to work in a nature centre researching specimens has found an unusual way to get rid of her fridge “full” of dead animals.
Emily Ulceus used to analyse samples of deceased creatures in her old job, with the public bringing in dead animals for her to look at and, if possible, put on display.
The centre would get the animals traditionally stuffed for the displays, but Emily claims that the vast majority got stored in a freezer.
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The 40-year-old soon noticed the specimens stacking up.
To clear space and avoid “waste”, she decided to start her own venture – “honouring” the animals by stuffing them in glass jars and perfume bottles and turning their bones into jewellery to sell on Etsy.
A viral video of one of her most recent pieces recently got over 2.8m views.
“Eventually the freezer would get so full it would be completely filled,” Emily, from Long Island, New York, who now works as a a specimen artist, told Need To Know.
“I either had to find some way to use them or they would be thrown away.
“But I couldn’t let them go to waste.
“It’s a way for me to pay tribute to the animal the way it was in life.
“Now instead of rotting away, they will stay beautiful and cherished forever.
“I love doing it!”
Emily has since opened an Etsy store to showcase her pieces – flogging everything from animal ‘globes’ to eel lightbulbs and even a disused Disaronno liqueur bottle that houses a dead carpet python.
Prices can range from £25 ($30) to £400, ($500), depending on which item you choose.
The mum’s products are popular too; she’s received five-star reviews for nearly 1,000 sales.
Emily’s fiancé Marc and their children Aiden and Alaina are fans of her work, too.
She said: “Marc has been very supportive and patient with me.
“There are always a lot of supplies around the house, so he’s been a good sport.
“The kids have grown up with it so it’s totally normal to them!”
Emily can taxidermy most animals but specialises in ethically sourced, formalin-fixed wet specimen preservation.
She said: “None of my specimens were harmed for the artwork.
“All of them go through museum-quality chemical preservation so they will last a lifetime.
“About half of my work consists of pet preservation services.
“I love animals and this is just one way that I can honour them.”
She has also started an Instagram account for her creations.
In her most recent viral video, a snake can be seen curled up and tightly packed in a glass globe, with its head at the top of its body.
The post has over 49,000 likes, as well as thousands of comments.
One person said: “Imagine dropping a glass ball and a snake comes out, I’d instantly die.”
Teodora commented: “Why is there a snake in my crystal ball.”
Axel wrote: “What even is happening here.”
Henry added: “Are those pickled snakes?!”
Someone else commented: “This as a door knob would be sick.”
Rick added: “This would be a rlly cool doorknob.”
Marc wrote: “This is dope.”
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