Taxidermy jungle spot to ‘unwind’

Mike Rodgers can’t stop finding additions for his jungle taxidermy, Ella Scott-Fleming reports.

Mike Rodgers’ taxidermy collection was only meant to be a couple of pieces but has spread into a mock jungle across his converted-shed home in East Gore.

A lover of hunting and fishing, Mr Rodgers could not recall but thought his more than 300-piece collection might have started with a deer head mounted on the wall.

But then he thought it looked lonely and added another piece, then more, before moving on to the exotic animals of Africa and America, which were even "nicer".

An African vervet monkey, for example, swinging between branches in a display tree, is known for its vivid turquoise-blue testicles.

A lover of animals, Mr Rodgers has placed his stuffed critters amid plastic and genuine natural elements, to give a more authentic feel.

"It’s not just an animal stuck on a wall — it’s like you’re doing a wee bushwalk," he said.

He acknowledged dead displayed animals were not everybody’s "cup of tea", but they made him feel relaxed.

After a long day working in construction, he sits with a "stubby", and sometimes his partner, Tania Lowe, and gazes at his collection.

"It’s like Tarzan — man, they look after you," he said.

"You can unwind."

His South African leopard "Lucy" is a prized piece in his cache.

The collector bought Lucy in a phone auction while hosting friends at home and said he went white and started shaking when he learned he had been successful.

In his 60s, and having worked his "butt off" his whole life, his valuable taxidermy hoard was something he could live off when he retired, he said.

He started learning how to stuff birds three years ago from Clinton Taxidermy owner Geoff McPhedran, who had become a great friend.

The relationship had started when Mr Rodgers sourced "Harriet" the hedgehog from Mr McPhedran, which came with a note promising free preservation lessons.

He stuck to stuffing birds as chemicals were needed to treat exotic hides and, as a builder, he had been exposed to enough dangerous chemicals, he said.

If his back gave out, he could always sit at his desk and stuff birds.

He wished he’d bought exotic animals earlier, as border rules were getting more restrictive.

He would like a two-toed sloth to hang off a tree, for example, but they were no longer allowed out of Canada, despite being welcome in New Zealand, he said.

"That’s it. Game over."

A collector of vintage car memorabilia as well, he had always been "arty" and a lover of priceless, nostalgic items.

"If I’m doing something it has to be 110%.

"It has to be right."