The 14th European Taxidermy Championships took place in Salzburg end of February 2025. Among 146 participants from 26 nations, the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin was represented by three outstanding taxidermists: Christin Scheinpflug, Jan Panniger and Robert Stein. With 327 exhibits submitted and 45,248 visitors, the championship was one of the largest in the history of the professional competition and a complete success for the Berlin team. Christin Scheinpflug decided to submit an exhibit consisting of two fog leopards. She was the first woman in Germany to be honoured with the title ‘Best of Europe in Mammals’ in the thirty-year history of the competition. The clouded leopards and the other award-winning specimens will be shown to the public during the Long Night of Museums and the Long Night of Science in summer 2025.
Christin Scheinpflug was the first woman in Germany to win the prestigious ‘Best of Europe for Mammals’ title in the mammals category with her impressive preparation of a clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa). The sophisticated composition shows two female animals from Tierpark Berlin in a very dynamic pose: the scene shows a clouded leopard jumping down or off a branch with its prey firmly in view and a second, younger clouded leopard hanging upside down from the branch. Its attention is focussed on the first cat in its leap; it has not yet discovered its prey. ‘The natural depiction of the movement dynamics, especially of the hanging animal, was particularly challenging,’ says Christin Scheinpflug. The taxidermist was also honoured with three special prizes: the ‘Most Impressive Mount Award’ for interacting specimens, the ‘Most Eyecatching Mount Award’ and the ‘Best Detail Award’ for outstanding detail work. The exhibit ‘Jaguar with green-winged macaw’ was already honoured with the Best of Show in 2018. Thanks to her big cat expertise, Christin Scheinpflug was responsible for the execution and planning of the jumping animal.
The three-time European and world champion Jan Panniger secured the European title in the reptile category with a detailed preparation of a ruffed lizard (Chlamydosaurus kingii). This specimen impressed with its natural dynamics and realism. The open mouth is particularly impressive. ‘You can look deep inside the throat and see blood vessels and even saliva threads, which are modelled from synthetic resin,’ says Panniger. ‘Fortunately, I was able to use an object in our collection from 1898 to study details of the animal.’ The ruffed lizard was honoured as the best exhibit of the entire competition and thus received the prestigious ‘Best of Show’ title - a first for a reptile in the history of the championship.
Two-time World Taxidermy Champion Robert Stein was also able to impress in the birds category with his specimen of a long-billed cockatoo (Zanda baudinii). He scored an impressive 91 out of 100 points. ‘The judges went into particular detail this time and criticised the smallest irregularities in the back and a slight instability of the specimen,’ said Stein.
In addition to the competition, the focus is on international exchange. The championship offers an extensive supporting programme with specialist lectures and workshops in which new techniques and developments in taxidermy are presented. The Berlin taxidermists regularly use this opportunity to further their education and gain inspiration for their own work. With these successes, the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin once again underpins its outstanding position in the international taxidermy scene.
Picture: Christin Scheinpflug with the two fog leopards, honoured with the title "Best of Mammals in Europe". Copyright: Pablo Castagnola