SANIKILUAQ - At 16-years-old, Louisa Sala has decided upon a career in bringing the dead back to life.

Through Nuiyak school in Sanikiluaq, she has learned about taxidermy, and she enjoys making furs look alive.

"I've been doing it for about a year, it is better than math," joked Sala.

This stuffed wolf is the first of its kind for the taxidermy shop in Sanikiluaq. - photo courtesy of John Jamieson

She isn't the only one, Sarah Appaqaq has been teaching a number of young women in the community about stuffing furs.

"She's nice, she knows a lot. She taught me how to do the skins," said Sala.

Sala wants to keep it up, and become more skilled in taxidermy. She is in the right place. Sanikiluaq has a huge variety of wildlife.

"I've worked on a wolf and on a polar bear," said Sala.

The polar bear she worked on is the famous two-headed polar bear of Sanikiluaq.

Last year, the taxidermy shop sewed two heads on one polar bear skin, putting a modern take on a classic art.

They were looking for $15,000 for the rare two-headed bear, but a buyer never came forward. That skin still hangs at the Co-op in the tiny island hamlet.

Sala liked working on the wolf - which was a first for the taxidermy shop - more than working on a polar bear. In the world of taxidermy, size matters.

"The wolf was smaller than a polar bear, that makes it easier. I want to try birds, eider ducks. It is smaller than the wolf," said Sala.

The taxidermy shop is run through the local day care, just like the local radio station and a number of school programs.

Sanikiluaq may have the only day care taxidermy combination in the world. Sala sees it as a big part of her future.

"It is fun and I'm learning new things," she said. "I want to keep learning by doing. I'd tell other students to try it, mostly because it is fun."