View allAll Photos Tagged Extinct,
Giraffe. Mkhaya Game Reserve. Swaziland/Eswatini. Sep/2019
The giraffe (Giraffa) is a genus of African even-toed ungulate mammals, the tallest living terrestrial animals and the largest ruminants. The genus currently consists of one species, Giraffa camelopardalis, the type species. Seven other species are extinct, prehistoric species known from fossils. Taxonomic classifications of one to eight extant giraffe species have been described, based upon research into the mitochondrial and nuclear DNA, as well as morphological measurements of Giraffa, but the IUCN currently recognises only one species with nine subspecies.
The giraffe's chief distinguishing characteristics are its extremely long neck and legs, its horn-like ossicones, and its distinctive coat patterns. It is classified under the family Giraffidae, along with its closest extant relative, the okapi. Its scattered range extends from Chad in the north to South Africa in the south, and from Niger in the west to Somalia in the east. Giraffes usually inhabit savannahs and woodlands. Their food source is leaves, fruits and flowers of woody plants, primarily acacia species, which they browse at heights most other herbivores cannot reach. They may be preyed on by lions, leopards, spotted hyenas and African wild dogs.
Source: Wikipedia
Mkhaya Game Reserve is a protected area in Swaziland/Eswatini. It is located along the MR8 road.
It is situated in lowveld wilderness in the southeast of Swaziland/Eswatini and is made up of acacia-dominated thornveld in the south and broadleaf sandveld in the north. The reserve has many dry riverbeds, is dotted with waterholes and has a network of game-viewing roads.
Mkhaya Game Reserve is named after the knobthorn tree which is known as mkhaya in siSwati.
Mkhaya is staffed and patrolled entirely by local Swazi people. All travel within the reserve is guided and requires pre-booking. The reserve is self-financed solely through visitor revenues.
It was established in 1979 to save Nguni cattle, which were close to extinction, and has gone on to include other endangered species such as the black and white rhinos, hippopotamus pods, roan antelope, sable antelope, tsessebe, elephant and Cape buffalo herds.
Source: Wikipedia
The Stone Camp is situated in the heart of the reserve in a riverine forest alongside a dry river bed. The 12 semi-open thatched, stone cottages have half walls - no windows, no doors! In the family units all beds are in 1 open-plan room.
Source: Mkhya Game Reserve website
A girafa é um gênero de mamíferos ungulados africanos, sendo os animais terrestres mais altos e os maiores ruminantes. O gênero atualmente consiste de uma espécie, Giraffa camelopardalis, a espécie-tipo. Sete outras espécies são espécies pré-históricas conhecidas de fósseis. Classificações taxonômicas de uma a oito espécies existentes de girafas foram descritas, baseadas em pesquisas com DNA nuclear e mitocondrial, bem como em medidas morfológicas de Giraffa, mas atualmente a IUCN reconhece apenas uma espécie com nove subespécies.
As principais características distintivas da girafa são seu pescoço e pernas extremamente longos, seus ossólones semelhantes a chifres e seus distintos padrões de pelagem. É classificada sob a família Giraffidae, junto com seu parente mais próximo, o okapi. Seu alcance disperso estende-se do Chade, no norte, até a África do Sul, no sul, e do Níger, no oeste, até a Somália, no leste. Girafas geralmente habitam savanas e bosques. Sua fonte de alimento são folhas, frutos e flores de plantas lenhosas, principalmente espécies de acácia. Eles podem ser predados por leões, leopardos, hienas dentre outros.
Fonte: Wikipedia
Mkhaya Game Reserve é uma área protegida na Suazilândia / Eswatini. Está localizado ao longo da estrada MR8. Ele está situado no deserto de planície no sudeste da Suazilândia / Eswatini e é composto por espinhos dominados pela acácia no sul e por areia ao norte. A reserva tem muitos leitos secos, é pontilhada de poços de água e possui uma rede de estradas para observação de animais. Mkhaya Game Reserve é nomeado por conta da árvore de knobthorn, que é conhecida como mkhaya em siSwati. Mkhaya é composta por pessoal e patrulhada inteiramente pelo povo suazi local. Todas as viagens dentro da reserva são guiadas e requerem pré-reserva. A reserva é autofinanciada somente através da receita de visitantes. Foi criada em 1979 para salvar o gado Nguni, que estava próximo da extinção, e passou a incluir outras espécies ameaçadas, como rinocerontes, hipopótamo, antílopes, elefantes e búfalos.
Fonte: Wikipedia (tradução livre)
O Stone Camp está situado no coração da reserva, em uma floresta ribeirinha ao lado de um leito de rio seco. Os 12 chalés de pedra semi-abertos têm meias paredes - sem janelas, sem portas! Nas unidades familiares, todas as camas estão em um quarto em plano aberto.
Fonte: Mkhya Game Reserve website (Tradução livre)
not a great shot but i thought it was a great excuse to add a link to the tigertime website
such stunning cats and such incredibly sad stories about their plight, there is information all round the area regarding the numbers left and the threat they face from poachers and deforestation – can you imagine if they became extinct?
from the site :
"signing this petition will help us to put real pressure on the chinese government. the more people that sign, the more chance that they will listen. please do this now, to prevent the loss of the last 3200 tigers that are left in the wild" samantha fox - a passionate supporter of tigertime
(there are some desperately sad photos on the main site)
please sign tigertime petition here
(please pass-on/re-post/tweet/share the petition link too)
(PLEASE NO AWARDS OR PICTURES OR FLASHY BADGES)
Shooting for the french brand Extinct Eyes
Photographer: Florent Joannès
Model: Mélodie Vesco
Beanie & shirt: Mélodie Vesco
2015
Inaugural action of Extinction Rebellion Canberra at Questacon to o symbolically demand that Questacon cease its partnership with Big Oil, and that as our National Science and Technology Centre it must explain the Climate and Ecological emergency we are in.
Check Facebook: WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/XRACT for future events
A single DSLR frame (reduced to 640x480 format). The image was made using cross-polarized light through a petrographic microscope. Field of view is about 0.0003 inch, top to bottom.
The "Ghubara" meteorite is found on the surface of the desert in Ghubara, Jiddat Al Harasis, Oman. Since its discovery in 1954 about 5,000kg have been recovered. It is unusually rich in noble gases and is classified as a regolith breccia L5 meteorite with xenolithic (mixed) inclusions.
A roughly 1:2 macro view of this thin section is here:
www.flickr.com/photos/chipdatajeffb/2703411271/in/set-721...
Thin section acquired from Mike Kagelmacher (Rock-Slides on eBay).
'Endangered and Extinct' by creative recycling artist Val Hunt, an exhibition at Gloucester Cathedral, Saturday 26 September-Sunday 1 November 2020 in the Cloisters
From the Cathedral's website:
"This exhibition presents a subtle message about recycling and preservation, raising awareness of why the creatures on show are endangered or extinct...
Having worked for the past 29 years as a professional maker, Val Hunt continues to be amazed at the versatility of creative recycling. There is an enormous variety of discarded material just waiting to be reconstructed and given a new identity, especially Val's favourite material of drinks can metal. Intricate constructions and interesting textures are key elements found in her work, humour is also an added ingredient whenever possible.
Through experimentation, ingenuity and skill her work is always changing as she discovers new techniques and ways of constructing recycled materials to signal a new meaning. Her works recycles a diverse selection of throwaway material, from these she creates a fascinating selection of large and small sculptural pieces which are both appealing and informative.
Despite her use of manufactured materials, her main inspiration comes from the natural world. Val has a special interest in endangered and extinct species and most of her work reflects this. She makes animals, exotic birds, dinosaurs, insects and species of flora all on the edge or now extinct.
The increasing awareness of the effects of pollution, climate change, plastic in the Ocean and environment destruction on the habitat have influenced Val's work. She now dedicates her making to highlighting the plight of species that are on the edge or gone forever in her touring educational exhibition 'Endangered and Extinct'...
Val's work has been shown in exhibitions around the UK, Denmark, Japan, United Emirates, USA and toured overseas with the British Council. She has work in many permanent collections."
A newly described extinct species of bat endemic to the Hawaiian Islands.
Endemic to the Hawaiian Islands (Extinct: Kauaʻi, Oʻahu, Molokaʻi, Maui, and Hawaiʻi Island)
Collected 1992 at Barbers Point sinkholes, Oʻahu
Specimens retained at the Bishop Museum (Honolulu, Hawaiʻi)
This humerus bone is one of a few bones preserved of this extinct bat.
Extinct monsters : a popular account of some of the larger forms of ancient animal life / by Rev. H. N. Hutchinson ... with illustrations by J. Smit and others.
London : Chapman & Hall, 1896.
_0373, 2007-11-08, 09:37 , 8C, 4040x5368 (1416+1416), 100%, 412E BetterLig, 1/80 s, R57.4, G44.8, B55.6
Long dormant volcano. Budj Bim is the source of the Tyrendarra lava flow which extends over 50km to the southwest. It is central to the history of the Gunditjmara people.
Mount Eccles National Park is Victoria’s first co-managed national park. The park is managed by Gunditjmara Traditional Owners and Parks Victoria.
The park’s tranquil crater lake and pleasant bushland surrounds make it a pleasant place for picnicking, camping and bushwalking. Nature trails follow the old crater rim.
BIG5 Elephant. Jock Safari Lodge. Kruger National Park. South Africa. Dec/2020
Elephant
Elephants are large mammals of the family Elephantidae and the order Proboscidea. Three species are currently recognised: the African bush elephant (Loxodonta africana), the African forest elephant (L. cyclotis), and the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus). Elephants are scattered throughout sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. Elephantidae is the only surviving family of the order Proboscidea; other, now extinct, members of the order include deinotheres, gomphotheres, mammoths, and mastodons.
All elephants have several distinctive features, the most notable of which is a long trunk (also called a proboscis), used for many purposes, particularly breathing, lifting water, and grasping objects. Their incisors grow into tusks, which can serve as weapons and as tools for moving objects and digging. Elephants' large ear flaps help to control their body temperature. Their pillar-like legs can carry their great weight. African elephants have larger ears and concave backs while Asian elephants have smaller ears and convex or level backs.
Elephants are herbivorous and can be found in different habitats including savannahs, forests, deserts, and marshes. They prefer to stay near water. They are considered to be a keystone species due to their impact on their environments. Other animals tend to keep their distance from elephants while predators, such as lions, tigers, hyenas, and any wild dogs, usually target only young elephants (or "calves"). Elephants have a fission–fusion society in which multiple family groups come together to socialise. Females ("cows") tend to live in family groups, which can consist of one female with her calves or several related females with offspring. The groups are led by an individual known as the matriarch, often the oldest cow.
Males ("bulls") leave their family groups when they reach puberty and may live alone or with other males. Adult bulls mostly interact with family groups when looking for a mate and enter a state of increased testosterone and aggression known as musth, which helps them gain dominance and reproductive success. Calves are the centre of attention in their family groups and rely on their mothers for as long as three years. Elephants can live up to 70 years in the wild. They communicate by touch, sight, smell, and sound; elephants use infrasound, and seismic communication over long distances. Elephant intelligence has been compared with that of primates and cetaceans. They appear to have self-awareness and show empathyfor dying or dead individuals of their kind.
Source: Wikipedia
Elefante
Os elefantes são animais herbívoros, alimentando-se de ervas, gramíneas, frutas e folhas de árvores. Dado o seu tamanho, um elefante adulto pode ingerir entre 70 a 150 kg de alimentos por dia. As fêmeas vivem em manadas de 10 a 15 animais, lideradas por uma matriarca, compostas por várias reprodutoras e crias de variadas idades. O período de gestação das fêmeas é longo (20 a 22 meses), assim como o desenvolvimento do animal que leva anos a atingir a idade adulta. Os filhotes podem nascer com 90 kg. Os machos adolescentes tendem a viver em pequenos bandos e os machos adultos isolados, encontrando-se com as fêmeas apenas no período reprodutivo.
Devido ao seu porte, os elefantes têm poucos predadores. Exercem uma forte influência sobre as savanas, pois mantêm árvores e arbustos sob controle, permitindo que pastagens dominem o ambiente. Eles vivem cerca de 60 anos e morrem quando seus molares caem, impedindo que se alimentem de plantas.
Os elefantes-africanos são maiores que as variedades asiáticas e têm orelhas mais desenvolvidas, uma adaptação que permite libertar calor em condições de altas temperaturas. Outra diferença importante é a ausência de presas de marfim nas fêmeas dos elefantes asiáticos.
Durante a época de acasalamento, o aumento da produção de testosterona deixa os elefantes extremamente agressivos, fazendo-os atacar até humanos. Acidentes com elefantes utilizados em rituais geralmente são causados por esse motivo. Cerca de 400 humanos são mortos por elefantes a cada ano.
Elefante é o termo genérico e popular pelo qual são denominados os membros da família Elephantidae, um grupo de mamíferos proboscídeoselefantídeos, de grande porte, do qual há três espécies no mundo atual, duas africanas (Loxodonta sp.) e uma asiática (Elephas sp.). Há ainda os mamutes (Mammuthus sp.), hoje extintos. Até recentemente, acreditava-se que havia apenas duas espécies vivas de elefantes, o elefante-africano e o elefante-asiático, uma espécie menor. Entretanto, estudos recentes de DNA sugerem que havia, na verdade, duas espécies de elefante-africano: Loxodonta africana, da savana, e Loxodonta cyclotis, que vive nas florestas. Os elefantes são os maiores animais terrestres da actualidade, com a massa entre 4 a 6 toneladas e medindo em média quatro metros de altura, podem levantar até 10.000 kg. As suas características mais distintivas são as presas de marfim
Fonte: Wikipedia
Jock Safari Lodge
Located within 6, 000 ha of pristine bushveld, Jock Safari Lodge is an exclusive private concession, perfectly positioned in the southern part of the Kruger National Park, South Africa’s largest national park. The wildlife within this region have survived undisturbed without negative impact from mankind, encouraged to thrive. Jock Safari Lodge emerges where the Mitomeni and Biyamiti rivers flow as one – this natural unbroken landscape offers guests one of the best Big Five game viewing experiences in South Africa with its exclusive riverbed traversing rights. Steeped in history, Jock Safari Lodge was the first private concession granted within the Kruger National Park and is named after local legend, Jock of the Bushveld, the canine hero of Sir Percy FitzPatrick’s famous story of courage and loyalty that is set during South Africa’s first gold rush era. Relive one of South Africa’s cultural heritages through this wonderful story and view the original mementoes on display at the Main Lodge.
Source: jocksafarilodge.com/
Jock Safari Lodge
Localizado em 6.000 ha de savana intocada, o Jock Safari Lodge é uma concessão privada exclusiva, perfeitamente posicionada ao sul do Parque Nacional Kruger, o maior parque nacional da África do Sul. A vida selvagem nesta região sobreviveu sem ser perturbada, sem impacto negativo da humanidade, encorajada a prosperar. O Jock Safari Lodge surge onde os rios Mitomeni e Biyamiti fluem como um só - esta paisagem natural contínua oferece aos hóspedes uma das melhores experiências de observação do Big Five na África do Sul com seus direitos exclusivos de travessia do leito do rio. Repleto de história, Jock Safari Lodge foi a primeira concessão privada concedida dentro do Parque Nacional Kruger e leva o nome de uma lenda local, Jock of the Bushveld, o herói canino da famosa história de coragem e lealdade de Sir Percy FitzPatrick que se passa durante o primeiro era da corrida do ouro. Reviva uma das heranças culturais da África do Sul por meio desta história maravilhosa e veja as lembranças originais em exibição no Main Lodge.
Fonte: jocksafarilodge.com/ (tradução livre)
Superdomain: Neomura
Domain: Eukaryota
(unranked): Unikonta
(unranked): Obazoa
(unranked): Opisthokonta
(unranked) Holozoa
(unranked) Filozoa
Kingdom: Animalia
Subkingdom: Eumetazoa
Clade: ParaHoxozoa
Clade: Bilateria
Clade: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Clade: Olfactores
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Clade: Eugnathostomata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Subclass: Elasmobranchii
Infraclass: Euselachii
Superorder: Galeomorphii
Order: Lamniformes
Family: Cetorhinidae
Genus: †Keasius
Species: †K. rhenanus
Extinct for over 10,000 years the Ma'an Ridge volcano crater is situated in a park about 5kms from Haikou, Hainan Island, China. One of the attractions in the park is this Snake & Turtle Sculpture. ..... A SYMBOL OF LONGEVITY.....
To learn from animals for their own good health and long life is one of the great inventions of the Chinese people. Imitating an animals posture, movement and breathing vitalises the body, activates the energy, and refreshes the mind. Animal Qigong has been practised in China for several thousand years. Animals such as the eagle, the bear, the tiger, the monkey, the wolf and the legendary dragon, are some of the widely used symbols in this practice. The Turtle and Snake are the oldest among those animals. Archaeological findings show that Chinese people were already practising Turtle and Snake Qigong some 5,000 years ago.
While in the famous Five Animal Qigong the animals are mainly symbols of vitality, the Turtle and Snake are primarily symbols of longevity. It is believed in the Qigong tradition that turtle and snakes can live over a thousand years, because of their way of moving and breathing. Specifically, the snake is a symbol of dynamic potency. The turtle is a symbol of stillness and endurance. Its static way of breathing is regarded in Qigong as the highest quality of breathing which a human being could emulate. These symbolic meanings embody great power in the Turtle and Snake Gong as well as the techniques.
Courtesy..The Dao Hua School of Qigong
This is the small group of Panamanian Golden frogs residents of the Columbus Zoo. Like all colorful frogs these guys are poisonous too.. Extremely endangered.
On Feb 5th 2008 BBC Film makers declared that these frogs are EXTINCT in the wild!!
:( Check out the link...
The extinct dire wolf, a close relative of today's timber wolf. At the La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles.
'Endangered and Extinct' by creative recycling artist Val Hunt, an exhibition at Gloucester Cathedral, Saturday 26 September-Sunday 1 November 2020 in the Cloisters
From the Cathedral's website:
"This exhibition presents a subtle message about recycling and preservation, raising awareness of why the creatures on show are endangered or extinct...
Having worked for the past 29 years as a professional maker, Val Hunt continues to be amazed at the versatility of creative recycling. There is an enormous variety of discarded material just waiting to be reconstructed and given a new identity, especially Val's favourite material of drinks can metal. Intricate constructions and interesting textures are key elements found in her work, humour is also an added ingredient whenever possible.
Through experimentation, ingenuity and skill her work is always changing as she discovers new techniques and ways of constructing recycled materials to signal a new meaning. Her works recycles a diverse selection of throwaway material, from these she creates a fascinating selection of large and small sculptural pieces which are both appealing and informative.
Despite her use of manufactured materials, her main inspiration comes from the natural world. Val has a special interest in endangered and extinct species and most of her work reflects this. She makes animals, exotic birds, dinosaurs, insects and species of flora all on the edge or now extinct.
The increasing awareness of the effects of pollution, climate change, plastic in the Ocean and environment destruction on the habitat have influenced Val's work. She now dedicates her making to highlighting the plight of species that are on the edge or gone forever in her touring educational exhibition 'Endangered and Extinct'...
Val's work has been shown in exhibitions around the UK, Denmark, Japan, United Emirates, USA and toured overseas with the British Council. She has work in many permanent collections."
'Endangered and Extinct' by creative recycling artist Val Hunt, an exhibition at Gloucester Cathedral, Saturday 26 September-Sunday 1 November 2020 in the Cloisters
From the Cathedral's website:
"This exhibition presents a subtle message about recycling and preservation, raising awareness of why the creatures on show are endangered or extinct...
Having worked for the past 29 years as a professional maker, Val Hunt continues to be amazed at the versatility of creative recycling. There is an enormous variety of discarded material just waiting to be reconstructed and given a new identity, especially Val's favourite material of drinks can metal. Intricate constructions and interesting textures are key elements found in her work, humour is also an added ingredient whenever possible.
Through experimentation, ingenuity and skill her work is always changing as she discovers new techniques and ways of constructing recycled materials to signal a new meaning. Her works recycles a diverse selection of throwaway material, from these she creates a fascinating selection of large and small sculptural pieces which are both appealing and informative.
Despite her use of manufactured materials, her main inspiration comes from the natural world. Val has a special interest in endangered and extinct species and most of her work reflects this. She makes animals, exotic birds, dinosaurs, insects and species of flora all on the edge or now extinct.
The increasing awareness of the effects of pollution, climate change, plastic in the Ocean and environment destruction on the habitat have influenced Val's work. She now dedicates her making to highlighting the plight of species that are on the edge or gone forever in her touring educational exhibition 'Endangered and Extinct'...
Val's work has been shown in exhibitions around the UK, Denmark, Japan, United Emirates, USA and toured overseas with the British Council. She has work in many permanent collections."
_0355, 2007-11-07, 10:14 , 8C, 4040x5368 (1429+1422), 100%, 412E BetterLig, 1/80 s, R57.4, G44.8, B55.6
Superdomain: Neomura
Domain: Eukaryota
(unranked): Unikonta
(unranked): Obazoa
(unranked): Opisthokonta
(unranked) Holozoa
(unranked) Filozoa
Kingdom: Animalia
Subkingdom: Eumetazoa
Clade: ParaHoxozoa
Clade: Bilateria
Clade: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Clade: Olfactores
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Clade: Eugnathostomata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Subclass: Elasmobranchii
Infraclass: Euselachii
Superorder: Galeomorphii
Order: Orectolobiformes
Family: Ginglymostomatidae
Genus: Nebrius
Species: N. obliquus†
McDonalds used to sponsor the Dinosaur attraction at Animal Kingdom. The contract expired and all McDonalds related signage was removed.
This poster was at the exit of Dinosaur on the path back to Chester and Hester's.
'Endangered and Extinct' by creative recycling artist Val Hunt, an exhibition at Gloucester Cathedral, Saturday 26 September-Sunday 1 November 2020 in the Cloisters
From the Cathedral's website:
"This exhibition presents a subtle message about recycling and preservation, raising awareness of why the creatures on show are endangered or extinct...
Having worked for the past 29 years as a professional maker, Val Hunt continues to be amazed at the versatility of creative recycling. There is an enormous variety of discarded material just waiting to be reconstructed and given a new identity, especially Val's favourite material of drinks can metal. Intricate constructions and interesting textures are key elements found in her work, humour is also an added ingredient whenever possible.
Through experimentation, ingenuity and skill her work is always changing as she discovers new techniques and ways of constructing recycled materials to signal a new meaning. Her works recycles a diverse selection of throwaway material, from these she creates a fascinating selection of large and small sculptural pieces which are both appealing and informative.
Despite her use of manufactured materials, her main inspiration comes from the natural world. Val has a special interest in endangered and extinct species and most of her work reflects this. She makes animals, exotic birds, dinosaurs, insects and species of flora all on the edge or now extinct.
The increasing awareness of the effects of pollution, climate change, plastic in the Ocean and environment destruction on the habitat have influenced Val's work. She now dedicates her making to highlighting the plight of species that are on the edge or gone forever in her touring educational exhibition 'Endangered and Extinct'...
Val's work has been shown in exhibitions around the UK, Denmark, Japan, United Emirates, USA and toured overseas with the British Council. She has work in many permanent collections."
A macro of my newest fossil. Reminds me of a Goniastrea or a Prism Favia. Except this one is 350 million years old.
_0369, 2007-11-08, 09:22 , 8C, 4040x5368 (1416+1416), 100%, 412E BetterLig, 1/80 s, R57.4, G44.8, B55.6
McDonalds used to sponsor the Dinosaur attraction at Animal Kingdom. The contract expired and all McDonalds related signage was removed.
This poster was at the exit of Dinosaur on the path back to Chester and Hester's.
_0359, 2007-11-07, 10:19 , 8C, 4040x5368 (1429+1422), 100%, 412E BetterLig, 1/80 s, R57.4, G44.8, B55.6
This species is extremely rare and considered extinct in the wild. Originally found in one small colony near Ulladulla, NSW. The Victorian Royal Botanic Gardens are successfully propagating this species with the aim of reintroducing it to its original locality.
'Endangered and Extinct' by creative recycling artist Val Hunt, an exhibition at Gloucester Cathedral, Saturday 26 September-Sunday 1 November 2020 in the Cloisters
From the Cathedral's website:
"This exhibition presents a subtle message about recycling and preservation, raising awareness of why the creatures on show are endangered or extinct...
Having worked for the past 29 years as a professional maker, Val Hunt continues to be amazed at the versatility of creative recycling. There is an enormous variety of discarded material just waiting to be reconstructed and given a new identity, especially Val's favourite material of drinks can metal. Intricate constructions and interesting textures are key elements found in her work, humour is also an added ingredient whenever possible.
Through experimentation, ingenuity and skill her work is always changing as she discovers new techniques and ways of constructing recycled materials to signal a new meaning. Her works recycles a diverse selection of throwaway material, from these she creates a fascinating selection of large and small sculptural pieces which are both appealing and informative.
Despite her use of manufactured materials, her main inspiration comes from the natural world. Val has a special interest in endangered and extinct species and most of her work reflects this. She makes animals, exotic birds, dinosaurs, insects and species of flora all on the edge or now extinct.
The increasing awareness of the effects of pollution, climate change, plastic in the Ocean and environment destruction on the habitat have influenced Val's work. She now dedicates her making to highlighting the plight of species that are on the edge or gone forever in her touring educational exhibition 'Endangered and Extinct'...
Val's work has been shown in exhibitions around the UK, Denmark, Japan, United Emirates, USA and toured overseas with the British Council. She has work in many permanent collections."
The dodo is an icon of extinction, one of the first widely acknowledged cases of a species being wiped out by humans. There are so few complete dodo skeletons that we may never know exactly what they looked like or how they lived. This Natural History Museum specimen is a composite made from bones from different individuals.
.
Detail from a 1634 engraving by Sir Thomas Herbert, showing the dodo (right)
Detail from an engraving by Sir Thomas Herbert, 1634, showing a dodo (right).
Curious creatures
Dodos disappeared so quickly, they left little evidence of their existence. 150 years after they vanished, some naturalists claimed they were mythical creatures invented by sailors. Others struggled to interpret the meagre bones left behind.
We now know that dodos evolved from a pigeon species that arrived on the Mascarene Islands in the Indian Ocean more than 26 million years ago.
With abundant food and no predators, the birds had no reason to leave this island paradise. Over the years their descendants slowly grew bigger and heavier, their beaks grew larger and their wings smaller.
Mascarene island of Mauritius
Mascarene island of Mauritius, once home of the dodo. © Martin Child / The Image Bank / Getty Images
Death of the dodo
Life was good for dodos living on the isolated Mascarene island of Mauritius. Until Dutch sailors arrived in 1598.
Some dodos fell prey to sailors looking for a change in diet, others to the rats, cats, pigs and monkeys the sailors brought with them. The birds themselves may have gone hungry as the invaders cleared forests that had been rich in fruits.
Just 90 years later dodos were extinct.
Devious determination
Examining the inadequate evidence available, some scientists suggested dodos were related to cuckoos, others to chickens, ostriches, penguins, cranes or eagles. Even Richard Owen, an expert taxonomist (person who identifies, names and groups organisms) was convinced they were descended from vultures.
Richard Owen's dodo illustration from The Dodo, 1848
Dodo specimen illustration by Richard Owen, 1848.
Owen was so determined to be the first to solve the mystery he resorted to devious means. He heard that some rare dodo specimens were on their way to a potential rival, and had them intercepted.
The bones joined the collections of this Museum, and in 1866 Owen became the first person to publish a scientific description of the dodo's anatomy.
BIG5 Elephant. Kruger National Park. South Africa. Jul-Aug/2021
Elephant
Elephants are large mammals of the family Elephantidae and the order Proboscidea. Three species are currently recognised: the African bush elephant (Loxodonta africana), the African forest elephant (L. cyclotis), and the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus). Elephants are scattered throughout sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. Elephantidae is the only surviving family of the order Proboscidea; other, now extinct, members of the order include deinotheres, gomphotheres, mammoths, and mastodons.
All elephants have several distinctive features, the most notable of which is a long trunk (also called a proboscis), used for many purposes, particularly breathing, lifting water, and grasping objects. Their incisors grow into tusks, which can serve as weapons and as tools for moving objects and digging. Elephants' large ear flaps help to control their body temperature. Their pillar-like legs can carry their great weight. African elephants have larger ears and concave backs while Asian elephants have smaller ears and convex or level backs.
Elephants are herbivorous and can be found in different habitats including savannahs, forests, deserts, and marshes. They prefer to stay near water. They are considered to be a keystone species due to their impact on their environments. Other animals tend to keep their distance from elephants while predators, such as lions, tigers, hyenas, and any wild dogs, usually target only young elephants (or "calves"). Elephants have a fission–fusion society in which multiple family groups come together to socialise. Females ("cows") tend to live in family groups, which can consist of one female with her calves or several related females with offspring. The groups are led by an individual known as the matriarch, often the oldest cow.
Males ("bulls") leave their family groups when they reach puberty and may live alone or with other males. Adult bulls mostly interact with family groups when looking for a mate and enter a state of increased testosterone and aggression known as musth, which helps them gain dominance and reproductive success. Calves are the centre of attention in their family groups and rely on their mothers for as long as three years. Elephants can live up to 70 years in the wild. They communicate by touch, sight, smell, and sound; elephants use infrasound, and seismic communication over long distances. Elephant intelligence has been compared with that of primates and cetaceans. They appear to have self-awareness and show empathyfor dying or dead individuals of their kind.
Source: Wikipedia
Elefante
Os elefantes são animais herbívoros, alimentando-se de ervas, gramíneas, frutas e folhas de árvores. Dado o seu tamanho, um elefante adulto pode ingerir entre 70 a 150 kg de alimentos por dia. As fêmeas vivem em manadas de 10 a 15 animais, lideradas por uma matriarca, compostas por várias reprodutoras e crias de variadas idades. O período de gestação das fêmeas é longo (20 a 22 meses), assim como o desenvolvimento do animal que leva anos a atingir a idade adulta. Os filhotes podem nascer com 90 kg. Os machos adolescentes tendem a viver em pequenos bandos e os machos adultos isolados, encontrando-se com as fêmeas apenas no período reprodutivo.
Devido ao seu porte, os elefantes têm poucos predadores. Exercem uma forte influência sobre as savanas, pois mantêm árvores e arbustos sob controle, permitindo que pastagens dominem o ambiente. Eles vivem cerca de 60 anos e morrem quando seus molares caem, impedindo que se alimentem de plantas.
Os elefantes-africanos são maiores que as variedades asiáticas e têm orelhas mais desenvolvidas, uma adaptação que permite libertar calor em condições de altas temperaturas. Outra diferença importante é a ausência de presas de marfim nas fêmeas dos elefantes asiáticos.
Durante a época de acasalamento, o aumento da produção de testosterona deixa os elefantes extremamente agressivos, fazendo-os atacar até humanos. Acidentes com elefantes utilizados em rituais geralmente são causados por esse motivo. Cerca de 400 humanos são mortos por elefantes a cada ano.
Elefante é o termo genérico e popular pelo qual são denominados os membros da família Elephantidae, um grupo de mamíferos proboscídeoselefantídeos, de grande porte, do qual há três espécies no mundo atual, duas africanas (Loxodonta sp.) e uma asiática (Elephas sp.). Há ainda os mamutes (Mammuthus sp.), hoje extintos. Até recentemente, acreditava-se que havia apenas duas espécies vivas de elefantes, o elefante-africano e o elefante-asiático, uma espécie menor. Entretanto, estudos recentes de DNA sugerem que havia, na verdade, duas espécies de elefante-africano: Loxodonta africana, da savana, e Loxodonta cyclotis, que vive nas florestas. Os elefantes são os maiores animais terrestres da actualidade, com a massa entre 4 a 6 toneladas e medindo em média quatro metros de altura, podem levantar até 10.000 kg. As suas características mais distintivas são as presas de marfim
Fonte: Wikipedia
Kruger National Park
Kruger National Park is one of the largest game reserves in Africa. It covers an area of around 20,000 square kilometres in the provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga in northeastern South Africa, and extends 360 kilometres (220 mi) from north to south and 65 kilometres (40 mi) from east to west.
Source: Wikipedia
Parque Nacional Kruger
O Parque Nacional Kruger é a maior área protegida de fauna bravia da África do Sul, cobrindo cerca de 20 000 km2. Está localizado no nordeste do país, nas províncias de Mpumalanga e Limpopo e tem uma extensão de cerca de 360 km de norte a sul e 65 km de leste a oeste.
Os parques nacionais africanos, nas regiões da savana africana são importantes pelo turismo com safári de observação e fotográfico.
O seu nome foi dado em homenagem a Stephanus Johannes Paul Kruger, último presidente da República Sul-Africana bôere. Foi criado em 31 de Maio de 1926
Fonte: Wikipedia
Superdomain: Neomura
Domain: Eukaryota
(unranked): Unikonta
(unranked): Obazoa
(unranked): Opisthokonta
(unranked) Holozoa
(unranked) Filozoa
Kingdom: Animalia
Subkingdom: Eumetazoa
(unranked): Bilateria
(unranked): Protostomia
Superphylum: Lophotrochozoa
Phylum: Mollusca
Subphylum: Conchifera
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Caenogastropoda
Order: Littorinimorpha
Superfamily: Stromboidea
Family: †Thersiteidae
Genus: †Hemithersitea
Species: †H. gregaria
Fossil (Otodontidae family) / South Carolina, USA / Copyright ©2007 by William Tanneberger - All Rights Reserved.
Megatooth Shark (Carcharocles megalodon)
Now extinct, the megalodon lived from roughly 25 to 1.6 million years ago, during the Miocene and Pliocene epochs.
South Carolina (Cooper River)
Originally posted to the Guess Where London group on 03-03-11.
'Endangered and Extinct' by creative recycling artist Val Hunt, an exhibition at Gloucester Cathedral, Saturday 26 September-Sunday 1 November 2020 in the Cloisters
From the Cathedral's website:
"This exhibition presents a subtle message about recycling and preservation, raising awareness of why the creatures on show are endangered or extinct...
Having worked for the past 29 years as a professional maker, Val Hunt continues to be amazed at the versatility of creative recycling. There is an enormous variety of discarded material just waiting to be reconstructed and given a new identity, especially Val's favourite material of drinks can metal. Intricate constructions and interesting textures are key elements found in her work, humour is also an added ingredient whenever possible.
Through experimentation, ingenuity and skill her work is always changing as she discovers new techniques and ways of constructing recycled materials to signal a new meaning. Her works recycles a diverse selection of throwaway material, from these she creates a fascinating selection of large and small sculptural pieces which are both appealing and informative.
Despite her use of manufactured materials, her main inspiration comes from the natural world. Val has a special interest in endangered and extinct species and most of her work reflects this. She makes animals, exotic birds, dinosaurs, insects and species of flora all on the edge or now extinct.
The increasing awareness of the effects of pollution, climate change, plastic in the Ocean and environment destruction on the habitat have influenced Val's work. She now dedicates her making to highlighting the plight of species that are on the edge or gone forever in her touring educational exhibition 'Endangered and Extinct'...
Val's work has been shown in exhibitions around the UK, Denmark, Japan, United Emirates, USA and toured overseas with the British Council. She has work in many permanent collections."
'Endangered and Extinct' by creative recycling artist Val Hunt, an exhibition at Gloucester Cathedral, Saturday 26 September-Sunday 1 November 2020 in the Cloisters
From the Cathedral's website:
"This exhibition presents a subtle message about recycling and preservation, raising awareness of why the creatures on show are endangered or extinct...
Having worked for the past 29 years as a professional maker, Val Hunt continues to be amazed at the versatility of creative recycling. There is an enormous variety of discarded material just waiting to be reconstructed and given a new identity, especially Val's favourite material of drinks can metal. Intricate constructions and interesting textures are key elements found in her work, humour is also an added ingredient whenever possible.
Through experimentation, ingenuity and skill her work is always changing as she discovers new techniques and ways of constructing recycled materials to signal a new meaning. Her works recycles a diverse selection of throwaway material, from these she creates a fascinating selection of large and small sculptural pieces which are both appealing and informative.
Despite her use of manufactured materials, her main inspiration comes from the natural world. Val has a special interest in endangered and extinct species and most of her work reflects this. She makes animals, exotic birds, dinosaurs, insects and species of flora all on the edge or now extinct.
The increasing awareness of the effects of pollution, climate change, plastic in the Ocean and environment destruction on the habitat have influenced Val's work. She now dedicates her making to highlighting the plight of species that are on the edge or gone forever in her touring educational exhibition 'Endangered and Extinct'...
Val's work has been shown in exhibitions around the UK, Denmark, Japan, United Emirates, USA and toured overseas with the British Council. She has work in many permanent collections."