Dying Out

Extinction of many many species is a reality that is more harsh every day of this century. The precise number of species that are in critical danger isn't clear (after all, we don't even know how many species there actually are) but without doubt the number is in the thousands, more likely the tens of thousands. The loss of biodiversity and the rupturing fabric of world ecology seems poised to accelerate as the planet's climates change. We are all, all species, in danger. The current losses are simply the first wave in a looming mass extinction event that could devastate the planet.

These past weeks part of my daily drawing practice has involved drawing endangered species, partly out of sympathy and partly out of interest and partly to raise my own and others' awareness of the magnitude of the problem. The idea is to study these creatures before they are completely gone. As such these images are simple statements of fact--these animals that are disappearing, some more rapidly than others. Perhaps someone who sees these drawings may be moved to work on the problem.

Hoff, "Cheetah," digital painting

The first animal image posted is of an African cheetah, which isn't endangered, strictly speaking, but close. The cheetah, fastest land animal, is considered "vulnerable," a step slightly above endangered. But loss of habitat and hunting are serious threats to these animals, though many now exist in zoos. This particular image is a complete digital painting.

Hoff, "The Koala," digital painting

The koala is now under serious threat because of bushfires in Australia and humans encroaching on its habitat. The Australian fires killed many koala and destroyed immense areas of eucalyptus forest, its home and its food source. According to current estimates, thousands of individuals are left, but the slaughter of these animals by fire and by humans has reached a tipping point of "functional extinction." The term means that it is likely not enough koala will be able to come together to maintain the species. The fires have destroyed their homes. Many will likely starve. They produce offspring once a year. The outcome may be grim. Perhaps Australia will save their national symbol. I fervently hope so. 

Hoff, "Bonobo," digital

Another African species in significant danger is the bonobo, one of the four great ape species, along with gorillas, chimpanzees, and orangutans. They resemble chimps and were once thought to be pygmy chimpanzees but are now known as a clearly separate species with very different social and behavioral patterns. And they are significantly endangered by shrinking space to live. Moreover these delightful and intelligent cousins of ours are sometimes still hunted to be eaten--so-called "bush meat." Happily, efforts have been underway for decades to save these creatures. This bonobo was purposely given an expression suggesting questioning disgust.

Hoff, "Ring Tail," digital painting

The last for today is a digital painting of a ring-tailed lemur, a species that is in severe danger of extinction. Lemurs all live on Madagascar, where their habitat shrinks with human expansion. These animals are down to fewer than 2000, and perhaps only a few hundred remain in the wild.

The creatures in these drawings are mostly cute, or admirable, or us humans have some kind of emotional involvement with them. But there are thousand of less attractive, or dangerous, or downright disgusting creatures. Some estimates place the number of endangered species in the tens of thousands, with more being added continuously. The list of endangered species in the planet varies from source to source. Regardless, we are killing our fellow creatures at an ever-accelerating pace.

What must we do? What will we do?

It makes me terribly sad.