Endangered Animals As You’ve Never Seen Them Before

Animalista Untamed

How do these animals strike you?

Doesn’t their majesty and power just shine out from this incredible artwork? Don’t they seem to have an almost god-like aura? Wondrous creatures as they are in the flesh. In their own right.

March 3 is UN Wildlife Day. 3 months ago I posted on Instagram that I wanted to create something for Charity. In just few days, a startup called AOK (Acts Of Kindness) contacted me and said they want to collaborate and turn this into reality. I will talk more about @aoklife and @wwfphilippines during the course of this project which I created 15 big paper cut of endangered animals. To start of, let me talk about the first of 15, the Polar Bears :) The reason why I picked them as the first animal for this series, due to the fact that the destruction of their habitat has a strong effect not just to the environment, but to you and me. We all have to realise, we are all connected to nature and #weareallendangered You can purchase this artwork at https://www.aoklife.com/auctions/25/Patrick-Cabral/Polar-Bear 50% of the proceeds will be donated to @wwfphilippines ———— (More info. via http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/polar-bear) Polar bears are classified as marine mammals because they spend most of their lives on the sea ice of the Arctic Ocean. They have a thick layer of body fat and a water-repellant coat that insulates them from the cold air and water. Considered talented swimmers, they can sustain a pace of six miles per hour by paddling with their front paws and holding their hind legs flat like a rudder. Polar bears spend over 50% of their time hunting for food, but less than 2% of their hunts are successful. Their diet mainly consists of ringed and bearded seals because they need large amounts of fat to survive. The total polar bear population is divided into 19 units or subpopulations. Of those, the latest data from the IUCN Polar Bear Specialist Group show that three subpopulations are in decline and that there is a high estimated risk of future decline due to climate change. Because of ongoing and potential loss of their sea ice habitat resulting from climate change, polar bears were listed as a threatened species in the US under the Endangered Species Act in May 2008. The survival and the protection of the polar bear habitat are urgent issues for WWF.

After the first shock of awe, we’re left gasping at the breathtaking level of craftsmanship and artistry. It’s miraculous.

Did you know that the Snow Leopard has no relation with the leopard? - it is closer to a Cheetah The snow leopard’s powerful build allows it to scale great steep slopes with ease. Its hind legs give the snow leopard the ability to leap six times the length of its body. A long tail provides balance and agility and also wraps around the resting snow leopard as protection from the cold. For millennia, this magnificent cat was the king of the mountains. The mountains were rich with their prey such as blue sheep, Argali wild sheep, ibex, marmots, pikas and hares. Snow leopards are found in 12 countries—including China, Bhutan, Nepal, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Russia, and Mongolia—but their population is dropping. Climate change poses perhaps the greatest long-term threat to snow leopards. Impacts from climate change could result in a loss of up to 30 percent of the snow leopard habitat in the Himalayas alone. You can purchase the artwork at https://www.aoklife.com/auctions/40/Patrick-Cabral/Snow-Leopard or follow the link on my profile. I’m donating 50% to @wwfphilippines Find out more about WWF’s initiative on Rhinos at https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/snow-leopard Follow @Aoklife to find out how you can help Charitable Institutions raise funds. Let me know what other endangered animals you want to see on paper cut on the comments.

Patrick Cabral, a Filippino art director is the man responsible for these masterpieces in the art of paper-cutting. And as if these jewels were not enough in themselves, Patrick is donating half the profits of their sale to the World Wildlife Fund, specifically to help conserve each of these endangered species.

What’s scaly from tip to tail and can curl into a ball? Pangolins! These solitary, primarily nocturnal animals, are easily recognized by their full armor of scales. A startled pangolin will cover its head with its front legs, exposing its scales to any potential predator. If touched or grabbed it will roll up completely into a ball, while the sharp scales on the tail can be used to lash out. Also called scaly anteaters because of their preferred diet, pangolins are increasingly victims of illegal wildlife crime—mainly in Asia and in growing amounts in Africa—for their meat and scales. Eight species of pangolins are found on two continents. They range from Vulnerable to Critically Endangered. Four species live in Africa: Black-bellied pangolin (Phataginus tetradactyla), White-bellied pangolin (Phataginus tricuspis), Giant Ground pangolin (Smutsia gigantea) and Temminck's Ground pangolin (Smutsia temminckii). The four species found in Asia: Indian pangolin (Manis crassicaudata), Philippine pangolin (Manis culionensis), Sunda pangolin (Manis javanica) and the Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla). All eight pangolin species are protected under national and international laws, and two are listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. You can purchase the artwork at https://www.aoklife.com/auctions/64/Patrick-Cabral/Pangolin or follow the link on my profile. I’m donating 50% to @wwfphilippines Find out more about WWF’s initiative on Pangolin at https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/pangolin Follow @Aoklife to find out how you can help Charitable Institutions raise funds. Let me know what other endangered animals you want to see on paper cut on the comments.

It’s almost weekend in my side of the world, but before I get some rest, here’s another paper cut for my @wwfphilippines and @aoklife collab. Here’s a fun fact I didn’t know about gorillas. Around the nose, there are a few wrinkles unique to each gorilla, a fact used by scientists to quickly identify them in the wild. All species (and sub-species) of gorilla are listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List.[12] Threats to gorilla survival include habitat destruction and poaching for the bushmeat trade. In 2004, a population of several hundred gorillas in the Odzala National Park, Republic of Congo was essentially wiped out by the Ebola virus.[67] A 2006 study published in Science concluded more than 5,000 gorillas may have died in recent outbreaks of the Ebola virus in central Africa. The researchers indicated in conjunction with commercial hunting of these apes, the virus creates

“I had the pleasure of meeting a couple of representatives from WWF. They were very passionate about saving these endangered species, and at the same time helping the communities around the habitat of these species. I wanted to help more than by just making these artworks in the safe confines of my home,” explained Patrick

Do you want to see these papercuts in great detail? Head on to http://behance.net/darkgravity or follow the link on my profile.

The first thing I read on Facebook today was

To find out more about the different endangered species brought so brilliantly to life in Patrick’s work, visit his website and just click on the thumbnails.
  • And to cap off this series is a papercut of a Giant Panda. It was still listed as an endangered species when I started this project last December 2016. In 2017 Giant panda is no longer endangered. There’s still hope for humanity after all :) You can purchase the artwork at https://www.aoklife.com/auctions/109/Patrick-Cabral/Panda or follow the link on my profile. I’m donating 50% to @wwfphilippines Find out more about WWF’s initiative on Giant Panda at https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/giant-panda Follow @Aoklife to find out how you can help Charitable Institutions raise funds.

  • Today's artwork for my @aoklife and @wwfphilippines collab is a sea turtle. I'm always reminded of a joke by George Carlin where he suggest that “plastic Did you know that the Dholes are famous for their communication skills? They produce a variety of sounds like growls, whistles, screams and clucks to communicate each other. In 2014, the Indian government sanctioned its first dhole conservation breeding centre at the Indira Gandhi Zoological Park (IGZP) in Visakhapatnam. The dhole has been protected in Russia since 1974, though it is vulnerable to poison left out for wolves. In China, the animal is listed as a category II protected species under the Chinese wildlife protection act of 1988. In Cambodia, the dhole is protected from all hunting, while conservation laws in Vietnam limit extraction and utilization. In 2016, the Korean company Sooam Biotech was reported to be attempting to clone the dhole using dogs as surrogate mothers to help conserve the species. You can purchase the artwork at https://www.aoklife.com/auctions/77/Patrick-Cabral/Dhole Or follow the link on my profile. I’m donating 50% to @wwfphilippines Follow @Aoklife to find out how you can help Charitable Institutions raise funds. Let me know what other endangered animals you want to see on paper cut on the comments.

    “I want to provide a contrast of soft materials with a predator,” says Patrick.

    There’s recent news lately of another animal considered from the endangered species list, were killed by poachers inside the National Park it were under protection in. And this time, it’s the elephant. Satao II, the last of the great tusker elephant, was found dead at the Tsavo East National Park, Kenya, believed to be shot by a poisoned arrow. Tusker elephants are considered to be precious and an in-demand commodity, often an attractive target to poachers for their ivory tusks, which can grow down to the ground and can weigh up to 112 pounds. Their tusks are used for medicines or other ivory-related commerce, a demand equally lucrative as the rhino, if not more. It's estimated that as few as 25 tuskers remain in all of Africa, and only 10 were observed by the Tsavo trust in January. My wife @origamidreamer, who knows more about the cultural significance of the elephants, saw this piece and instantly connected how it was important to certain religions and symbolisms. The elephants are symbolized by various cultures on wisdom, royal power and divine knowledge. They are gentle giants who, even with all their power and strength, emanates a sense of calm and familial bond. They are also important due to their longevity in their years, which proved to be beneficial for younger animals for their social and ecological experience. You can purchase the artwork at https://www.aoklife.com/auctions/28/Patrick-Cabral/Elephant follow the link on my profile. I’m donating 50% to @wwfphilippines Find out more about WWF’s initiative on Elephant at https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/elephant Follow @Aoklife to find out how you can help Charitable Institutions raise funds. Let me know what other endangered animals that needs more attention. Please repost if you feel like we should talk more about this issue.

    I was supposed to tell you to be like a tiger … You are fierce and you can do it! But, aren’t we already all like tigers, slowly getting killed by capitalism? Here’s an except from an article by Laurel Neme published at @natgeo on March 8 entitled

    Watch the artist at work

    Here’s another paper cut that I made for @wwfphilippines and @aoklife collaboration. It’s a 16x16 inches paper cut of Tamaraw or Mindoro dwarf buffalo (Bubalus mindorensis) I had a pleasure of meeting a couple of representative from WWF. They were very passionate about saving these endangered species, and at the same time help the communities around the habitat of these species. They were both very young and my wife and I left so inspired after the meeting. I wanted to help more than just making these artworks at the safe confines of my home. You can purchase this at https://www.aoklife.com/auctions/26/Patrick-Cabral/Tamaraw 50% of the proceeds goes to @wwfphilippines Here’s a brief info about tamaraw The world's Tamaraw (Bubalus mindorensis) population dropped by 97% within the last century. With only a few hundred remaining, swift action is needed to save these wild dwarf buffalo from extinction. In 2012, WWF-Philippines partnered with the Far Eastern University and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources for a programme called Tams-2, which seeks to double fragmented and little studied Tamaraw populations from 300 to 600 by 2020. From an initial count of 153 in 2001, the latest visual count of this endemic species was 345 in 2013. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has classified this Philippine dwarf buffalo as critically endangered – the highest risk rating for any plant or animal species. The Tamaraw is endemic to the Philippines, foraging up and down Mts. Iglit, Baco, Aruyan, Halcon and Calavite in Mindoro. The Tamaraw can be differentiated from the Carabao (Bubalus bubalis carabanensis) through its distinctive V-shaped horns, a shorter tail, and a shaggy coat of chocolate to ebony fur. Adults stand four feet tall and weigh an average of 300 kilograms. Find out more at http://www.wwf.org.ph/what-we-do/tamaraw-conservation

    Here’s a fun fact about Lynx. When a lynx kills, it consumes its prey, and after the cat is done eating; it buries the remains. That doesn’t sound fun at all for the prey :( The conservation effort taken to prevent the Iberian Lynx’s extinction has paid out, and from a shrinking population of less than 100 individuals in 2002, now 404 cats live in the Mediterranean forests of the Iberian Peninsula. A new ambitious conservation project, LIFE Iberlince, is recovering some of the lynx’s lost territories in Spain and Portugal. You can purchase the artwork a thttps://www.aoklife.com/auctions/34/Patrick-Cabral/Lynx or follow the link on my profile. I’m donating 50% to @wwfphilippines Follow @Aoklife to find out how you can help Charitable Institutions raise funds.

For the opportunity to purchase one of Patrick’s works, visit his auctions on acts of kindness
The pic below is not one of his paper cuts, nor a work to share with WWF, but I reckon it says a lot about Patrick’s outlook on life. I like it!
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Sources

This Incredible Artist is Using Paper to Save Endangered Species – One Green Planet

patrick cabral’s breathtaking papercuts raise awareness for endangered species – designboom

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11 thoughts on “Endangered Animals As You’ve Never Seen Them Before”

  1. Holy moly! That paper cutting is breathtakingly beautiful. It makes you wish the animals were made of something less fragile and more lasting. On the other hand, that very fragility is an appropriate reminder that all the lives depicted are not indestructible and are at risk because of us.

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