
Wildlife
I have always been drawn to Africa and the amazing wildlife and diverse
habitats. I also happen to be a very big dog fan, having 3 rescues
of my own. The African Wild Dog, also know by a few other names
(Painted Wolf & Painted Dog), is quite reclusive and shy. This wonderfully
unique canine, with their beautiful spotted tri-colored coat, is one of the
Most Endangered Carnivore in the World. They use to roam all across
Africa in 32 Countries in excess of 450,000. Today, sadly there remain
fewer than 5000 left in the wild in Africa,with only 32 breeding pairs.
This is due to habitat loss, snares, poaching, poison and illegal hunting.
This intelligent canine is in a steady decline despite the efforts of
non-profit organizations such as the www.Painteddog.org, who trains
and educates the local people to enlist their help. By recruiting the local
people to help protect these rare animals, rather that hunting or poaching
the organization provides income to local villagers and gets the support
of the people. Together they work with rangers to track, collar and
provide veterinary care to the small remaining packs left in the wild.
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Artists, Photographers, writers and scientists are banning together to help
this species and many others, in Africa, and across the world, to call
awareness to this global crisis. It is my goal to bring awareness through
my artwork, in the efforts to highlight that we are losing ecosystems
daily with grave impacts on people around the world. We are seeing the
acceleration of extinction of species at an unprecedent rate. The numbers are alarming, thought to be between 1000-10,000 higher
than the normal extinction rate*, in the last 114 years. It has been estimated that we could potentially lose up to 1/3 of
all the animals by the year 2050.
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I have pledged to give 30% of my profits from the sale of these images from the "Vanishing Wildlife Collection" to a variety of
non-profits including the www.Painteddog.org wwwafw.org www.africanccf.org. By purchasing my artwork on-line, either an original painting or a
Limited Edition Giclee print, you will be providing financial support to this on-going mission, in the efforts we will not watch
another species pass unnoticed from this earth.
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Whitney Kurlan