Wildlife Conservation Artwork - Wildlife in the Balance

by simon

Sperm Whales chasing squid in the deep sea. Sperm Whales can eat almost a tonne of prey each day, which means catching between 350-700 squid. They do this using incredible sensory adaptations combined with an ability to know exactly where squid occur and contributing back to the health of supporting ecosystems. These social and cultural connections to the ocean have developed over many thousands of years and are a large part of the puzzle about how animals like Sperm Whales can make a living. Drawing by Simon Mustoe.

Art gallery

Here is a selection of artwork to browse that I’ve done for my blogs and my book ‘Wildlife in the Balance’.

Sperm Whales chasing squid in the deep sea. Sperm Whales can eat almost a tonne of prey each day, which means catching between 350-700 squid. They do this using incredible sensory adaptations combined with an ability to know exactly where squid occur and contributing back to the health of supporting ecosystems. These social and cultural connections to the ocean have developed over many thousands of years and are a large part of the puzzle about how animals like Sperm Whales can make a living. Drawing by Simon Mustoe.

Why is wildlife conservation important? Layers of animal life cover our planet influencing everything from the the atmosphere to our oceans and soil. Without them we would not have a habitable planet. Wild animals turn dust into soil, carbon into food and the weather into a fair climate for living.

Sun bears are rarely observed. This one has climbed high above the ground, attracted by the sweet smell of fruiting figs. The bear's behaviour has shaped the forest, influencing its structure from the ground up for perhaps millions of years. This has formed patterns and relationships with other creatures, such as the stingless fig wasps that swarm around its favourite food. The destiny of fruits, wasps and bears are intertwined, becoming part of the rainforest. The survival of this ecosystem and all it does for humanity is in the paws of this creature. Its protection in the wild is a tangible necessity for the future of humanity. This is why saving sun bears is important. Illustration by Simon Mustoe.

What is the normal number of animals? A visit to the Rothwell Sanctuary This is a reasonable interpretation of what we saw when we visited. In the Mount Rothwell sanctuary, the animals run wild. They are eaten by predators, and each other (we didn't see quolls that night, but they are about). To see Brush-tailed Rock Wallabies, Rufous Bettongs, Southern Brown Bandicoots and Eastern Barred Bandicoots feeding in close proximity, is normal. These densities of animals are what we would once have had roaming in Melbourne. In parts of Tasmania, around Hobart and on Bruny Island, you can still see this too. Image by Simon Mustoe.

Grey-headed Flying Fox. Drawing, Simon Mustoe.

Atlantic White-sided Dolphins and Pilot Whales. Drawing, Simon Mustoe.

Eurasian Otter. Drawing, Simon Mustoe

Pangolin. Drawing by Simon Mustoe.

Gray Wolves. Drawing, Simon Mustoe.

Wildlife Conservation Artwork. The importance of wildlife: Animal Impact. Minke Whale. Drawing, Simon Mustoe.

Wildlife Conservation Artwork.The importance of wildlife: Animal Impact. Long-tailed Ducks in winter in the Baltic Sea. Drawing, Simon Mustoe.

Wildlife Conservation Artwork.The importance of wildlife: Animal Impact. The Euro, or Common Wallaroo, is one of Australia’s largest marsupials. Drawing, Simon Mustoe

Saving the Golden-shouldered Parrot. Drawing by Simon Mustoe.

The importance of wildlife: Animal Impact. Tuna chasing herring. Drawing, Simon Mustoe

Wildlife Conservation Artwork.The importance of wildlife: Animal Impact. Dugongs. Drawing, Simon Mustoe

The soil-pollen cycle. Drawing, Simon Mustoe.

Wildlife Conservation Artwork.European Badger, Drawing by Simon Mustoe

Wildlife Conservation Artwork.Southern Ocean Albatrosses, Drawing by Simon Mustoe

The importance of wildlife: Animal Impact. Bumphead Parrotfish. Drawing by Simon Mustoe.

Wildlife Conservation Artwork.The importance of wildlife: Animal Impact. Australian outback birds, drawing Simon Mustoe

Wildlife Conservation Artwork.Ladybugs mating. Drawing by Simon Mustoe

Wildlife Conservation Artwork.Blue Whale, Drawing by Simon Mustoe

Prehistoric Earth, Drawing by Simon Mustoe

The importance of wildlife: Animal Impact. Neolithic hunters and wooly mammoth. Drawing, Simon Mustoe.

The importance of wildlife: Animal Impact. Cuvier's Beaked Whale. Drawing, Simon Mustoe

Wildlife Conservation Artwork.Brazilian Tapir, Drawing by Simon Mustoe

Wildlife Conservation Artwork.Bornean Orangutan, Drawing by Simon Mustoe

Thorny Devil. Drawing, Simon Mustoe.

Wildlife Conservation Artwork.The importance of wildlife: Animal Impact. Killer Whales and Brim Explorer. Drawing by Simon Mustoe.

Wildlife Conservation Artwork.Humpback Whales in the Antarctic, Drawing by Simon Mustoe

.Sea Otter, Drawing by Simon Mustoe

Wildlife Conservation Artwork.Green Turtle, Drawing by Simon Mustoe

Wildlife Conservation Artwork.Hammerhead Shark over coral reef, Drawing by Simon Mustoe

Wildlife Conservation Artwork.Short-finned Pilot Whales, Drawing by Simon Mustoe

Wildlife Conservation Artwork.Saltwater Crocodile, Drawing by Simon Mustoe

Golden-haired Snail, Drawing by Simon Mustoe

Galapagos Penguin and the Pacific Equatorial Countercurrent. Drawing, Simon Mustoe

Southern Right Whale and Bottlenose Dolphins. Drawing, Simon Mustoe.

Mangrove ecosystems. Drawing, Simon Mustoe

Arabian Oryx. Drawing, Simon Mustoe.

Cat Ba Langur. Drawing, Simon Mustoe.

Bar-headed Geese migrate over the Himalayas between breeding grounds on the Mongolian steppes (May to September) to wintering areas in coastal India (October to March). They miss the worst of the weather by timing their movements between the two monsoons. From June to August warm air rises over the Himalayas, dragging moisture from the Indian Ocean, creating rain, snow and storms. Then from December to February this reverses strongly. The atmosphere cools creating snow storms and the rush of air drops spectacularly, propagating a wave of cloud and rainfall that sweeps across entire continents. This predictable burst of moisture kick starts wildlife processes over much of the world and is responsible for delivering healthy soils and food. By this time, 100,000 geese are foraging in low lying fertile floodplains, along with billions of other migratory birds. Over hundreds of thousands of years, they've transferred, amplified and concentrated nutrients in these places, delivering food conditions for more sedentary animals like us. This is how our survival is inextricably bound to the movements of birds and the climate conditions they help keep stable. Drawing, Simon Mustoe.

Tiger Sharks feeding on a Sperm Whale carcass. Fish, remoras, seabirds and others gather in to sweep up the waste. The oil trail attracts seabirds from hundreds of miles around, as the blood trail does similar for sharks below. Whale carcasses are free-floating nutrient banks and only the most highly adapted animals can make good on this essential means of balancing ecosystem carbon and nutrients. This makes Tiger Sharks one of the most important animals to conserve if we are to rebuild a habitable world. Image by Simon Mustoe, Wildiaries.

Jumping spiders are ambush predators and often lurk in the shadows. A mosquito is good enough prey but they will take on insects larger than themselves. Thin strands of silk between leaves is a giveaway to their presence. When they jump, they tie themselves on. The silk allows for a more controlled jump and breaks their fall if they miss. They usually 'fly' blind. Image by Simon Mustoe.

Penguins of the Fleurieu Peninsula. Image, Simon Mustoe

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Accept Read More