Collection: Bewildering Biodiversity

 BEWILDERING BIODIVERSITY

Biodiversity is defined as the variety of biological life in the world or in a particular ecosystem. A high level of biodiversity is said to be beneficial to the environment, as both flora and fauna interact with each other in a constant arms race for survival, with these struggles being essential for the balance of life on Earth. 

Bewildering Biodiversity, acrylic on canvas, 2020. Set of 9, each piece 10" X 10" 

Unicorn

Grassland Unicorn, acrylic on canvas, 2020

The unicorn is a mysterious animal. Many people believe that unicorns resemble horses with a single horn emerging from its forehead. It also may have originated from sightings of horned herbivorous mammals which usually have two horns with one of them broken, making it look as it it had one horn on its head.

Lion

Lions in grassland, acrylic on canvas, 2020

In ancient times, lions were thought to be the “kings of the jungle”. However, lions do not live in dense forests but prefer open grasslands. They somehow have a more popular nickname: the “king of the beasts”.

Rhinoceros and Oxpeckers

Rhino and Oxpeckers, acrylic on canvas, 2020

Rhinoceroses are usually seen with small birds perching on its back. These birds are called oxpeckers (Buphagus sp.), which help large animals such as rhinos, buffalo and even giraffes to get rid of parasites. As both animals benefit from this interaction, it is said to be a mutualistic relationship. The oxpeckers shown in the painting are yellow-billed oxpeckers (Buphagus africanus).

Macaws

Macaws, acrylic on canvas, 2020

The blue-and-gold macaw (Ara ararauna) and the red-and-green macaw (Ara chloropterus) are some of the most popular members of the parrot family. They are very common in their native range in northern and central South America, especially in the Amazon Rainforest.

Brahminy Kite

Brahminy Kite, acrylic on canvas, 2020

The brahminy kite (Haliastur indus) is a member of the eagle family which can be found in India, Southeast Asia (including Malaysia) and Australia. It is the symbol and namesake of Langkawi Island off the coast of Kedah, Malaysia, where a large statue of the eagle was located.

Bull Shark

Bull Sharks, acrylic on canvas, 2020

Bull sharks (Carcharhinus taurus) are one of the few sharks which are able to adapt to freshwater life. They can be found in warm oceans and rivers worldwide near the equator. This painting shows a trio in what appears to be a river in Africa with a large hippopotamus swimming above them.

Cassowary

Southern Cassowary, acrylic on canvas, 2020

The southern cassowary (Casuarius casuarius) is a beautiful flightless bird which lives in New Guinea and northern Australia. They are closely related to kiwis, another type of flightless bird found in New Zealand. The most distinctive feature on cassowaries is its head which is vivid blue and sports a hard, horn-like crest on top of its head. The painting also depicts a cassowary chick and eggs, along with a flying fox flying overhead.

Narwhal and Beluga

Narwhal and Beluga, acrylic on canvas, 2020

The narwhal (Monodon monoceros) and beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas) are two types of whale which live in the Arctic regions and are closely related to each other. The narwhal is known for the long tusk which protrudes from one of its canine teeth, which gave it its nickname, the "unicorn of the sea". The beluga can be easily identified for its light coloration and possesses a melon (which is contained in the bulge on its forehead) which is used for echolocation to round up its preferred food: fish and squid.

Giant Arapaima

Giant Arapaima, acrylic on canvas, 2020

The giant arapaima (also known as the pirarucu, Arapaima gigas) is the world’s largest freshwater fish. They measure about 2 meters long from nose to tail and weigh up to 200 kilograms. The painting shows one of these fish with its young in a freshwater coral reef at the mouth of the Amazon River. This area is also home to the Amazon river dolphin (Inia geoffrensis).