WHY I PAINT VULTURES AND WHY I AM SUPPORTING THREE VULTURE CONSERVATION PROJECTS
WHERE HAS CONSERVATION MONEY GONE TO?
TO RHINOS, ELEPHANTS, PRIMATES, BIG CATS, THE BIG AND HAIRY
CONSERVATION, GLAMSERVATION!!
DO VULTURES HAVE A PRETTY FACE
I BELIEVE VULTURES ARE BEAUTIFUL AND MAGNIFICENT
AND SHOULD BE LOOKED AFTER JUST FOR THOSE REASONS
AS SHOULD ANY CREATURE THAT SHARES THE PLANET WITH US
BUT IN CASE YOU NEED MORE CONVINCING…
ARE VULTURES IMPORTANT?
HUMAN HEALTH COST OF NOT HAVING VULTURES IN INDIA:
40 BILLION $US OVER A 12 YEAR PERIOD
DEALING WITH INCREASES IN ANTHRAX, RABIES AND OTHER PROBLEMS
WHAT ARE WE DOING TO VULTURES IN AFRICA?
WE POISON THEM BECAUSE WE BELIEVE WITH A DEAD VULTURES HEAD IN OUR HAND WE CAN SEE INTO THE FUTURE AND PREDICT A FOOTBALL SCORE
A 90% DECLINE IN VULTURES IN WEST AFRICA
DO WE DESERVE THE PLANET?
NOT UNTIL THE PEOPLE WHO CARE COLLECTIVELY ABOUT THE PLANET START TO OUTNUMBER THE PEOPLE WHO DON’T CARE
WE POISON THEM ACCIDENTALLY WHEN WE PUT OUT POISON TO KILL CARNIVORES WHICH THREATEN OUR LIVESTOCK. THERE ARE OTHER WAYS OF DEALING WITH THIS.
A 60% DECLINE IN VULTURES IN EAST AFRICA
I AM DONATING 10% OF ANY SALES OF MY AFRICAN RAPTOR PLATES AND PRINTS TO THE PEREGRINE FUND AFRICA PROGRAM WHO WORK HARD TO PREVENT AND DEAL WITH VULTURE POISONINGS
WE POISON THEM BECAUSE WE DON’T WANT THEM TO LEAD THE GAME GUARDS TO THE SCENES OF OUR CRIMES WHERE WE KILL RHINOS FOR THEIR HORNS
& WE USE CHEMICALS TO TREAT BLOWFLY STRIKE ON SHEEP THAT POISONS VULTURES, EACH SHEEP DYING WITHOUT VULTURES CLEANING THEIR CARCASSES LAUNCHES ANOTHER 210,000 FLIES INTO THE ENVIRONMENT.
A 40% DECLINE IN VULTURES IN SOUTHERN AFRICA
inspired from my time on ‘The Thumb’ while filming these birds for Fergus Beeley and David Attenborough’s ‘Life of Birds’
I AM DONATING THIS PAINTING OF THE BEARDED VULTURE IN THE DRAKENSBERG TO VULPRO IN SOUTH AFRICA WHO WORK HARD TO PREVENT AND DEAL WITH VULTURE POISONINGS IN SOUTHERN AFRICA. VULPRO WILL BE SELLING PRINTS OF THE PAINTING TO RAISE FUNDS FOR THEIR WORK AND IF YOU BUY A PRINT FROM THEM YOU ENTER INTO A DRAW FOR THE ORIGINAL PAINTING, A LARGE OIL ON CANVAS (1.2 X 1.2m)
WHY WE NEED TO MAKE A FUSS OF SPAIN AND PORTUGAL
DESPITE ALL THE WIND TURBINES AND PROBLEMS, VULTURES HAVE INCREASED HERE FROM 5000 PAIRS TO 30000 PAIRS BECAUSE WE HAVE LARGELY OVERCOME POISONING
WE NEED TO CELEBRATE THE CORK OAK SAVANNAS OF THESE COUNTRIES BECAUSE THIS HABITAT OFFERS A MOST WONDERFUL EXAMPLE OF PEOPLE AND WILDLIFE CO-EXISTING AND MAKING A LIVING OFF THE LAND
I AM DONATING 10% OF ANY SALES OF THE PAINTINGS AND BOOK (WITH AMANDA SQUIRE) ON THE CORK OAK SAVANNAS TO THE VULTURE CONSERVATION FOUNDATION WHO ARE ESTABLISHING VULTURE RESTAURANTS ALONG THE SPANISH / PORTUGUESE BORDER
SATURDAY 6 SEPTEMBER IS INTERNATIONAL VULTURE AWARENESS DAY
FOR ANY ORDERS RECEIVED ON THIS DAY I WILL DOUBLE OUR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THESE VULTURE PROJECTS.
otherwise simply try be aware of them at some stage tomorrow / today / yesterday, and what large unseen work they do to maintain a healthy environment.