Self Defined Project - British Endangered Animals

For our last project of year my idea was to link endangered animals with limited print runs. My aim was to create prints of some endangered animals as well as some more common animals for comparison and then print a number related to their population numbers. I also intended to create a series of trading cards based on this for a younger audience.

Originally this was going to be endangered animals around the world but then I wanted to specifically look at the UK as this is a less popular topic and brings it to the doorstep of my audience.

I researched endangered animals in the UK as well as trading cards/artist trading cards/mail art. It was difficult getting a consistent idea of what is endangered in the UK especially specific numbers.

I got a general overview of what is endangered from these websites:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/gallery/2007/jun/29/endangeredspecies.conservationandendangeredspecies#/?picture=330127834&index=7
 
http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/the-10-most-endangered-species-in-britain-414113.html

http://www.animalcorner.co.uk/endangered/bi_mammals.html

I looked up the overall status of each animal on the IUCN Redlist.

I decided to visit the New Forest Wildlife Center as it has a few of the common and endangered species that were coming up in my searches. Below are some of the photos I took there:

I then needed to get more exact numbers to be able to visually communicate the vulnerability of each animal. I also felt at this point that I wanted to leave the trading card aspect and move into more of an exhibit of the prints displayed in an almost infographic-y way. 

I found maps which gave locations and vague sighting information at the sites below:

http://data.nbn.org.uk/index_homepage/index.jsp

http://data.gbif.org/welcome.htm

However in the end I was able to find a very detailed study that took place 6 years ago which gave approximate numbers, as well as locations, of many British Mammals, Birds, Butterflies etc.

http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/page-4063