Page 35 - BBC Wildlife - August 2017 UK

WILDLIFE ART

AMUR LEOPARD
Panthera pardus orientalis
The rarest of the rare big cats is threatened
by poaching for the illegal wildlife trade. As
Ceri says: “I can’t believe in this day and
age that anyone could look themselves in
the mirror and say, ‘Today I really must get
a nice amur leopard-skin pill-box hat.’”

Critical

critters

Art, humour and ome might say that species of journalist Hunter S Thompson in the
grave conservation concern 1970s, and true to form, Critical Critters
conservation can go are no laughing matter. But does not conform to what we expect in art
well together. Ralph the unlikely duo of artist Ralph or writing about endangered species. For a
start, it has jokes – puns, visual humour and
Steadman and writer and film-
Steadman and Ceri maker Ceri Levy beg to differ, nonsense abound in the best tradition of
S as the opening ditty in their book Edward Lear (himself a noted bird artist).
Levy’s new book Critical Critters makes plain: “We’re twos Also like Lear, the book introduces some
about endangered gonzovationists/That’s conservation with gloriously silly make-believe creatures, such
a twist/And laughter has to be the key/
as the grunting spiked turt and red wowlet.
animals is irreverent When we smile we are engaged.” Silly maybe, but Steadman and Levy hope
Gonzovationists?The term isa nod to that their humour and passion cut through
yet deadly serious. Steadman’s collaborations with ‘gonzo’ the gloom engulfing our rarest species.

August 2017 BBC Wildlife 35