Not So Hopeless
Proof that one person truly is capable of making a positive difference in the world, Emily has been on a mission to find stories of individuals successfully helping endangered animals come back from the brink of extinction. In a world full of turmoil, the tranquil essence that drifts through Emily’s artwork is a welcome salve for broken hearts and troubled minds.
Over 60 artworks, each inspired by a story, and counting. Notsohopeless.com
Over 60 artworks, each inspired by a story, and counting. Notsohopeless.com
Pangolin, China
Pangolin, acrylic and spray paint, 9x9 feet, Location: Entrance to Ruelle Verte at the corner of Jules Vernes and De Gaspé, Montreal, Canada, Painted for "Stay at Home Mural Festival" organized by Sea Walls and PangeaSeed
In 2020, China removed pangolin scales from the list of approved traditional medicines."“This is the single greatest measure that could be taken to save the pangolins,” says Peter Knights, CEO of the environmental nonprofit WildAid. Pangolins now are ranked Class 1—the status given to the nation’s beloved panda—which prohibits almost all domestic trade and use of the animals." - Pangolins receive surprising lifeline with new protections in China, National Geographic, DINA FINE MARON, JUNE 9, 2020
Saimaa Seal, Finland
Painted at Eteläinen Rastitie 7, Vantaa, Finland. Funded by Street Art Vantaa, the City of Vantaa and Marjatta-Saatio.
All means of protecting the Saimaa ringed seal are necessary. Thanks to decades of conservation efforts, the seal population has gradually risen from 150 to 360 individuals.
“The Saimaa ringed seal remains highly endangered,” says Tolvanen. “The official interim goal is 400 seals by the year 2025. Then extinction would no longer be an immediate threat, but even that is in no way adequate.”
- Tiina Suomalainen
Read more: Finland.fi - Still saving Finlands Saimaa Ringed Seal
All means of protecting the Saimaa ringed seal are necessary. Thanks to decades of conservation efforts, the seal population has gradually risen from 150 to 360 individuals.
“The Saimaa ringed seal remains highly endangered,” says Tolvanen. “The official interim goal is 400 seals by the year 2025. Then extinction would no longer be an immediate threat, but even that is in no way adequate.”
- Tiina Suomalainen
Read more: Finland.fi - Still saving Finlands Saimaa Ringed Seal
Fin Whale, Italy
Painted at 351 Rue de Bellechasse, Montréal, Canada. Funded by Elio Pizzeria.
Fin whales were hunted everywhere for the first three-quarters of the 20th century, causing major population decline. Largely thanks to the ban on whaling in 1986 and through conservation efforts such as at the Pelagos Sanctuary in Italy, populations have been increasing since 1995.
Read more: ESA Success Stories, IUCN Report, Pelagos Sanctuary
Fin whales were hunted everywhere for the first three-quarters of the 20th century, causing major population decline. Largely thanks to the ban on whaling in 1986 and through conservation efforts such as at the Pelagos Sanctuary in Italy, populations have been increasing since 1995.
Read more: ESA Success Stories, IUCN Report, Pelagos Sanctuary
White-Tailed Eagle, Finland
Painted in Helsinki Finland in collaboration Ruusa Art, PoppaMaija, Fancy Hoo. Supported by Mimmit Peinttaa.
''Thanks to the efforts of Finnish nature conservationists, majestic white-tailed eagles have returned from the brink of extinction, and today they are a common sight soaring over the waters and islands of Finland’s beautiful Baltic archipelagoes.'' (1)
(1) Visit Finland
''Thanks to the efforts of Finnish nature conservationists, majestic white-tailed eagles have returned from the brink of extinction, and today they are a common sight soaring over the waters and islands of Finland’s beautiful Baltic archipelagoes.'' (1)
(1) Visit Finland
Leatherback Sea Turtle, Thailand
.Thailand has discovered the largest number of nests of rare leatherback sea turtles in two decades on beaches bereft of tourists because of the coronavirus pandemic, environmentalists say.
The 11 turtle nests authorities have found since last November were the highest number in 20 years, said Kongkiat Kittiwatanawong, the director of the Phuket Marine Biological Centre.
“This is a very good sign for us because many areas for spawning have been destroyed by humans,” he said. No such nests had been found for the previous five years.
Coronavirus lockdown boosts numbers of Thailand's rare sea turtles, Apr 2020, The Guardian
Leatherback Sea Turtle, acrylic and spray paint, 9x9 feet, Location: Entrance to Ruelle Verte at the corner of Jules Vernes and De Gaspé, Montreal, Canada, Painted for "Stay at Home Mural Festival" organized by Sea Walls and PangeaSeed.
The 11 turtle nests authorities have found since last November were the highest number in 20 years, said Kongkiat Kittiwatanawong, the director of the Phuket Marine Biological Centre.
“This is a very good sign for us because many areas for spawning have been destroyed by humans,” he said. No such nests had been found for the previous five years.
Coronavirus lockdown boosts numbers of Thailand's rare sea turtles, Apr 2020, The Guardian
Leatherback Sea Turtle, acrylic and spray paint, 9x9 feet, Location: Entrance to Ruelle Verte at the corner of Jules Vernes and De Gaspé, Montreal, Canada, Painted for "Stay at Home Mural Festival" organized by Sea Walls and PangeaSeed.
Alpine Ibex, Gran Paradiso National Park, Italy
Painted at 351 Rue de Bellechasse, Montréal, Canada. Funded by Elio Pizzeria.
Starting in the 16th Century, the alpine ibex was heavily poached until after the second world war, only 416 ibex remained in the whole world. All of the ibex remaining resided in the Gran Paradiso National park in Italy. Greatly thanks to work done by rangers, there are now over 4,000 in the park and over 30,000 in the world.(1)
"Now, with greater protection, there are almost 4,000 (in the Gran Paradiso National Park) of these stocky, fearless, remarkably trusting grazers in lush mountain pastures in summer, descending to lower elevations in winter, only glancing up in mild surprise when quiet visitors approach within a few yards." (2)
Read more: (1) IUCN Red List Report (2) World Wide Safari guide "Gran Paradiso" based on the prize-winning book Nature's Stronghold, Princeton University Press
Starting in the 16th Century, the alpine ibex was heavily poached until after the second world war, only 416 ibex remained in the whole world. All of the ibex remaining resided in the Gran Paradiso National park in Italy. Greatly thanks to work done by rangers, there are now over 4,000 in the park and over 30,000 in the world.(1)
"Now, with greater protection, there are almost 4,000 (in the Gran Paradiso National Park) of these stocky, fearless, remarkably trusting grazers in lush mountain pastures in summer, descending to lower elevations in winter, only glancing up in mild surprise when quiet visitors approach within a few yards." (2)
Read more: (1) IUCN Red List Report (2) World Wide Safari guide "Gran Paradiso" based on the prize-winning book Nature's Stronghold, Princeton University Press
Peregrine Falcon, Montreal, Quebec
In 1980, there was only one peregrine falcon nesting couple left in southern Quebec which increased to 196 by 2015. (1) In 2018 in Montreal, fifteen have been born in Montreal and all have survived! (2) Peregrine Falcons in Quebec have consistently occupying more territories since 1970. (3) Populations of peregrine falcons have increased all over Canada greatly thanks to the ban on the insecticide DDT. (1)
""This species has undergone a large and statistically significant increase over the last 40 years in North America (2,600% increase over 40 years)" (4)
Read more: (1) Peregrine falcon population sees record growth in Quebec, CBC, Oct 2015, (2) Une Excellent Année Pour le Faucon Pérlin à Montreal, Radio Canada, Martin Labrosse, 2018, (3) Quebec Management Plan for Peregrine Falcons, COSEWIC, (4) IUCN, Red list: Peregrine Falcon, The peregrine falcon's remarkable turnaround - Canadian Geographic, Harry Wilson, Dec.2017,
""This species has undergone a large and statistically significant increase over the last 40 years in North America (2,600% increase over 40 years)" (4)
Read more: (1) Peregrine falcon population sees record growth in Quebec, CBC, Oct 2015, (2) Une Excellent Année Pour le Faucon Pérlin à Montreal, Radio Canada, Martin Labrosse, 2018, (3) Quebec Management Plan for Peregrine Falcons, COSEWIC, (4) IUCN, Red list: Peregrine Falcon, The peregrine falcon's remarkable turnaround - Canadian Geographic, Harry Wilson, Dec.2017,
Brown Bear, Tolosa, Basque Country, Spain
Funded by the City of Tolosa and Gko Gallery for the Beantatuz Street Art Festival.
Brown bears almost became extinct due to illegal poaching in the Cantabrian Mountains, in the Basque Region of Northern Spain. Thanks to efforts from EuroNature and other foundations the population has almost double within ten years. (1)
Learn more: (1)The Guardian: Brown Bears Rising in Europe
Organisations: EuroNatur, Fundacio Oso Asturias, Fundacio Oso Pardo
Brown bears almost became extinct due to illegal poaching in the Cantabrian Mountains, in the Basque Region of Northern Spain. Thanks to efforts from EuroNature and other foundations the population has almost double within ten years. (1)
Learn more: (1)The Guardian: Brown Bears Rising in Europe
Organisations: EuroNatur, Fundacio Oso Asturias, Fundacio Oso Pardo
Egyptian Vulture, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
Catalonia is the only area in Europe where the Egyptian Vulture population is increasing. An interesting study from 1988 -2014 found that vultures in the area actually prefer to eat at landfills rather than in conservation areas where food is laid out for them. (2) Since 1988, their population has jumped from just one breeding pair to 28 (1) and they are occupying all their historical territories as well as new ones (3).
Read more: (1)Egyptian Vultures increasing in Catalonia, Vulture Conservation Foundation (2) Mass landfills are saving endangered vultures from extinction, New Scientist (3) Monitoring Vultures
Organisations: EuroNatur, Fundacio Oso Asturias, Fundacio Oso Pardo
Read more: (1)Egyptian Vultures increasing in Catalonia, Vulture Conservation Foundation (2) Mass landfills are saving endangered vultures from extinction, New Scientist (3) Monitoring Vultures
Organisations: EuroNatur, Fundacio Oso Asturias, Fundacio Oso Pardo
Grizzly Bear, Canada
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IUCN declares that brown bear populations around the world are now stable. However, there are isolated populations that are at risk. Some areas in southern British Columbia are at the greatest risk, where there are approximately less than 10 remaining. (1)
"These bears continue to face threats from human-related conflicts and habitat loss and fragmentation, bringing them closer and closer to disappearing from landscapes they currently occupy." - (2) CPAWS is a non-profit organization that has started fighting to save the brown bears in these regions. "Grizzly bears are an “umbrella species”- ensuring their survival requires that the health of the ecosystem as a whole is maintained, and by doing so this protects a much broader array of species." CPAWS Learn more: (1) IUCN Report, (2) CPAWS, BC bans grizzly hunt as federal government proposes listing under Species at Risk Act, Dec 18, 2017 Organisations: CPAWS |
Crocodile, El Salvador
Painted at 350 Rue Saint-Zotique, Montreal, Canada, Funded by La Carreta.
"Crocodiles were massively sought by hunters who wanted their skin.” said Jose Antonio Villeda the “Crocodile Nanny”. At one point in the 1980s, only five of the scaly creatures remained. During nesting season, impoverished locals collect molluscs and crabs and, during nesting season, will also take crocodile eggs to eat.
From 1990, rangers at the Barra de Santiago nature Reserve in El Salvador started to monitor nesting sites of the few remaining crocs. Thanks to education outreach programs locals started to bring Villeda any eggs they found. He would hatch and nurse them until they are ready to be released.
“What is gratifying is that we now have a real crocodile population. We have gone from five to more than 200," Villeda said. (Jose Antonio Villeda (Crocodile Nanny)”
Read more: Business Insider
"Crocodiles were massively sought by hunters who wanted their skin.” said Jose Antonio Villeda the “Crocodile Nanny”. At one point in the 1980s, only five of the scaly creatures remained. During nesting season, impoverished locals collect molluscs and crabs and, during nesting season, will also take crocodile eggs to eat.
From 1990, rangers at the Barra de Santiago nature Reserve in El Salvador started to monitor nesting sites of the few remaining crocs. Thanks to education outreach programs locals started to bring Villeda any eggs they found. He would hatch and nurse them until they are ready to be released.
“What is gratifying is that we now have a real crocodile population. We have gone from five to more than 200," Villeda said. (Jose Antonio Villeda (Crocodile Nanny)”
Read more: Business Insider
