As our project, we decided to go on the topic of animal conservation, as over 47,000 animals are endangered due to the increase in human activity. We thought the most beneficial way to convey animal conservation was through painting a mural. Which would show people the different types of animals that are on the brink of extinction.  The mural would also serve as a commemoration of the animals struggling to survive each day, while reminding every student that we are the future and we have the power to change it. We hoped to not only show students, but also teachers and even our parents, how deeply we care about the cause, dedicating our time in hope that they would draw inspiration from us to take action, whether by helping in a meaningful way or spreading awareness. 

Ellie Murphy, 4K 25/26

Rhinos

Rhinos once roamed many places throughout Europe, Asia, and Africa, and were known to early Europeans who depicted them in cave paintings. At the beginning of the 20th century, 500,000 rhinos roamed Africa and Asia. By 1970, rhino numbers dropped to 70,000, and today, around 27,000 rhinos remain in the wild. Very few rhinos survive outside national parks and reserves due to persistent poaching and habitat loss over many decades. Three species of rhino—black, Javan, and Sumatran—are critically endangered.

https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/rhino/

Tigers

A century ago, there were an estimated 100,000 tigers across Asia. Since then, numbers have collapsed by 96% to just 4,000.

Wild tigers face many threats to their survival, including human-wildlife conflict, poaching for their body parts for traditional ‘medicine’, and habitat loss due to deforestation and rural development.

https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/tiger/

Orangutans

Known for their distinctive red fur, orangutans are the largest arboreal mammals, spending most of their time in trees. Long, powerful arms and grasping hands and feet allow them to move through the branches. These great apes share 96.4% of our genes and are highly intelligent creatures.

https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/orangutan/

Koala

Koalas are one of Australia’s most iconic species – and now officially listed as Endangered in parts of the country. These tree-dwelling marsupials rely on eucalyptus forests for food and shelter, but face growing threats from deforestation, disease, and climate change.

https://wwf.org.au/what-we-do/species/koala/