I started this Endangered Species Series in the fall of 2014 as one small part of my conservation initiative. Here is what I said about it in that very first installment... “I feel a responsibility to try and protect the world that inspires me every single day. This series will be a journey of learning for myself and all those who choose to educate themselves further about the many species in our world that are losing their homes, their livelihood, and being killed for vario

Bumblebee There are approximately 275 different species of bumblebees around the world, with a majority of them living in the northern hemisphere. Only a few of these species are commonly seen in most places. Some species are found in only very specific locations. Bumblebees have been in decline because of changes in agricultural practices that are eliminating flowering plants from the landscapes, leaving the bees with little to feed on. Bumblebees live in a variety of ha

Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) Quick Facts: Status: Vulnerable Population: 7,500 adults in the wild Height: 30 in at shoulder Weight: 110 to 140 lbs Habitat: Open plains Range: Southern and eastern Africa Diet: Carnivorous The cheetah is made to run and is the fastest land animal in the world - it has long muscular legs, small round head on a long neck, a flexible spin and deep chest, a long tail to help with balance, special pads on their feet and non-retractable claws (the only

Hey there! This quote speaks to me in big ways!! As an avid hiker, someone who yearns for the solace of nature, a wildlife artist, sustainability junkie, supporter of renewable energies, and animal lover, it is important to me that I respect the natural order of Earth and try to limit the impact of my human footprint. Something so important in my personal life has, naturally, spilled over into my business life. So the reason we're here today - the third pillar of Melissa H

Mountain Gorilla | Gorilla beringei beringei Quick Facts: Status: Critically Endangered Height: 4 to 5 ½ ft Weight: Up to 440lbs Habitat: forests, mountain Diet: vegetarian Population: 880 Mountain gorillas live in forests high in the mountains, half of the population live in the forests of the Virunga Mountains, of Central Africa at elevations of 8,000 to 13,000 feet where temperatures drop to dangerous levels, often below freezing. They have thicker fur than other gorillas

Welcome to the first Endangered Species Series post of the year!!! If this is the first time you're visiting my blog for this series, I'm SO excited you're here to learn more about our world's endangered species. In this series, I offer information about the species, an images of the species through my artwork, and information about what continues to threaten the species' existence. Each post is set up in the same way as this one and at the bottom of this post, you will f

Happy 2017 everyone! This year is really BIG for me...in mid September of last year, among a lot of change in my personal life, I realized something - that I wanted to take the plunge and move to working full-time for myself. I had no real plan (I'd figure that out), but what I did have was an overwhelming amount of encouragement from my fellow artists and a support system in my family ('framily', I'm looking at you too - you know friends who are family :) ) that never wave

This year has seen many different wildlife scratchboard pieces come across my desk - large green iguanas, stately lions, adorable little otters, and birds of all kinds, to name just a few. I've been working really hard in the off season (post September festivals) to create more and more wildlife art as I look into 2017 with a full plate of art festivals and fairs. The year 2016 brought great new adventures in my career as an artist (representation at a New York City gallery

Asian Elephant | Elephas maximus indicus Quick Facts: Status: Endangered Height: 6.5 – 11.5ft Weight: around 11,000lbs Length: around 21ft Population: 40,000-50,000 As Asia's largest land mammal, the Asian elephant is smaller than its African counterpart, with smaller ears that they use to keep themselves cool by constantly keeping them in motion and a single 'finger' on the upper lip of their trunk (African elephants have a second finger). Their skin ranges from dark grey t

Bald Eagle | Haliaeetus leucocephalus Quick Facts: Length: around 3 feet Wingspan: females – 7 feet, males – 6 feet Weight: 10-14 lbs Lifespan: 20-30 years Population: 5,000 mating pairs The Bald Eagle is the only eagle unique to North America and is the United States’ national symbol. The Bald Eagle is an Endangered Species Act success story. This series' purpose is to highlight species at risk of extinction and threatened by any number of things from habitat loss due to h

Lynx (Lynx canadensis) Quick Facts: Status: Threatened Height: 2 feet Weight: 10 - 25 lbs Length: 2.5 - 3 feet Lifespan: up to 15 years Habitat: Boreal forests The Canadian lynx has similar features to the bobcat, but there are distinguishing characteristics. Bobcats have shorter ear tufts, the tip of the tail is black on the top side and white underneath, and the bobcats legs are shorter with smaller feet. The lynx lives mostly in the northern states along the Canadian bor

Jaguar | 9x12 scratchboard Black Panther | 11x14 scratchboard Jaguar | Panthera onca Quick Facts: Status: Endangered Height: 25-30in at shoulder Length: 43-75in Weight: 79-211lbs Lifespan: 12 years Population: 15,000 in the wild Jaguars are the largest cat in the Americas. They range from Argentina in South America up to the Grand Canyon in the United States, though they have been almost completely eliminated from the northern most part of their range and are endangered in t

Mandrill (Mandrill sphinx) Quick Facts: Status: Threatened Height: 3 ft Weight: 77 lbs Lifespan: 20 years Habitat: Rain forests Diet: Omnivore - fruits, roots, and animals The mandrill is the largest and most colorful of all monkeys. Their easily identifiable red and blue faces, as well as colorful back sides become brighter when they get excited. They have long canine teeth that can be used for self-defense but baring them is typically a friendly gesture within their group

Giant Panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) Quick Facts: Status: Endangered Population: 1,864 in the wild Height: Up to 4 feet Weight: 220-330 lbs Average Lifespan: 20 years Habitat: Temperate broadleaf and mixed forests of southwest China The Giant Panda is the rarest member of the bear family and lives mainly in remote bamboo forests high in the mountains of southwest China. They prefer cool and wet locations and will climb up to 13,000 ft to feed on higher slopes during the summ

Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) Quick Facts: Status: Endangered Population: 172,700 - 299,700 Habitat: Dry and moist forests Height: 4 to 5.5 ft Weight: 70 to 130 lbs Diet: Omnivore - fruits and plants, insects, eggs, meat Lifespan: up to 50 years The chimpanzee is our closest living relative, sharing 98% of our genetic makeup. They live in communities of several dozen. They are highly social creatures and care for their offspring for many years. Chimpanzees are one of the fe

African Elephant (Loxodonta africana) Quick Facts: Status: Threatened Population: 470,000 Height: 8.2 - 13 ft Weight: 5,000 - 14,000 lbs Average Lifespan: up to 70 years Habitat: Tropical and Subtropical Moist Broadleaf Forests, Flooded Grasslands and Savannahs, Miombo woodlands, Acacia savannahs Range: Central and Southern Africa Diet: Herbivores - roots, grasses, fruit, and bark; they consume up to 300 lbs in one day African Elephants are the largest land animals and are sl

Happy Endangered Species Day!! Today we celebrate wildlife + wild places and focus on how and why so many species are struggling to survive. Not only should we take this opportunity to educate ourselves on how our actions impact the survival of our nation's wildlife, but also how we can make a difference everyday! There are so many species, known and unknown, around the world that are close to extinction, but we can help turn their fate around. Melissa Helene Fine Arts and

Bonobo (Pan paniscus) Quick Facts: Status: ENDANGERED Population: 10,000 - 50,000 individuals Height: 28 - 35 in Weight: 68 - 86 lbs Habitat: Rainfoorest Range: Congo Basin Diet: Frugivores - half their diet is fruit, supplemented with insects, worms, eggs, and small animals The bonobo, also known as the pygmy chimpanzee, is smaller, leaner, and darker than the chimpanzee with pink lips and a smaller head and ears, though they both share 98% of their DNA with humans - making

Amur Leopard (Panthera pardus orientalis) Quick Facts: Status: CRITICALLY ENDANGERED Population: around 60 individuals Body Length: up to 5 feet Weight: 70 - 105lbs Lifespan: 10 - 15 years Habitat: temperate, broadleaf, and mixed forests Diet: roe and sika deer, hares, badgers, mice, and other small animals The amur leopard, the world's rarest cat, is found in the northern-most part of the species' range, Far East Russia. This rare species has adapted to life in the temperat

Happy Earth Day to you all! Today is a great day to celebrate and appreciate the world that we live in by finding your own special way to honor the earth. Some people will gather a group and pick up trash along the roadways (a very needed thing), others will venture into a natural space to study the specimens within and document what they find, and some may strap on their packs and head into the wild to breathe in all that it offers us has human beings. Whatever you decide