Inktober 2024 ran from October 1st through October 31st.
This year, I posted drawings on every odd-numbered day of October -- a total of sixteen drawings.
As I did in 2023, the theme of my 2024 drawings is animal species classified as vulnerable, threatened or endangered according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.
This year's cover drawing is of a Kashmir Stag, or Hangul; a native of India. The Hangul is listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List, mainly due to poaching.
This year I tried something new. In addition to ink drawings, some of my drawings were done with oil paint. Ink and paint have some things in common -- they both start out wet, and they are both available in a variety of colors. I enjoyed creating some more colorful works while strengthening my painting skills.
Instead of following the suggested prompt list provided by Inktober.com, I created my own prompt list as shown here. It actually turns out that one of the prompts on my list is the same as on the "official" Inktober prompt list -- Rhinoceros on October 21.
1 Oct
African Forest Elephant
oil on canvas paper
With population declines
over the past several decades, the African forest elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis)
is now listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List of threatened
species. This decline is due to poaching for ivory, and also loss of habitat,
primarily due to agriculture and other land uses.
3 Oct
Blue
Whale
oil on
canvas paper
The Blue Whale (Balaenoptera
musculus) is found in all oceans, ranging from the tropics to the periphery of
drift-ice in polar seas, with a preference for open waters. Growing to remarkable lengths of around 30 meters,
the Blue Whale is the largest animal ever to have lived on the planet. It is
listed as ‘Endangered’ on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Hunting of
the Blue Whale is now prohibited by the International Whaling Commission, so
the most significant threat to this species may be the declining availability
of krill, its primary food source, possibly due to climate change, ocean
acidification or other factors.
5 Oct
Golden-Mantled Tree
Kangaroo
oil on
canvas paper
The Golden-Mantled Tree
Kangaroo (Dendrolagus pulcherrimus) is native to Papua New Guinea. It is listed
as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List because of a very significant
decline in population (approximately 90%) over the previous three generations,
or about 30 years. The species has been highly threatened by hunting for food,
and additionally by habitat loss through conversion of forest to cultivated
land. Conservation efforts are in place to allow population increase of this
very rare species.
7 Oct
Wild
Bactrian Camel
oil on
canvas paper
The wild Bactrian Camel
(Camelus ferus) is native to the steppes of central Asia, parts of
northern China and southern Mongolia. It is listed as Critically Endangered on
the IUCN Red List. There are fewer than 1,000 remaining in the wild, and their
population is predicted to decrease by more than 80% in the next three
generations. Threats to this species are hunting, competition with livestock,
and other predators such as wolves.
9 Oct
Dama
Gazelle
oil on
canvas paper
The Dama Gazelle (Nanger dama), native of the Sahara
desert and Sahel in Africa, is listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List,
with fewer than 400 remaining in the wild. The major threats to these animals
include excessive hunting, habitat loss and degradation due to the over grazing
of domestic livestock.
11 Oct
Kouprey
oil on
canvas paper
The Kouprey (Bos
sauveli), native to Southeast Asia, is listed as Critically Endangered and
possibly extinct on the IUCN Red List. The last confirmed sighting of a wild
individual took place in 1969. The biggest threat to kouprey is (or was) habitat loss,
as logging and agricultural expansion decimate the areas they call home.
Additionally, poaching and hunting for their meat and horns have further
wiped out their population.
13 Oct
Northwest African Cheetah
oil on
canvas paper
The Northwest African
Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus), native to the Sahara and the Sahel, is listed as
Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List. In 2008, the population was
suspected to number less than 250 mature individuals. As human activity from
farming and construction stretch into natural habitats occupied by Northwest
African cheetahs, their habitat shrinks. This encroachment often leads to
human-wildlife conflict.
15 Oct
European Mink
ballpoint
The European Mink is
listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List. The main current threat
to European mink is competition with the distantly-related, but invasive
non-native American mink, following decades of sustained habitat loss and
over-hunting.
17 Oct
Pigmy Raccoon
oil on
canvas paper
The Pigmy Raccoon (Procyon
pygmaeus) is native to Cozumel Island. It is listed as Critically Endangered on
the IUCN Red List. Until about 2005, Cozumel was still relatively
well-conserved, with close to 90% of the island covered by natural vegetation. Since
then, Cozumel Island has been substantially developed for tourism, and this is
destroying the area of prime raccoon habitat. Most cases of Pygmy Raccoon
mortality have been the result of animals being run over by cars on the
island's highways. In addition, hurricanes are the main natural threat to Pygmy
Raccoon, and have caused drastic population decline.
19 Oct
Saiga Antelope
ballpoint
The Saiga Antelope (Saiga tatarica),
native of central Asia, was assessed as Critically Endangered in 2002. Following
implementation of a wide range of conservation measures, their population began
to increase. In 2023, they were listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List –
a vast improvement. However, the positive effects of conservation have been
masked somewhat by disease outbreaks, which continue to threaten their
population. Continued conservation efforts provide hope.
21 Oct
Black Rhinoceros
ballpoint
The Black Rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis), native
to eastern and southeastern Africa, is listed as Critically Endangered on the
IUCN Red List. Black Rhino face a variety of threats. The main threat to the
species is illegal hunting (poaching) to supply the illegal international rhino
horn trade. Two main uses of the horn are in Chinese medicine, and ornamental items. It
has also recently become a highly prized material for making carved expensive
high-status items such as bowls and bangles.
23 Oct
Mountain Gorilla
ballpoint
The Mountain Gorilla (Gorilla beringei), residing in areas of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Rwanda,
and Uganda, are listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. This status is an
improvement over the previous listing of Critically Endangered due to a rising
population trend. The primary threats to this species are numerous kinds of
human activity, such as rapidly increasing human populations, civil unrest and
violence in the areas surrounding Mountain Gorilla habitat, and habitat loss
through agriculture. Poaching and disease spread from humans are additional
threats. Climate change poses increased temperatures and modified rainfall
patterns.
25 Oct
Ganges River Dolphin
Ballpoint,
PITT Shades of Grey, Pigma Micron
The Ganges River Dolphin
(Platanista gangetica) is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List mainly due
to numerous kinds of human activity, such as flow regulation and habitat
fragmentation by water development projects (dams, barrages, canals, etc.),
mortality from entanglement in fishing nets, hunting of dolphins for oil and flesh, river
pollution, among other things. Ganges River Dolphins are legally protected from
hunting and deliberate injury in all areas where they occur. However,
conservation efforts are often ineffective due to inadequate law enforcement
and community engagement.
27 Oct
Western Chimpanzee
Ballpoint, PITT Shades of Grey, Pigma Micron
The Western Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes), which is native to West Aftica, is listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List mainly due to various human activity, such as deforestation for agriculture and mining, poaching for food and live pet trade, among other things. They are also susceptible to infectious disease from humans.
29 Oct
Suni
Ballpoint,
Pigma Micron
The Suni (Nesotragus
moschatus), residing in various areas in South Africa, is a small antelope of
the family Bovidae. It is about 12-17 inches high at the shoulder and weighs
about 10-12 pounds, making it one of the smallest ungulates on Earth. It is
threatened by overhunting, expansion of agriculture, uncontrolled dogs and
other human activity, but its population is stable.
31 Oct
California
Condor
Ballpoint,
Pigma Graphic, Pigma Micron, PITT Shades of Grey
The California Condor (Gymnogyps
californianus) is listed as Critically Endangered on the #IUCN Red List mainly
due to accidental ingestion of fragments and residues from lead bullets and
lead shot from carcasses, resulting in lead poisoning. Other threats include
effects of pesticide DDT, ingestion of micro-trash containing glass fragments,
wire and plastics, among other things, and deliberate shootings. A large-scale,
integrated captive-breeding program, managed by the Peregrine Fund at the World
Center for Birds of Prey, is helping to increase the population.
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