Actually a Heron

Woodblock print by Ding Liangxian 丁亮先

Qing dynasty, ca. 1735-1750, Suzhou, Jiangsu province, China

Arbutus and praying mantis, with inscription, printed in colour and gauffrage on paper

Green sea turtles have been an iconic endangered species since the 1980s, mostly due to bycatch in fishing nets and taking adults and eggs for food. I have core childhood memories of watching Steve Irwin talk about sea turtle conservation in front of a beach full of nesting green sea turtles.

After 45 years of conservation efforts, their population now meets the IUCN criteria for Least Concern rather than Endangered.

For a species with such a slow life history (it takes green sea turtles decades to reach sexual maturity) and a nearly global population, this is a Really Big Deal. This is the kind of long term conservation victory that many of the amazing humans who started working on green sea turtle conservation back in the 80s didn't live to see.

The world says the war is “over,” but tell me how is it over when my mother still wakes up gasping for breath? When every night I pray she survives until morning because I can’t afford the device that keeps her heart alive?

We lost our home. We lost everything. And now I’m watching the person who gave me life slowly fade in front of me —because we have nothing left but hope.

She needs a new heart device — $35,000 — to live. I’m begging you: don’t scroll past this like it’s just another post. Please donate, reblog, or share anything. Your act of kindness could literally save a life tonight.

Finally finished this reconstruction of Iguanodon. Really proud of the final results. Wanted to have fun with the integument, so I gave it really pronounced shoulder scales with the idea that they'd help with protecting from the thumb claws in intraspecific combat.

Colours based on Earless Monitors, Green Iguana and Bongo antelopes.

Flatcolour and colourless versions:

I think it's overdue that I properly introduce this blog..

Hi! I'm Emma, I'm a 20-year old transfem lesbian, currently a bio undergrad planning to go into morphology & developmental biology. I have a really strong fixation on prehistory & nature, as well as lots of other stuff like art, video games, literature, & worldbuilding.

I made a blog not only to share art and post silly things, but also with the intent of branching out and making new friends, so if you'd like to get to know us more you're very welcome to send a message <3

There are a number of creative projects I've been working on that might crop up from time to time, so please follow and stay tuned for those!