WASHINGTON (August 30, 2017) - From the American alligator to the Zayante band-winged grasshopper, a new design project explores the intersection of art and conservation to raise awareness of endangered species in the US. “Alphabeast – An English Alphabet of Endangered Animals” premiers online today, encompassing 26 original works of art depicting an endangered species for each letter of the alphabet.
The brainchild of David Rygiol and James Louis Walker – founders of the nonprofit Type Hike, a collaborative design project that celebrates and supports the outdoors through typography – the series hopes to illustrate the inherent beauty of our nation’s wildlife, while sounding an alarm that warns of its precipitous decline.
A full list of the Alphabeast species and artists can be found at the end of this release.
Posters, postcards and other prints of the series are available in Type Hike's shop at http://typehike.com/shop/. Proceeds from the sale will go to benefit Defenders of Wildlife, a nonprofit conservation organization focused on wildlife and habitat conservation and the safeguarding of biodiversity.
“Habitat for endangered species is declining due to human influence and we’re in the middle of the sixth mass extinction event,” said Rygiol. “Alphabeast intends to raise awareness through design so these magnificent creatures and their habitats can be enjoyed by our children and all future generations."
In deciding which species to highlight, Rygiol and Walker compiled a list of all endangered species in the U.S., and then organized them by letter of the alphabet. They then looked to represent a broad geographic expanse while balancing well known and popular species with lesser known yet equally important ones.
“Alphabeast comes at a critical time for endangered species,” said Brandy Swimeley, vice president of marketing at Defenders of Wildlife. “The Endangered Species Act, our nation’s most effective law for protecting wildlife in danger of extinction, is under attack in Congress. There have already been six hearings in House and Senate committees on legislation that would roll back protections under the law for endangered species and their habitat. Defenders of Wildlife is proud to partner with Type Hike and the amazing designers who contributed to this series to raise awareness and support for wildlife facing extinction.”
“This is the third series Type Hike has produced and we are very excited to be working with Defenders of Wildlife,” Rygiol added. “They have field staff who are working directly with some of the species we’re highlighting, reintroducing them into the wild, ensuring their habitat is preserved for their survival and providing tools and information for communities to coexist with wildlife. It’s a great partnership and we hope our work will help Defenders of Wildlife continue theirs.”
Provided below is a full list of the species and artists featured in the Alphabeast series.
A - American Crocodile / Joseph Alessio
B - Black-Footed Ferret / Jacob Etter
C - California Condor / Steve Wolf
D - Desert Tortoise / Alyssa and Brian Wood
E - Everglade Snail Kite / Ben Stafford
F - Florida Panther / Kara Gordon
G - Grizzly Bear / Caleb Morris
H - Hawaiian Yellow-faced Bee / Caitlin McClure
I - Ivory-billed Woodpecker / Steve Shanabruch
J - Jaguar / Jonathan Violassi
K - Kauaʻi ʻakialoa / Simon Walker
L - Loggerhead Sea Turtle / Erik Weikert
M - Manatee / Joshua Emrich
N - New Mexican Ridge-Nosed Rattlesnake / Andrew Hochradel
O - O'ahu Tree Snails / Delaney Jeter
P - Pacific Pocket Mouse / Matt Reuter
Q - Quino Checkerspot Butterfly / Lauren Osoba
R - Red Wolf / Titus Smith
S - Steller Sea Lion / Bekah Malover
T - Texas Blind Salamander / Alex Lahr
U - Utah Prairie Dog / Scott Fuller
V - Virginia Big-Eared Bat / Daniel Clark
W - Woodland Caribou / Vincent Conti
X - Xyrauchen Texanus (Razorback Sucker) / Christopher Baker
Y - Yellow-Blotched Map Turtle / Leah Strickman
Z - Zayante Band-Winged Grasshopper / Chris Sim
Defenders of Wildlife is celebrating 75 years of protecting all native animals and plants in their natural communities. With a nationwide network of nearly 2.2 million members and activists, Defenders of Wildlife is a leading advocate for innovative solutions to safeguard our wildlife heritage for generations to come. For more information, visit defenders.org/newsroom and follow us on Twitter @Defenders.
