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  1. Hi all. I didn't find a topic like this elsewhere, and I figured it might be something fun. I do a lot of drawings of animals both living and extinct, and take lots of pictures any time I go to a museum, aquarium, zoo, etc.

    I thought if anyone else has similar interests, we could share our own natural history-related drawings, paintings, and photos - or any neat natural history art that you really appreciate - here.

    So to start us off, here's a drawing I just finished up:


    It's a kouprey (Bos sauveli), a type of huge wild cattle found in Cambodia. Sadly, none have been seen since 1988 and they're probably now extinct. They were really neat looking animals, and bulls had big dewlaps on their necks and weird frayed horn tips.


    Anyway, I'd love to see feedback and comments, and I'd really love to see other people post photos and art regarding animals, plants, geology, fossils, beautiful wildernesses... your own art or photos or pictures you find. I think it'd be something neat we could all appreciate.
  2. That is a great drawing Matthew. Alas, I don't know much about natural history and I can't draw a thing, but I'm curious to know if there has been cases in modern history where it was believed that a certain species was extinct only to be re-discovered later?
  3. Do you know "Quagga"?
  4. Awesome drawing!

    If you ever have the time, can you draw a hippo? That's my favorite animal.

    Regarding presumably extinct animals that were re-discovered later, what about the Coelacanth? This fish was thought to be extinct for about 60 million years but was rediscovered in 1939 if I'm correct.
  5. You're right about the coelacanth - it was though these fish went extinct alongside the non-bird dinosaurs, but one was caught in the 1930's in the Indian Ocean! There are other cases, I'm sure - I'll give it a check later on today when I've more time. A taxon (which just means any grouping of living things, like a species or a family or a class) that is thought to be extinct, then appears again at a much later time in the fossil record or in the modern world is called a Lazarus taxon.

    And believe it or not, both quaggas and hippos have been on my to-do list for a while. As someone who normally draws dinosaurs, I've been very keen on practicing at mammals lately.


  6. Some hippos!

    The larger hippo in the back is the extinct gorgon hippo Hippopotamus gorgops. It is, as far as I know, the biggest hippo, standing something like 170 cm at the shoulder, and a large male could probably weigh 4-5 tonnes. It lived in Africa and Eurasia until about 2 million years ago, and had somewhat longer legs than modern hippos, as well as eyes set on higher 'turrets' so it could see while otherwise completely submerged.

    The smaller hippo in the front is the modern (but endangered!) pygmy hippo Hexaprotodon (or Choeropsis) liberiensis. This is an adult, despite its small size. They stand only about 75-90 cm at the shoulder. These rainforest hippos spend more time on land than their larger cousins.
  7. Amazing!

    Immediately I noticed the slightly longer legs and I think also elongated body. But then I read you drew the extinct gorgops and I was truly amazed.

    Your drawings are beautiful and I think you have discovered a talent.
    Keep posting them please.
  8. Thank you! I'm glad you like them.
  9. Originally posted by CMIPalaeo:[image]

    Some hippos!

    The larger hippo in the back is the extinct gorgon hippo Hippopotamus gorgops. It is, as far as I know, the biggest hippo, standing something like 170 cm at the shoulder, and a large male could probably weigh 4-5 tonnes. It lived in Africa and Eurasia until about 2 million years ago, and had somewhat longer legs than modern hippos, as well as eyes set on higher 'turrets' so it could see while otherwise completely submerged.

    The smaller hippo in the front is the modern (but endangered!) pygmy hippo Hexaprotodon (or Choeropsis) liberiensis. This is an adult, despite its small size. They stand only about 75-90 cm at the shoulder. These rainforest hippos spend more time on land than their larger cousins.
    Nice!

    Waiting for quaggas!
  10. Quagga is next on the list! I might start on it tonight, actually.
  11. Really great drawings Matt!

    I'd love to contribute to this topic too! Found this old painting of mine, I believe it's from 2006, and these two lovely monkeys are very rare Chinese ones called Цзию, or so my writning says haha

  12. Wow! Very lovely! I think that'd be lorises in English.

    I greatly admire your painting ability. That's a talent I have never been able to achieve. You do an excellent job of it!