![]() Since our very first moments on Earth, we have been compelled to make images of the curious beasts around us - whether as sources of food, danger, wonder, power, scientific significance or companionship. The overall effect is of an intricately decorated armoured tank, with donkey-like ears, a spikey rump and a mysterious second horn.Įxplore the beauty and diversity of the animal world through more than 300 captivating imagesĪnimal, Exploring the Zoological World is a visually stunning and broad-ranging survey that explores and celebrates humankind's ongoing fascination with animals. Dürer’s imagination was responsible for the rest. ![]() Misinformation within the written description – the animal is described as ‘covered with thick scales’, ‘the colour of a speckled tortoise’ and ‘well armed’ – led to some misrepresentations in its depiction. When the bizarre beast arrived by sea from India in Lisbon, Portugal, the news spread quickly across the continent, and Dürer, as the most prolific artist of his time, knew the exact ingredients to make his animal depiction the one people would buy.ĭürer never saw the creature himself, but he was shown an account – printed with the illustration – and brief sketches sent from Portugal to his home in Nuremberg. Before this time, no live rhinoceros had been seen in Europe for over 1,000 years. Part of its appeal came from public curiosity about the exotic and unknown. It is estimated that 4,000 to 5,000 copies of the iconic image were sold during Dürer’s lifetime, making this one of the earliest mass-produced images on the continent. ![]() This fantastical 1515 woodcut of an Indian rhinoceros by the German artist Albrecht Dürer is probably the most influential and enduring animal print of early modern Europe. To find out, we’re focusing on female black rhinos at Ol Jogi Wildlife Conservancy in Kenya.Rhinoceros - Albert Dürer from the book Animal: Exploring the Zoological WorldĪround 5,000 copies of this iconic image were sold during the artist Dürer’s lifetime, making it one of the earliest mass-produced images - but why was the likeness incorrect and how did the unfortunate animal meet its end? We want to know how variations in hormones relate to a rhino’s reproductive output - in other words, how changes in hormone levels, timing or cycling affect whether a rhino has babies at an expected rate. This is where our endocrinology study comes in endocrinology is the branch of biology and medicine that deals with the endocrine system, which regulates hormones. To understand this phenomenon, they are turning to hormones for clues. In the region of Kenya where I work, they have observed that some female rhinos have many more babies than others do. But there’s still more to learn about saving this species.Ĭonservationists believe that reproductive drivers, such as hormones, are key to understanding black rhino population growth. ![]() Intensive anti-poaching efforts have also reduced the number of poached black rhinos to less than 1% each year. Great strides in conservation have resulted in the gradual recovery of Kenya’s black rhinos from less than 400 individuals in the late 1980s to 696 at the end of 2016. ![]()
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