Gem Animals

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For this project I added value to two animals that are endangered,one the red panda and the other the Jaguar. This was done by using gems that could found in South America and China, Amethyst and Jade, to inspire the illustrations.

The red panda (Ailurus fulgens), also called lesser panda and red cat-bear, is small arboreal mammal native to the eastern Himalayas and southwestern China that has been classified as Vulnerable by IUCN as its wild population is estimated at less than 10,000 mature individuals. The population continues to decline and is threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation, poaching, and inbreeding depression, although red pandas are protected by national laws in their range countries.

The jaguar or Panthera onca, is a big cat, a feline in the Panthera genus, and is the only Panthera species found in the Americas.The jaguar is a near threatened species and its numbers are declining. Threats include loss and fragmentation of habitat. While international trade in jaguars or their parts is prohibited, the cat is still frequently killed by humans, particularly in conflicts with ranchers and farmers in South America. Although reduced, its range remains large; given its historical distribution, the jaguar has featured prominently in the mythology of numerous indigenous American cultures, including those of the Maya and Aztec.