Most people say that they love animals and would not want to hurt them in any way, however, the statistics of the damage done to nature and its residents in the past years say otherwise.
This Peruvian photographer named Pedro Jarque Krebs, captivated by the diversity in the animal kingdom, got inspired to photograph species in a unique way. By photographing animals from a close range, he aims to raise awareness about the devastating loss of animal populations, which have declined by 60% over the past 50 years. Through his photographs, Krebs sought to break down the barriers between humans and other species by capturing intimate moments, giving dignity to the animals, and reminding us that we are not the central focus of the universe, but rather a small part of the intricate ecosystem that we must strive to protect.
We invite you to get closer to these wild animals by looking through Pedro's photos of them. And for more of this photographer's pictures on Bored Panda, see part 1.
More info: Instagram | pedrojarque.com
#2 Bengal Tiger
There are approximately 24,000 tigers left in the world, of which only about 3,200 are in the wild and about 20,000 are in captivity. 100 years ago there were more than 100,000 in the wild. This means that we have killed more than 96% of the tiger population in 100 years.
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75points
#3 Snow Leopard
Also known as the ghost of the mountains, the snow leopard is one of the most enigmatic big cats in the world. Because of its geographical isolation, very few have been able to see it in the wild. Its population is estimated to be only about 4,000 specimens, and it is on the red list of species in danger of extinction due to climate change.
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67points
#4 Cheetah
From 100,000 specimens in the 20th century to 7,500 specimens today, the cheetah joins the long list of species doomed to disappear. As the human population grows, the territory of these animals is reduced, and the last wild spaces are disappearing, as well as the hope of survival.
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67points
#5 Snow Leopard
For the inhabitants of the Himalayas, the snow leopard is a mystical creature, a sacred totem with the power to remove sins from the past lives of people who are fortunate enough to see one. They also believe that killing a snow leopard restores all these past sins to the killer’s present life. It is a very elusive and solitary animal that inhabits remote parts of the Himalayas, and very few people have ever seen one in the wild. It is also considered the guardian of all sacred animals and a link between the material and spirit worlds.
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65points
#7 Jaguar
America belonged to the jaguars. Considered a god by pre-Columbian peoples, it is the largest cat in America and third in size after the lion and tiger. Its only predator is man, and therefore its population has been drastically reduced. Despite being a protected species, illegal trade still exists and it is already on the red list of threatened species.
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62points
#8 Asian Elephant
Asian elephants have several differences from African elephants, and in principle, they cannot be crossbred. There has only been one hybrid breeding of these two elephant species, but it did not survive. Asian elephants have smaller ears, females have no fangs among other differences. They are now also endangered.
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62points
#9 Jaguar
This is Naya, a female black jaguar that is part of the European Endangered Species Program (EEP) and lives at @loroparque in Tenerife. Naya was a mother to two beautiful jaguars that were born in early 2020, reviving hope for this American species whose population is in decline. Breeding programs are a fundamental part of the fight for biodiversity conservation.
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61points
#10 Yin And Yang
From Mexico, through all of Central and South America, the jaguar's territory is very wide. Considered a god by pre-Columbian peoples, it is the largest cat in America and third in size after the lion and tiger. Its current population is in decline, and it is on the red list of threatened species. Its only predator is the man. In this photo, the black panther is the female jaguar and the other is the male.
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60points
#14 Black Fury
Black panthers are jaguars (or leopards) with melanism, the opposite of albinism, i.e. an excess of black pigment. In this case, it is a jaguar (Panthera onca). In Peru, it is known as otorongo, a word of Quechua origin that means jaguar. It is the largest feline in the Americas.
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56points
#15 Asian Elephant
Elephants are extremely intelligent and social animals. They have a brain structure similar to that of humans and are capable of experiencing grief, compassion, cooperation, and self-awareness, among many others. Baby elephants are cared for by their mothers, but the other females of the group, which has a matriarchal structure, also participate. In this way, the young female elephants are trained in their future role as mothers.
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53points
#16 Iberian Wolf
Almost extinct in 1970, the Iberian wolf has recovered a fraction of its territory and has been saved in extremis from its disappearance, mainly because it has been considered a plague and encouraged hunting and persecution. Despite being a partially protected species, conflicts with cattle breeders mean that this species is still seriously threatened, and with a current population of less than 3 thousand specimens in Spain, hundreds are still being killed every year.
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52points
#17 Leopard
Leopards and jaguars share characteristics that sometimes make them difficult to distinguish. But the first clear difference is their ecozone. The jaguar lives in America while the leopard lives in Africa and Asia. The leopard is less robust than the jaguar, has less bite strength, and is more elusive, due to greater competition with other animals such as lions or tigers. The leopard is currently in critical danger of extinction, with less than 25 thousand specimens in the world.
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52points
#18 Black Rhinoceros
$60,000 USD a kilo, that's what a rhino horn costs on the black market. More expensive than gold. But life is priceless. Unlike elephant tusks, which are made of ivory, rhino horns are made of keratin, the same material as nails. But the ignorance and superstition of some humans give it non-existent medicinal properties. As in everything, as long as there are buyers, there will be sellers. This will only end in education.
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51points
#20 Jaguar
This black panther is actually a jaguar with excess black pigmentation that hides its markings. It's called melanism, the opposite of albinism. However, the spots of the original coat prevail and with proper light can be distinguished. The jaguar population has been seriously diminished in the last decades, and currently, only about 63,000 would be left in the wild.
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50points