Leopard

Leopard: New Courtland

Eco Mural Project 16: Leopard: New Courtland Fellowship Mural, 509 South Broad St, Philadelphia, PA.

After being awarded the 2019 New Courtland Fellowship grant, in partnership with The Center For Emerging Visual Artists, Hagopian Arts led a series of 10 mural-making workshops in which youth and senior participants worked together to create an Eco Mural. The premise of the project was to bridge the generational gap between participants and engage them in environmental and ecological awareness-based mural-making workshops. The culmination of the classes resulted in the installation of an Eco Mural depicting a leopard. During the workshops, participants learned about the species as well as the threats that they and their environment face.

Hagopian Arts worked with award-winning wildlife photographer Yaron Schmid, referencing his photos in order to capture the leopard featured in the mural.

Below is some of the educational information that was explored as well as links to organizations that work to bring public awareness to this beautiful species and find ways to mitigate their decline.

Leopards are large cats that are found in a variety of habitats across Africa and Asia, including rainforests, grasslands, and deserts. They are known for their beautiful coats, which are marked with distinctive black spots, and their ability to climb trees and hunt prey.

Unfortunately, leopards are facing many challenges due to the impacts of the environment. One major threat to leopards is habitat loss, as human development and agriculture are destroying the forests and other habitats that leopards need to survive. This is particularly problematic in areas where leopards are already endangered, such as the Sundarbans region of India, where leopards are losing their habitat to infrastructure projects and shrimp farms.

Another threat to leopards is poaching. Leopards are often hunted for their beautiful coats, which are highly valued on the black market. Poaching can have a significant impact on leopard populations, particularly if it is not well-regulated.

Climate change is also a threat to leopards, as it can lead to changes in the availability of prey and other resources that leopards rely on. Warmer temperatures and more frequent extreme weather events can also have negative impacts on leopard habitats, further threatening these magnificent animals.

There are many organizations working to protect leopards and their habitats, including the Wildlife Conservation Society, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and the African Wildlife Foundation. These organizations are working to promote sustainable development, combat poaching, and protect leopard habitats through conservation efforts such as protected areas and habitat restoration.

Overall, it is important to raise awareness about the challenges facing leopards and the efforts being made to protect them. By understanding the issues and taking action to support conservation efforts, we can help to ensure a future for these amazing animals.

If you are interested in learning

more, getting involved, and gaining

further resources and tools, please

follow the links below to learn

https://www.wcs.org/

https://www.wcs.org/updates/the-snow-leopard-remains-at-risk

https://www.iucn.org/

https://www.iucn.org/content/big-boost-wildlife-conservation-23-new-sos-projects-1

https://www.awf.org/

https://www.awf.org/blog/5-ways-you-can-make-difference-africas-wildlife

https://www.britannica.com/animal/feline

https://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/blog/leopard-fact-sheet/