The animals in the New Big 5 are among the world’s most iconic, beautiful, remarkable and popular. But the message of the project is that all life matters, that every creature, from the humble termite to the mighty humpback whale, deserves to exist. They all make the world a more interesting and healthier place, and are essential for biodiversity and for the future of the planet.
“As a photographer, I’m just as interested in lizards, frogs and birds as I am in the charismatic giants, so I wanted to do what I could to help spread this message,” explains New Big 5’s Graeme Green. “On newbig5.com we’ve looked at all kinds of species, large and small, such as pangolins, giraffes, rhinos and cheetahs, as well as little-known creatures such as the Spineback guitarfish, Caribbean reef sharks, Assam roof tortoise, Jamaican rock iguanas, Nassau grouper, Lord Howe Island stick insects – all of them at risk of being lost. The New Big 5 stands for all the creatures on the planet, so many of which are in danger.”
Here are just a few of the many species across Africa that are also in need of urgent protection.
1 LEOPARD
RODNEY NOMBEKANA, PHOTOGRAPHER
The leopard has to
