Wildlife of the British Isles - a poster of a hand painted map

My hand painted map of the Wildlife of the British Isles shows just a few of the wondrous treasures we share our islands with.

My original painting, in acrylic on canvas, now hangs over my husband's desk, but you can buy

• A2 size signed poster print
• Digital file for you to make a single print at a format and size of your choice
• And I have tea towels of this painting.

About my painting of Wildlife of the British Isles

Look closely at the our native species, they are thrilling!

I made my Wildlife of the British Isles painting with an affectionate nod to the folk art tradition of fairgrounds, circuses and canals.

Sadly, many native British wildlife species have been, and continue to be, horribly persecuted such as foxes, badgers and pretty much everything that depends on the sea! Many other species struggle to maintain their populations due to habitat loss, pressures from modern farming practices or climate change.

But there is good news too. The red kite and the white tailed sea eagle, for example have recovered, thanks to efforts from dedicated conservationists. But we must not be complacent.

Speaking in 2014 at the RSPB's Conference for Nature, broadcaster, naturalist and British national treasure Sir David Attenborough said:

“Where in 1945 it was thought that the way to solve the problem was to create wildlife parks and nature reserves, that is no longer an option. They are not enough now. The whole countryside should be available for wildlife. The suburban garden, roadside verges ... all must be used”.

“Nowhere in Britain is unsullied, is unaffected by human action. We now have a huge population living cheek by jowl with nature. With an increasing global footprint, mankind is intensifying the crisis for wildlife, but as individuals we can all be part of the solution for saving it too.’’

Note about the term "The British Isles"

I have used the term "British Isles" as a geographic term to describe the archipelago that lies off the north west coast of continental Europe. It consists of two sovereign nations: 1. the Republic of Ireland, and 2. the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. I use the term "British Isles" in an entirely non-political way. The birds and animals know nothing of history and politics - they see only opportunity, safety and place to make a living.