Dynamic Image: Wildlife.

Looking at several areas of wildlife/animal themes for the PIF. I think this is the strongest theme and therefore I feel the most comfortable with using this idea.

Animal cruelty.
Like the rest of the UK, I was pretty shocked when Lola was thrown in the black bin by the notorious Mary Bale (blatantly done on purpose, I don't care what anyone says. Most people get stressed out, I don't see other cats being thrown in bins. But this story started a whole range of cruelty stories, including a pet goat who was tortured and had his horns ripped out, and the even more notorious girl who threw harmless puppies into a river!
Looking at animal cruelty there are a whole range of stories and statistics, including the fact that 64.5% of the 1880 reported cases in the media in 2007, 64.5% was cruelty towards pet dogs.
However, in 2008, the RSPCA did state that, in a survey compiled by the organisation state that 8 out of 10 people in the UK now believe that animal welfare is a key priority for a civilised society. However, from recent stories in the press its clear to see that some people still need to be made aware.

Animal Testing
Pretty huge topic that many people feel very passionate about. No ideas for a PIF yet, but a possible route to look into.

Endangered Animals

Example of how celeb endorsement, and humour, can raise awareness on a serious topic.

The rate of extinction has sped up unnaturally over the last 400 years, rising sharply since 1900. This increase in the rate of extinction is directly related to the increase in the human population over the same period of time. The vast number of humans has caused great damage to the planet, as wild habitats have been taken over, forcing animals and plants into smaller and smaller areas, until some of them have become extinct. We have also polluted some habitats with chemicals and refuse, making them unfit for wildlife. These causes of extinction are known as indirect destruction.

Animals may also become extinct through direct destruction. This includes the hunting and capturing of animals. Man has always hunted and killed wildlife but when early humans lived more in harmony with nature, they killed animals for essential food and clothing. When firearms were invented mass destruction of species was possible. Animals have been, and still are, killed for meat, clothing,medicines, feathers, eggs, trophies, tourist souvenirs - and sometimes just for amusement. Some species are still captured in the wild for the live pet trade, even though their numbers are dwindling. 

Some species our down to their last few thousands, in numbers, and I thought about 'what if the only place you could see a, for example, tiger would be in a museum?' That is quite a sad prospect.

I thought about ways of showing extinction, and liked the idea of 'erasing' the endangered animals, i.e. drawing them, then rewinding it, so the image becomes 'undrawn' = nothing left.

Potential taglines could include:
'What if you could only see animals in a museum?'
'What if the only place (in the world) you could see a tiger was in a museum?'
'What if you could only see a tiger in a museum?'

'Dead as a dodo'
Dodo has become a 'symbol' for extinction after sailors landed on its habitat, an island, for the first time in the sixteenth century, they killed the bird for food. The dodo's eggs and young were eaten by dogs, cats, pigs, rats and monkeys which man had introduced to the island. The dodo, unused to predators, very quickly declined in numbers - and it was extinct by 1681.

'How long will it be before the tiger becomes as dead as a dodo/the dodo?'


Who cares if we lose some animal and plant species?
Extinction of animal species leads to an imbalance in the food chain which may cause population explosions of some species or the extinction of others.
When an animal becomes extinct, it can never again be admired and appreciated by humans.
Destroying plant life increases the amount of carbon dioxide in the air, which worsens the greenhouse effect. Each year the earth’s temperature is rising, resulting in dying wildlife and a disrupted food chain.
When a species goes extinct, its genome, the entire genetic information carried by that species in its DNA and hitherto capable of transmission to its descendants or of natural selection, is forever lost to the world. It’s not just the species that’s lost, but its genome and, hence, the possibility for further speciation.
Finally, animals help produce soil compatible for farming, and kill harmful fungi. By eating or stomping on certain fungi and producing feces, animals replenish the soil for human usage. Without many grazing animals, the soil would deteriorate and be rendered useless for human planting. Without healthy soil, humans become extinct.

Many current adverts ask for money/ donations.
Are there other ways of raising awareness and saving the planet?
Obviously joining and donating to an organisation, but conserving habitats, making space, using wildlife friendly materials etc Links about helping here, here, and here.