Professor Animalia — Earth Charter Indiana

Meet Joe Lee, AKA Professor Animalia. Joe, along with his wife Bess, created this exhibit, Professor Animalia’s Menagerie of Struggling Species, to raise awareness of the plight of animals due to human impact. In the past, Joe worked with circuses and Bess was a public school art teacher, so their combined experiences converge on this sideshow banner-themed project. Joe and Bess are longtime supporters of Earth Charter Indiana and so have given us the opportunity to display the works on our site, as well as find exhibit opportunities for their live show; note the works of art are are approximately 2 1/2’ X 3’ circus poster-sized banners. See the bottom of this page for a photo of the artists.

To shop our Professor Animalia Store, Click Here!

We have coloring books, t-shirts, and prints. Quantities are limited! All purchases are a donation to ECI.

ELEPHANT

What: family: Elephantidae; order: Proboscidea Click here
Status: African elephant: vulnerable, Asian elephant: endangered
Why: climate change (African and Asian), shrinking habitat, poaching
Action:

Avoid buying ivory

Buy coffee and wood products that are elephant-friendly and Forest Stewardship Council certified

Curriculum:

See how elephants are evolving to lose their tusks here!

Watch elephants and other African wildlife in this live camera in Kenya.

To buy an Elephant Print, visit our Store.

box Turtle

What: family: Emydidae; order: Testudines Click here
Status: vulnerable
Why: illegal trade, sprawling development, agriculture
Action: Support smarter urban development, rapid transit
Curriculum:

To buy a Backbox Turtle print, click here!

Bee Hummingbird

What: family: Trochilidae; order: Apodiformes Click here
Status: near threatened
Why: habitat loss

To buy a Caribbean Cutie Print, click here!

Black Rhino

What: family: Rhinocerotidae; order: Perissodactyla Click here
Status: critically endangered
Why: poaching, climate change, political conflict
Action: Take climate action by lowering your own carbon footprint, and get involved in local resiliency efforts.
Curriculum:

Lessons for Grades K to 5

To buy a Black Rhino print, click here!

Galapagos Penguin

What: family: spheniscidae; order: sphenisciformes Click here
Click here for distribution map
Status: endangered
Why: climate change, avian malaria,
Action: Take climate action by lowering your own carbon footprint, and get involved in local resiliency efforts.

To buy a Penguin Print, click here!

Giraffe

What: family: Giraffidae; order: Artiodactyla Click here
Click here for an in-depth conservation guide
Status: vulnerable
Why: illegal poaching (for their tails and meat), loss of acacia trees
Action:

Sign this petition to end trophy hunting
Participate in Wildwatch Kenya

Curriculum:

Juma the Giraffe (various grade levels)

Check out San Diego Zoo’s Giraffe Cam

To buy a Giraffe Print, Click Here!

european Honey Bee

What: Click here
Status: “challenged”*
Why: neonicotinoid (see infographic here), climate change, pollution, habitat loss, pesticide/fungicide
Action:

Start a pollinator garden at home
Avoid contaminating these plants with pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, and other chemicals
Do not kill bees or swarms — call a beekeeper instead

*It is important to note that the European honey bee is not native to the US and is not technically considered endangered. However, there are over 4,000 species of bees in the US, and some of them are endangered. For example:

Rusty Patched Bumblebee

Check out the Honey Bee Hive Cam

To buy a Bee Print, click here!

Indiana Bat

What: family: Vespertilionidae; order: Chiroptera Click here
Status: near threatened
Why: habitat loss, pesticides, White Nose Syndrome
Action:

Build a bat house
Try not to disturb a cave if you know Indiana bats live there
Avoid using pesticides

Curriculum:

Lesson plans here

Read about how this teen worked to educate others on white-nose syndrome.

To buy an Indiana Bat Print, visit our Store!

Kakapo

What: family: Strigopidae; order: Psittaciformes Click here
See distribution map here
Status: critically endangered
Why: Predation
Curriculum:

Kakapo Recovery and accompanying infographic

To buy a Kakapo Print, click here!

Monarch Butterfly

What: family: Nymphalidae; order: Lepidoptera Click here
Status: under status review
Read the petition to protect the monarch under the Endangered Species Act
Why: climate change (another report here), herbicides
Action:

Start your own pollinator garden at home
Find your region’s monarch nectar plant guide here
Ask your teacher about raising butterflies in the classroom

Curriculum

To buy a Monarchs Print, click here!

Orangutan

What: family: Hominidae; order: Primates Click here
Status: critically endangered
Why: habitat loss, palm oil plantations (more about the effects of palm oil here), illegal poaching, threats to rainforests.
Action: