Endangered Species Mural Project

Art takes nature as its model. ~ Aristotle

Just as nature inspires art, art inspires actions to defend wild places and the wild creatures that live in them. With this in mind, the Center for Biological Diversity's Endangered Species Mural Project works with artists, scientists, and organizers to bring endangered wildlife onto the streets of cities and towns around the country. These murals are imagined as tools to help celebrate local endangered species within communities, and to encourage people to make connections between conservation and community strength. Spearheaded by Portland artist Roger Peet, the mural project promotes an affinity for the natural world and the diverse species that help define it.

INTERACTIVE MAP

Got a wall? Let us know! With additional connections and funding, the Center will continue to work with local artists and communities and expand the project to more cities nationwide.
Read a message from the artist.

Mountain caribou mural in Sandpoint, Idaho. Mural artists Mazatl and Joy Mallari (from the Justseeds Artists Cooperative) worked with Roger Peet.
Arctic grayling mural by Roger Peet in Butte, Mont.
Whale mural by Icy & Sot (working in coordination with Roger Peet) in Los Angeles, California. Photo   Jess X. Chen.
Monarch butterfly mural in Minneapolis, Minn., by Roger Peet and Barry Newman.
Watercress darter mural in Birmingham, Ala., by Roger Peet and Birmingham artists Merrilee Challiss and Creighton Tynes. Photo by Kyle Crider.
Yellow-billed cuckoo mural in Los Angeles, Calif., led by Jess X. Chen.
Jaguar mural in Tucson, Ariz., by Kati Astraeir.
Southeast freshwater mussels mural in Knoxville, Tenn., by Roger Peet, Merrilee Challiss and Trish Tripp.
White fringeless orchid mural in Berea, Ky., by Roger Peet and Trish Tripp.
Dakota skipper mural at Oceti Sakowin camp at Standing Rock., N.D., by Roger Peet.
Sockeye salmon mural in Portland, Ore., by Roger Peet. Photo by Jerry McCarthy, Port of Portland.
Streaked horned lark mural in Portland, Ore., by Roger Peet. Photo by Olivia Conner.
Carolina northern flying squirrel mural in Asheville, N.C., by Roger Peet and Tricia Tripp.
One of a series of grizzly bear murals in Oakland, Calif., by Roger Peet and Fernando “Rush” Santos.

Message From the Artist
“Everywhere on Earth is unique, with qualities that distinguish it from other places both near and far. One of those qualities is biodiversity — the plants and animals that call a place home and may not be found anywhere else. Those species embody an area's natural history and contribute to what makes it irreplaceable — and they also have something to say about the future, as many are in danger of going extinct. When we lose species, the places we inhabit and the lives we live become poorer and shallower  as a result. To help bring these species into the light, we decided to paint them on the walls.

“The goal of this project is to foster connections between people and the other forms of life that surround them. Whether that's a fish in a river, a butterfly flitting from plant to plant, or a caribou chewing lichen from a tree, we're bringing together artists and communities to create big, bold images that will become part of the neighborhoods where they're created, making it a little easier for people to care about the species struggling to survive in their midst.”

Roger Peet is a Portland-based artist who is coordinating this project in association with the Center for Biological Diversity.

Banner photo of jaguar mural by Russ McSpadden, Center for Biological Diversity