Audubon

John James Audubon preserving native wildlife

All pictures are from the following websites: http://www.bbhc.org/audubon/1-NewYork-Bio.html http://www.audubonhouse.org/ http://www.bbhc.org/audubon/1-NewYork-Bio.html http://www.audubonhouse.org

Goals: To write and illustrate a comprehensive guide of the birds of America. To preserve America's native species. To create a study of the mammels of North America.

Challenges: Audubon had to scrimp and save at first to fund his research and painting. He had to spend time painting portraits to support his studies. Hunters were slaughtering and driving to extinction birds and animals that audubon wanted to save.

Reasons for Goals: No one had done a book about American birds and animals. Some birds and animals were already becoming extint like the Bison and Ivory billed Woodpeckerer.

Issue Preserving Native Wildlife Saving North American wildlife from extinction due to over hunting and destruction of natural habitats.

Honors Elected member of the Royal Society of Edinborough (1827) Made a fFellow of the American academy (1830)

Books: Birds of America Orinthological Biography Viviparous Quadrupeds of North America

"A century hence...Nature will have been robbed of many brillient charms, the rivers will be tormented and turned astray from their primitive courses, the hills will be leveled with the swamps."

Audubon was born on April 26, 1785 in Santo Domingo (an island in the Caribbean) He became interested in nature and drawing when he saw a book called Histoire Naturelle. At 18 he went to live in America.. He never went to school, but was privately tutored.

Steps taken to meet goals: Traveled throughout North America drawing and observing birds. Visited Europe to get monetary support for his book. Collaborated with other naturalists, such as John Bachman, to gather scientific information to accompany his drawings.

Benefits to Environment: Audubon was the first to realistically portray birds and animals in their natural habitat. He visually preserved some species which are now endangered or extinct. Audubon made people aware of native wildlife so they became more active in trying to protect it.

Works Cited “About Audubon.” National Audubon Society. 2005. 2 Apr. 2008 <http://www.audubon.org/nas/jja.html>. Keene, Ann T. Earthkeepers. New York: Oxford, 1994.