Dee's PorTfolio
Echoes of the Wild – A Sculptural Tribute to Endangered Beauty
This page is dedicated to sculptures of endangered and vulnerable animals, crafted to honour their beauty while raising awareness of the challenges they face. Each piece in this collection serves as a tribute to species fighting for survival, capturing their essence through form, texture, and storytelling.
Through Echoes of the Wild, I strive to create sculptures that not only celebrate wildlife but also spark conversations about conservation. Every sculpture carries a message—an echo of the natural world, reminding us of the importance of protecting it for future generations.
Explore the collection, discover the intricate details of each piece, and immerse yourself in the stories of the animals represented here.
Series - Echoes of the Wild
Sculprture - Little King, Big Dreams
Little King, Big Dreams
Sat bold and cheeky, tongue poking out like he’s daring the world to keep up—
this young mountain gorilla hasn’t grown into his crown yet,
but the spark’s already there.
In his play lies power, in his innocence, an echo of the wild’s future.
He dreams not just for himself, but for forests still standing and families still climbing.
A young mountain gorilla, enjoying his youth, not knowing the importance of his future.
In 2025, mountain gorillas are still classified as an endangered species by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
While their numbers have increased in recent decades, reaching around 1,063 individuals in 2024-2025. This increase was significant enough that their status was downgraded from "critically endangered" to "endangered" in 2018.
Series - Echoes of the Wild
Sculpture - young man of the forest
Young Man of the Forest
His hands still learning, his heart already wise—
this young orangutan swings not just for fun,
but through a vanishing world.
Curious, clever, quietly observing,
he carries the legacy of leafy cathedrals and tangled roots.
A boy for now. A guardian in waiting.
.
A Bornean orangutan ready to take on the role of Old Man of the Forest.
The Bornean orangutan is classified as Critically Endangered by the IUCN Red List. While there are estimates of 55,000 to 104,700 remaining in the wild, the species has experienced sharp population declines due to habitat destruction, degradation, and hunting.
series - echoes of the wild
sculpture - Nourishing the future
Nourishing the Future
Her snout dips low with patience, her back curved in silent devotion.
The baby clings, dreaming—trusting the rhythm of her footsteps.
In every sip from earth’s pantry, she feeds not just her young,
but the fragile thread of a future few will ever witness.
A mother’s love, hidden in plain sight.
A mother giant anteater, making sure her youngster is getting the nourishment it needs.
In 2025, giant anteaters are classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN Red List. Their population has declined significantly due to habitat loss, roadkill, and other human-related activities. Scientists estimate that fewer than 5,000 individuals remain in the wild.
Series - echoes of the wild - Valentine Special duo
sculpture - Bound by Ivory
Bound by Ivory
Two young Sumatran elephants—noses entwined in quiet devotion,
standing for each other, and for all who came before.
Whether side by side or gently unlinked,
their bond is unmistakable: a tether of trust,
formed in shadowed jungles and fading echoes.
In every step, they walk for kin, for memory, for a future not yet written.
Two young Sumatran elephants already sharing the life long bond they will have together.
The Sumatran elephant is currently classified as Critically Endangered by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. This means they face a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. The population is estimated to be less than 1,500 individuals across Sumatra, and has declined significantly in recent years.
Series - Echoes of the Wild
Sculpture - Vanishing Grace at Rest
Vanishing Grace at Rest
Curled like a question mark against the earth,
she folds the horizon into her bones.
Neck stretched, nose resting in dust,
she embodies an elegance the world is forgetting.
Still, she breathes—
a quiet sentinel in a vanishing silhouette.
The Kordofan Giraffe, Listed in 2025 as critically endangered, with only an estimated 2,300 individuals remaining in the wild. The subspecies has experienced an 80% decline in population over the past 35 years, leading to its classification as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Significant threats include poaching, habitat loss, and human encroachment.
Series - Echoes of the wild
Sculpture - Chucklepotomus
Chucklepotomus
Perched like a puddle with purpose,
this young pygmy hippo greets the world with a grin.
Too small to make waves—yet—
he’s already causing ripples of joy.
A smile in the swamp,
a giggle wrapped in hide,
he reminds us that wonder doesn’t always come in grand strides—
sometimes, it waddles softly and beams.
series - echoes of the wild
sculpture - Drifting on thin ice
Drifting on Thin Ice
Belly to the breeze, bottom in the air,
he slides in joyful rebellion—
a dance of weightless wonder on a surface growing weary.
He doesn’t know the cracks beneath him.
But we do.
And so we watch,
laugh, ache, and remember why he must keep sliding.
The Polar Bear is currently classified as Vulnerable on the basis of a projected reduction in global population size due to loss of sea ice habitat. Loss of Arctic sea ice due to climate change is the most serious threat to Polar Bears throughout their circumpolar range, but action to mitigate this threat is beyond the ability of either the PBSG or the five governments that comprise the Polar Bear Range States.
Series - echoes of the wild
sculpture - moonlit Duet
Moonlit Duet
She stands tall, voice lifted to the stars—
a call older than time itself.
At her feet, her pup joins in,
a quivering echo beneath her howl,
learning not just to sing,
but to belong.
Together, they braid their voices into the wild night,
a duet of devotion, guidance, and growing courage.
Mother Gray Wolf with her pup, singing together, teaching the youngster the importance of reaching out with the pack to connect to one another.
In 2025, the global gray wolf population is estimated to be between 200,000 and 250,000, with a significant presence in North America and Eurasia. The IUCN classifies gray wolves as being of "least concern" for extinction. While wolves are protected in some areas and hunted in others, they continue to face challenges from human encroachment and habitat destruction, particularly in areas where they are perceived as threats to livestock and pets.
Series - echoes of the wild
sculpture - Titan of the Plains
Titan of the Plains
He moves like a memory through the grass—
vast, steady, and older than the fences.
Muscle wrapped in moss and shadow,
this plains bison is more than presence—
he’s a keeper of wild thunder,
a living monument to endurance.
A beautiful Plains Bison, showing his strength and beauty, with his stunning mane.
Plains bison populations are in a state of recovery at last and are no longer considered endangered. While the species was once nearly extinct, their numbers are increasing in both North America and Europe and we hope it continues. Conservation efforts, including collaborations between Native communities, private landowners, and conservation organizations, have been crucial to their revival.
Series - echoes of the wild
sculpture - Not a care
Not a Care
A young giant panda sprawled on the forest floor, caught mid-roll between curiosity and contentment.
He chews, he tumbles, he dreams—
not yet knowing that his every playful breath is part of something bigger.
In a world watching closely, he lives in the moment.
And for now, that’s more than enough.
A young Giant Panda, having a role around not realising just how important his role for his species will be.
Giant pandas are currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. This classification indicates that the species faces a high risk of endangerment in the wild. While their numbers are increasing due to conservation efforts, they remain vulnerable to threats like habitat loss and climate change.
Series - echoes of the wild
sculpture - Nose to nose
Sentinels of a Future
Nose to nose, hearts aligned—they hold the weight of tomorrow between them.
He watches the horizon; she listens to the earth.
Together, they dream of a den, a life, a chance to continue.
In a world fraught with fading wilds, they stand as quiet defiance—
not just lovers, but the last line of legacy.
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This subspecies is critically endangered, with an estimated 18 to 39 individuals remaining in the wild. The foxes are found in the Sierra Nevada mountain range, primarily above 9,000 feet, but have been documented as low as 6,000 feet. The foxes face numerous threats, including habitat loss due to logging and livestock grazing, disturbance from recreational vehicles, and the presence of non-native foxes. Climate change is also a concern, as it may shrink their habitat.
Series - echoes of the wild
sculpture - skyborn
Skyborn
Eyes carved from stormlight,
she pierces the horizon like a whisper before the wind.
Cloaked in Arctic stillness, she waits—
not for the hunt, but for the moment to rise.
A sentinel above the silence,
she belongs to no one but the sky.
The Arctic peregrine falcon, a subspecies of the peregrine falcon, is generally considered to be of "Least Concern" globally. While the overall peregrine falcon population is increasing, the Arctic subspecies, Falco peregrinus calidus, is more migratory and can be found in the UK on passage and during winter, although it's not officially on the British list due to identification difficulties. Peregrine falcons, including the Arctic subspecies, have been victims of persecution and illegal trade, highlighting the importance of legal protection.
Series - echoes of the wild
sculpture - Dust of the Ancients
Dust of the Ancients
Born of an ending, he steps through the hush—
damp sand clings like memory across his flank.
Not fleeing, not quite staying,
he carries the hush of ancestors
in every weighty, silent tread.
A young echo walking away,
trailed not by shadow, but by time itself.
This young Northern White Rhino is walking away from a role in the mud and sand, just a dream of what many will never see again. Sadly the Northern White Rhino is critically endangered and considered functionally extinct in the wild. Only two individuals remain, both female, and they are housed at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya. These rhinos, Fatu and Najin, are under 24-hour armed guard. The subspecies' near extinction is due to decades of poaching for their horns.
We create beautiful things but we destroy such beauty without a second thought.
Series - echoes of the wild - Valentine Special duo
sculpture - Bonded by bark
Bonded By Bark
Side by side,
they hold the weight of home between their paws.
Bark-stripped devotion,
woven not from words,
but from branches chosen and placed—
together.
In every gnawed edge, a testament:
love builds quietly,
and never alone.
The Eurasian beaver is a native species in Great Britain but was hunted to extinction in the 16th century. While globally classified as "Least Concern," it's considered "Endangered" in Great Britain and "Critically Endangered" in England. In 2022, they were legally recognized as native in England and are now a protected species in the UK. Reintroductions have been successful in reversing their local extinction, and populations are increasing in Scotland and England.
Series - echoes of the wild - Valentine Special duo
sculpture - heart of the galapagos
Heart of the Galapagos
They stand not as strangers
nor as mirrors—
but as two souls weathered in rhythm,
shoulder to shoulder in saltlight calm.
One flipper, draped like trust,
the other still—
together, they are not just two,
but the steady pulse
of the Galápagos itself.
The Galápagos penguin is classified as an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The species faces a high risk of extinction in the wild due to a combination of factors, including a small population size, a limited range, and fluctuations in marine conditions, particularly those exacerbated by climate change.
Series - echoes of the wild
sculpture - Celestial Reflections
She rises beneath the shimmer,
a living constellation adrift on sapphire tides.
Sunlight dances across her back—
stars stitched in motion,
each ripple a reflection of her grandeur.
Neither predator nor myth,
she is the silent axis
around which sea and sky align.
Modelled on a famous Great White, Deep Blue is a female great white shark that is estimated to be 6.1 m long or larger and is now sixty years old. She is believed to be one of the largest ever recorded in history.
The Great White faces numerous ecological challenges which has resulted in international protection. The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists the great white shark as a vulnerable species, and it is included in Appendix II of CITES. This status indicates they are facing a high risk of extinction in the wild. Their population trend is considered to be decreasing, influenced by factors like overfishing, bycatch in commercial fisheries, and entanglement in beach protection nets, also illegal finning is a very sad and cruel practice that is decimating shark number's.
Series - echoes of the wild - Valentine Special duo
sculpture - A winters devotion
A loving couple, he gifts her a mouse he has just caught. Total Winters Devotion.
The global status of the Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus) is Vulnerable according to the IUCN's Red List. This assessment was confirmed in 2021, following a 2017 assessment that also listed the species as Vulnerable. This designation reflects a decline in the Snowy Owl population, particularly in North America and possibly in northern Europe and Russia. Recent estimates suggest there are fewer than 100,000 individuals globally
Series - echoes of the wild
sculpture - Spirits Guardian
Spirits Guardian
Perched in twilight stillness,
she keeps silent vigil over furrowed earth.
Eyes like ancient lanterns,
she watches, not as hunter alone,
but as witness—
to whispers in wheat,
to echoes in dusk.
Between the beating heart of the wild
and the pull of the unseen,
she waits.
The night breathes,
and she becomes its keeper.
Once believed to assist a spirit to heaven, the Barn Owl stands and watches, waiting with patience for his next spirit to guide.
In the UK, Barn Owls are classified as a Green-listed Bird of Conservation Concern. This means they are considered to be in a stable or improving population. The population is widely distributed across the UK, although they are absent from the Highlands of Scotland and considered under threat in Northern Ireland.
Organizations like the Barn Owl Trust and the Suffolk Wildlife Trust are actively involved in monitoring and helping to protect Barn Owl populations.
Series - echoes of the wild
sculpture - They Came for the herring, stayed for each other
They Came for the Herring, Stayed for Each Other
They met by the tide,
drawn by glint and silver flash—
but found something far rarer
in the quiet press of beaks
and the curl of one foot over another.
Love came softly,
wrapped in salt air and seabird laughter.
The herring were fleeting.
This? This was worth staying for.
The Atlantic puffin, a bird known for its distinctive appearance and clown-like face. It is currently listed as Red on the UK's Birds of Conservation Concern list. Globally, it's classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, indicating a high risk of extinction in the wild. This status is due to declining populations, particularly in the UK and Iceland, primarily attributed to climate change and food shortages.
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