The annihilation of wildlife in recent decades means a sixth mass extinction in Earth’s history is under way. Photographer Sean Gallagher has set up the Instagram feed Everyday Extinction, which features the work of scientists and photographers whose mission it is to highlight through their stories and powerful images the many ways our planet is being ravaged. The descriptions of the animals whose lot is pictured here are taken from Gallagher’s feed.
Picture: Jasper Doest @jasperdoest
FEAST OR FLIGHT
A white stork waiting for food that will be arriving shortly after sunrise at this landfill in Portugal. White storks traditionally make an epic annual migration from Europe to West Africa, flying thousands of kilometres to find...
Picture: Patrick Brown @patrickbrownphoto
THE SADDEST LINK A large bull elephant sits with its legs chained in Chitwan National Park in Nepal. This 50-year-old was restrained because he had killed five mahouts during his lifetime.
Picture: Lucas M Bustamante @luksth
MONKEY BUSINESS
He was tied from his waist to a house’s column with a very short rope, below. You just needed to see his eyes to understand the situation of this baby squirrel monkey. Even more when his owner used to come closer to feed him a piece of...
Picture: Marcus Westberg @lifethroughalensphotography
CLOSE TO THE HEART At Senkwekwe, the world’s only mountain gorilla sanctuary, in Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Papa Andre Bauma cuddles 10-yearold Ndakasi. The gorilla was orphaned at two months old, when her mother was...
Picture: Tristan Spinski @tspinski
DESTROYED, SHELVED Tiger, leopard and other big cat trophies in the National Wildlife Property Repository, a warehouse on the outskirts of Denver, packed with illegal animal parts and products. Many are from threatened or endangered species. Most are...