Copy of THE TIGERS' FOREST
Drawing for the Planet’s The Tigers’ Forest project, in partnership with international wildlife charity Born Free, celebrates the iconic Bengal tigers of India and the majestic Malayan tigers of Peninsular Malaysia. Through the drawings of over a thousand children, the project raises awareness of endangered tigers and the diverse flora and fauna that inhabit their landscapes and raises funds for tiger conservation organisations.
Led by artist and Drawing for the Planet founder Jane Lee McCracken, children from the UK, the USA, India, and Singapore are invited to learn about tigers and create ballpoint pen drawings in workshops delivered by Jane, Born Free, and project ambassador Ayan Kamath Mehra.
THE PROJECT
OVERVIEW
Launched in 2024, The Tigers' Forest includes Amazing Tigers virtual and on-site environmental education and drawing workshops in Singapore (May 2024), the UK (May 2024), the USA (November 2024) and India (2025). The workshops are delivered by Laura Eastwood, Born Free's Head of Education, Ayan Kamath Mehra, a Born Free Youth Ambassador, and Jane.
As part of the project Jane will create a composite artwork featuring a selection of children’s drawings from all four countries. She is also creating individual composite artworks for each school featuring drawings by all participating children.
- Scroll down to The Artworks section to see the artworks created to date.
Drawing for the Planet (DftP) will present prints/or murals of the artworks to schools and seek to install a large printed mural of The Tigers’ Forest artwork in a public space in India and the UK. DftP/Born Free will create a free legacy educational resource of Amazing Tigers workshops.
- Scroll down to The Wildlife section to learn species that inhabit tiger landscapes (this section is under construction).
- You can meet some of our Tiger Champion artists in The Artists section.
EDUCATION WORKSHOP
In the Amazing Tigers education workshops delivered by Laura Eastwood Born Free's Head of Education, Laura focuses on tiger facts, their rainforest habitats in both India and Malaysia, why non-human animals are important to forest, the impact of deforestation and poaching and the Illegal Wildlife Trade, and how we can help protect tigers and other wildlife.
This is followed by a presentation by Ayan Kamath Mehra, a Born Free Youth Ambassador and The Tigers' Forest Project Ambassador where children learn about his passions for wildlife and art and how he raises funds through his art for wildlife conservation.
DRAWING WORKSHOP
In Jane's ballpoint pen drawing workshops young artists choose photographs of tigers or other species from their landscapes as inspiration for their drawings.
Jane asks the artists to draw the animal only and not include any background, trees or branches present in the photograph. This approach emphasises the beautiful form and faces of the animal in the drawings. It also symbolises that habitat loss is one of the greatest threats to wildlife.
Jane encourages each artist to imagine what the animal in the photographs has seen with its eyes and to form emotional connections with the animal while making their drawings—if we want to save wildlife, it is vital to make emotional connections with animal species; if we care, we want to conserve.
She also encourages the children to express themselves, enjoy transporting their minds through drawing, celebrate their own unique drawing style, and embrace the fact that everyone can draw!
PROJECT AIMS
The Tigers’ Forest aims to:
- Raise awareness of endangered tigers and why keystone species are vital to global ecosystems and need to be protected.
- Create an artistic and educational legacy through the drawings of a global generation of young people.
- Build a network of awareness throughout tiger inhabited countries by sharing The Tigers' Forest artistic and educational legacy with the aim of providing more children and communities with the opportunity to participate in workshops and create art for the project.
HOW TO SUPPORT THE TIGERS' FOREST
RAISING FUNDS FOR TIGERS AND CHILDREN
DftP is raising funds to donate to the following tiger conservation organisations to support their vital work protecting tigers:
- Bombay Natural History Society
- Wildlife SOS
- Singapore Wildcat Action Group
- Born Free’s tiger conservation work through the Satpuda Landscape Tiger Partnership (SLTP)
DftP is also raising funds so that underprivileged children—including children that live in tiger-inhabited areas in India—can learn about tigers in Born Free’s workshops and take part in Jane’s drawing workshops.
If you would like to support this project, help protect tigers, and give the gift of art and environmental education to children please DONATE via our donate page and add in the form comments "THE TIGERS' FOREST" for your donation to go directly to this project:
drawingfortheplanet.org/pages/donate
TIGERS
Panthera tigris
Conservation status: ENDANGERED (IUCN Red List)
Population: Global: ~3,726-5,578 individuals, with a best estimate of 4,485 (~2,608-3,905 mature individuals, with a best estimate of 3,140); last assessed by IUCN in 2021. India: ~3,682 tigers are found in India; according to the National Tiger Conservation Authority’s Status of Tigers: Co-Predators and Prey in India 2022 report.
ABOUT TIGERS
Information courtesy of Born Free:
Tigers are a keystone species, meaning they have a significant impact on the environment that they live in.
As top predators, they help to maintain herbivore populations, reducing disease and preventing overgrazing. As they need so much space, protecting tigers and their habitats means that we can protect many other species.
Tigers are the largest cat on earth. There are six surviving subspecies, the Siberian tiger, the Southern China tiger (although possibly extinct in the wild), the Indochinese tiger, the Malayan tiger, the Sumatran tiger and the Bengal tiger. They are agile, with flexible bodies designed for running, jumping and climbing. Heavily muscled forelimbs, retractable claws, powerful jaws, sharp teeth and acute senses make them incredible hunters.
Tigers have a reddish-orange to yellow-ochre coat with a white belly and black stripes and their distinctive markings blend into the colours and shadows of their habitat, providing excellent camouflage. Although tiger size varies widely between subspecies and where they live, male tigers tend to be much larger than females. Read more here: bornfree.org.uk/animals/tigers
THREATS TO TIGERS
Habitat Loss
Tiger populations are on the brink of extinction in many countries in South East Asia, due, largely, to habitat loss. This is the result of rapid human population expansion and the related increases in mining, logging, farming, palm oil plantations, settlements, roads and railways. As tiger habitats have split and separated, inbreeding has become more common, which also contributes to the decline in numbers.
Human-tiger Conflict
Throughout their range, tigers find themselves in conflict with farmers that persecute them for killing their livestock. People have also been attacked and killed by tigers, which has further fuelled retaliatory killings and low tolerance for the animals. Many large tracts of forest are now empty of wild prey and livestock are, increasingly, competing with tigers and their prey for habitat, further driving tiger numbers down.
Poaching and the Illegal Wildlife Trade
Poaching and the exploitation of tigers in tiger farms for their skins as luxury rugs and home décor, and for their bones which are used to make traditional Asian medicines and health tonics, is a significant threat. Indiscriminate snaring and poison traps, often set for hunting small animals for bushmeat, inevitably end up injuring or killing tigers, contributing to their decline.
Captivity
Tigers are also exploited and abused in captivity – in circuses, zoos, tiger farms and in people’s private collections of wild animals as pets.
THE ARTWORKS
SINGAPORE
Singapore American School
The project team worked with Mr Koltusky, Art Teacher, Singapore American School, Singapore. High school students participated in an onsite/virtual workshop 8 May, 2024. The workshop was organised by Ayan, Project Ambassador, assisted by Priyali, Dharma and Vihan, DftP volunteers. The following composite artwork created by Jane features drawings by children, staff and parents.
UK
South Gosforth First School
The project team worked with Mrs. Dibb, Art Lead and Reception Teacher, South Gosforth First School, Newcastle-upon Tyne where Nursery-Year 4 children participated in workshops between 13-15 May, 2024. The following composite artworks created by Jane feature drawings by all children. The school is raising funds for The Tigers' Forest through print sales of the artworks.
Year 4: Snowy Owls
Year 4: Eagle Owls
Year 3: Kestrels
Year 3: Red Kites
Year 2: Kingfishers
Year 2: Doves
Year 1: Starlings
Year 1: Goldfinches
Reception: Puffins
Reception: Robins
Nursery: Ducklings
THE WILDLIFE
Each of the species from India and Malaysia, illustrated by drawings created for The Tigers' Forest, plays a vital role in its ecosystem. Like humans, they live their lives according to their needs. Imagine what their eyes have seen in the forests of the Bengal and Malayan tigers.
Many of these beautiful animals are threatened with extinction. It is up to all of us to protect and cherish them. Learn more about each species with information provided by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and other sources:
INDIAN WILDLIFE
Explore the magical species of the Bengal tigers' forest, including the dhole, the Sri Lankan giant squirrel, Indian peafowl and the peacock tarantula illustrated by children from the UK.
MALAYSIAN WILDLIFE
Explore the intriguing species of the Malayan tigers' forest, including the Malay tapir, the wrinkled hornbill and the marbled cat illustrated by children from Singapore. Some Peninsular Malaysian species are also resident in Singapore and India.
MAMMALS
MALAYAN TIGER
Panthera tigris jacksoni
Conservation status: CRITICALLY ENDANGERED (LOCALLY); ENDANGERED (IUCN Red List)
Population: 150, DECREASING
Drawing: B, high school student, Singapore
ASIAN ELEPHANT
Drawing: A, high school student, Singapore
MALAY TAPIR
Drawings: Ayan, high school student, Singapore (infant tapir); Mr Koltutsky, teacher, Singapore (adult tapir)
FLAT-HEADED CAT
Drawing: Ryann, high school student, Singapore
MARBLED CAT
Drawing: Jules, high school student, Singapore
COMMON PALM CIVET
Paradoxurus hermaphroditus
Drawing: high school student, Singapore
SUNDA FLYING LEMUR
Drawing: Vihan, high school student, Singapore
BIRDS
WRINKLED HORNBILL
Rhabdotorrhinus corrugatus
Conservation status: ENDANGERED (IUCN Red List)
Population: UNKNOWN, DECREASING
Drawing: S, high school student, Singapore
LONG-TAILED PARAKEET
Drawing: H, high school student, Singapore
GREEN BROADBILL
Calyptomena viridis
Drawing: high school student, Singapore
REPTILES
MALAYSIAN GIANT TURTLE
Drawing: N, high school student, Singapore
AMPHIBIANS
ABAH RIVER FLYING FROG
Population: UNKNOWN, DECREASING
Drawing: Priyali Kamath, Singapore
THE ARTISTS
Meet some of our amazing Tiger Champion young artists from Singapore and the UK who made beautiful drawings of tigers and wildlife from their landscapes. We would like to thank all participating artists for their substantial contribution to this project.
SINGAPORE ARTISTS
UK ARTISTS
PROJECT ORIGINS
Jane's journey to Drawing for the Planet and The Tigers' Forest began in Edinburgh in the 1970s, when, at age eight, she read in a wildlife magazine that the Caspian tiger had been declared extinct and made a promise to help tigers and endangered wildlife. Read more here: drawingfortheplanet.org/pages/our-story
Since 2014, Jane has worked in partnership with Born Free—in 2023, Born Free contacted her with an inquiry from Ayan, who was keen to get involved in a Drawing for the Planet project. Ayan, a high school student in Singapore had previously written an illuminating post, Sketching a Solution, about art and wildlife as a guest blogger on DftP's blog.
Like Jane, Ayan is passionate about the natural world and art and has raised funds for wildlife conservation through his art, including drawings of tigers. Jane saw this as an opportunity written in the stripes to celebrate their passion for tigers!
Jane said:
"I've long dreamt of developing a project to honour the alluring animal that has been a glowing presence in my mind and heart since childhood—the tiger! The Tigers' Forest is a dream come true, and it is a privilege to partner with Born Free, working with Laura, Ayan, and the Born Free team on the project. A gifted artist, Ayan's tireless dedication and his advocacy for wildlife are inspirational. He is a tremendous asset, and we are immensely proud that Ayan is our project ambassador."
PROJECT PARTNERS
ABOUT DRAWING FOR THE PLANET
Read about Drawing for the Planet’s mission here:
drawingfortheplanet.org/pages/our-mission
Follow us here:
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twitter.com/DrawingftPlanet
Support our global projects, help protect wildlife and give the gift of art, education and nature, by donating or becoming a DftP member here:
drawingfortheplanet.org/pages/donate
drawingfortheplanet.org/pages/membership
ABOUT JANE LEE MCCRACKEN
Shh it's a Tiger! 2013 Biro drawing © Jane Lee McCracken
Jane Lee McCracken constructs intricate, multi-layered Biro drawings, sculptures, installations as well as product designs. Her work represents the beauty of life and its brutal realities, exploring the loss to both humans and animals caused by human destructiveness. She is the founder and CEO of Drawing for the Planet global art, environmental education and conservation charity.
Over the last decade, she has raised funds for conservation organisations through her art and delivered drawing and environmental education workshops to thousands of people across the world. In 2019 she founded the Where Did All the Animals Go? project in partnership with Born Free and in 2021 Drawing for the Planet. Explore Jane's art:
ABOUT BORN FREE
Born Free works tirelessly to ensure that all wild animals, whether living in captivity or in the wild, are treated with compassion and respect and are able to live their lives according to their needs. As a leading wildlife charity, they oppose the exploitation of wild animals in captivity and campaign to keep them where they belong – in the wild.
Born Free promotes Compassionate Conservation to enhance the survival of threatened species in the wild and protect natural habitats while respecting the needs and safeguarding the welfare of individual animals. They seek to have a positive impact on animals in the wild and protect their ecosystems in perpetuity, for their own intrinsic value and for the critical roles they play within the natural world.
Visit Born Free here:
AYAN KAMATH MERHA
The Tigers' Forest Project Ambassador
Ayan Kamath Mehra is a 10th grade student in Singapore, and a Born Free Foundation Youth Ambassador. For as long as he can remember, Ayan has loved nature and all wild things. In 2019, at the age of 11, he travelled to South Africa, where he was awestruck at the magical abundance of wildlife on safari. Yet, he noticed that rhinos – his favorite animal – were scarce. Through the book The Elephant Whisperer by renowned conservationist Lawrence Anthony, Ayan learned about the horrifying ways rhinos are being poached for their horns. From then on, Ayan has merged his passions for art and wildlife to create @ayansartforconservation, which raises awareness and funding for endangered species around the world through his writing, talks and art. Ayan said:
"I am excited to be the project ambassador for The Tigers' Forest, because art has the power to deeply connect human beings and the animals we draw. Art happens when observation and imagination take flight. As we observe animals, and imagine their futures, we bond more deeply with planet Earth and all its wonderful wild things. With my roots in India and Singapore, I am particularly excited to support the tiger, and all the animals that live in its magnificent ecosystem."
Visit Ayan's blog here: