WILDLIFE NEWS
Long Necked Turtle Bathplug
Definitely not one for the collection, but a fun piece to make!
Jane's request for a custom designed long-necked turtle bathplug stemmed from her love of the little hatchlings that frequent the pathway at the lake near her home.
Meerkat footprint
Not quite added to the collection yet, but possibly one day not too far away - a meerkat footprint commissioned as a personal bracelet link
Global Tiger Day
Global Tiger Day, often called International Tiger Day, is an annual celebration to raise awareness for tiger conservation, held annually on 29 July. It was created in 2010 at the Saint Petersburg Tiger Summit in Russia - Wikipedia
Celebrating World Giraffe Day 21 June !
World Crocodile Day 17 June
A newcomer to the world compared to the sea turtle, crocodiles have nevertheless survived 80 million years on planet earth.
And did you know?
A 4m crocodile will have replaced each tooth about 45 times during its lifetime.
Crocodile at Ballarat Wildlife Park
World Sea Turtle Day 15 June 2024
Sea Turtles have survived over 110 million years and the asteroid attack that did for the dinosaurs! Find more wonderful facts about green turtles (and, if you like, sign a petition for their continued survival) here at WWF.
Komodo Dragon footprint pendant
Hollie sent me an ink pressing of her resident Komodo dragon's footprint - with a request for a custom made pendant. During a bit of research I was particularly taken by the fleshy rings that gathered near the long claws. And after a few sketches, we settled on the final design you see here.
17 May 2024 is National Endangered Species Day
The theme for this year's National Endangered Species Day is - Celebrate Saving Species.
So many people work for conservationist organisations, animal shelters, or simply do their best by supporting wildlife charities with their time or donations.
It is truly inspirational. Thank you!
Bushprints has been supporting the Australian Koala Foundation since 2007 with 10% of koala sales. We also support other conservationist agencies wherever possible with donations of time and products for fundraising purposes.
Wildlife Custom Design - necklace of a Cape Porcupine footprint
A photograph and image of the foot of Oliver - a Cape Porcupine - was sent to me by his wildlife carer. She requested a pendant of his footprint.
Wildlife Custom Design - Bettong footprint
A Bettong is a very tiny Macropod (literally big foot - the Kangaroo family). Despite their small size they have long hind feet and the print is very similar in shape to most kangaroos and wallabies. This request was from a wildlife carer who works with these animals and so I tried to diffentiate the footprint from the ones already provided by Bushprints by showing the extended toes.
World Gorilla Day - 24 September
24 September 2021 marks the fifth World Gorilla Day - dedicated to the preservation of these wonderful animals.
To mark the occasion, Bushprints will be donating all profits from the sale of our Gorilla jewellery items until the end of the month to the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund
Welcome to Wildlife Wonders!
We are very excited and proud to welcome Wildlife Wonders to our family of stockists.
Wildlife Wonders provide a guided walking experience on the Great Ocean Road, just out of Apollo Bay, where guests can learn about conservation and experience the wonderful Otways flora and fauna.
In addition, they are a non-for-profit social enterprise of the Conservation Ecology Centre - supporting conservation in the Otway area.
Wildlife Wonders opened to the public in February earlier this year. We wish them every success!
Red Box Wildlife Shelter presents a film screening of " KANGAROO - a Love-Hate Story "
Save the Date!
on 13 May 2021 Red Box Wildlife Shelter will be screening the film:
KANGAROO: A Love-Hate Story
at The TapRoom, 9 Walker Street, Castlemaine.
Funds raised will be used to further their work rescuing, rehabilitating, raising and releasing native animals in need. While their primary focus is the Eastern Grey Kangaroo, they take in all wildlife and can move them onto specialist carers if needed.
Bushprints Jewellery wishes them every success at their fundraising event and for future projects, and has made a small jewewllery donation to the event.
Click here to read more about their work and the delightful story of how the orgnaisations started.
Click on the image to download the flyer.
Happy Easter to us all! APRIL 2021
Celebrate World Numbat Day! 2 November 2019
Custom Design - Ring featuring 4 Australian animals
A custom design request came up for a ring featuring the footprints of 4 Australian animals that the American traveller wished to keep in her heart - or at least on her finger.... It was quite a complex task, but you can see the design process on our Custom Design page.
Happy World Turtle Day 23 May 2019!
Click here to get to the World Turtle Day website.
PS: Don't worry if you missed the day, there's another Sea Turtle Day on 16 June 2019
Antartica & Whale Fluke charm
An ecstatic traveller to Antarctica watched many whales and wanted to commemorate the event. So she asked for a charm (to add to her ever-growing "travel charms") which incorporated a whale fluke and Antarctica. This is the design she chose. If you'd like to see the full design-and-make process, click below to go to our Custom Design page.
Custom Design: King Penguin
A custom design request came up for a King Penguin print recently. I've discovered that their toes are much much longer than the Little Penguin, and this, together with the fact that they incubate their eggs on their feet, made it seem most appropriate to use an egg-shaped form for the piece. I wasn't able to add it to the collection, but you can see the design process on our Custom Design Page
Wombats - Did You Know?
That a group of wombats is called ' a Wisdom of Wombats' - and also can be know as 'a Mob' or 'a Colony' of Wombats.
Despite this, they prefer to live separately from other wombats, although they do share their burrows with rodents and some snakes.
Their pouches face backwards, to protect their young from their ferocious digging.
They are immensely strong shouldered, often called the bulldozers of the bush.
Happy Wombat Day!
Celebrating Global Tiger Day 29 July 2018
International Arctic Ice Day 15 July 2018
Today is International Arctic Ice Day! Let's wish all the polar bears, the penguins and other Arctic creatures all the best!
World Giraffe Day 21 June 2018 Giraffe Earrings
Addition of the endangered Snow Leopard to the Bushprints collection
The Snow Leopard
We’re very excited as Bushprints has just added the Snow Leopard to its World Animals Range! Its been on our wishlist for a while now, as we love this beautiful, shy, elusive and endangered animal.
Snow Leopard Print
Snow Leopard Earrings
The outer shape of the piece has been inspired by the shape of old-style snow-shoes – in much the same way as people use these shoes in the mountains, a snow leopard’s large paws help to spread and support its weight as it prowls across the surface of the snow.
Click here to see samples of the Snow Leopard Range - more images coming soon!
Wildlife First Aid Courses: Moe - 16 & 17 September
Click here or on the image to download the flyer for Fauna First Aid courses to be delivered at Moe on 16th and 17th of September.
On the 16th - the Bare Nosed Wombats
And on the 17th - the Macropods - which literally means "Big Feet" - kangaroos and wallabies large and small
The Little Penguins of Manly Fundraising Lunch: 31 August 2017
Save the Date!
On Thursday 31st August, the Foundation for National Parks and Wildlife (FNPW) will be holding a charity lunch at Hugos to raise money to help protect Manly's beloved and endangered colony of Little Penguins. Bushprints Jewellery wishes the fundraiser every success and has donated some pieces of Penguin themed jewellery toward the event through the Manly Volunteer Penguin Wardens.
Click here to download the flyer for the lunch.
The Manly Volunteer Penguin Wardens try to ensure that Little Penguins can breed in safety away from human or dog interference through:
- Patrol of beaches and Penguin breeding areas
- Prevention of dogs on beaches and unleashed within 50m of penguin nesting areas
- Prevention of contact with penguins or nesting areas
- Prevention of flash photography of penguins
- Public education about penguins and legislation regarding dogs, boating, interference and fishing
To read more about their work click here.
Spotted Tail Quoll
The Spotted Tail Quoll has just been added to our range! Special thanks to the two women (working in animal sanctuaries and involved in the conservation of these lovely creatures) who separately and independently wrote to us and asked us to consider the addition!
Green Turtle Tracks on the beach
Green Turtle Tracks
The Polar Bear Cufflinks
At last we've got the polar bear cufflinks completed.
The biggest bear in the world, they are believed to have evolved after some Siberian brown bears were separated by glaciers.
Adapting to arctic conditions, they grew white fur (though their skin is black underneath to absorb the heat from the sun) and of course, became great swimmers!
Possum trails in Carlton Gardens
Walking through Carlton Gardens one evening I saw so many possums running from tree to tree that I realised that what I'd thought was grass damage due to the laying of water pipes or something may actually be possum trails! I came back in the daytime to take photographs of the trails, and then again at night to film them using the trails as I'd seen before. Sadly it was rainy and the possums refused to perform. I'll have to try another night.
Eastern Barred Bandicoot
The eastern barred bandicoot has been considered extinct in the wild on mainland Australia since 1991. Zoos Victoria has been collaborating with several organisations running captive breeding and reintroduction programs. Recently, in August 2015, 16 mating pairs were released on fox-free Churchill Island, managed by Phillip Island Nature Parks. Click here to read more.
Male bandicoots only consort with females for mating. When the female does not respect her mate she bites his bottom or his ears! The bandicoot's middle two toes are syndactylous (they are joined together except for the claw, which gives their tracks their distinctive shape.)
Sleepy Burrows Wombat Sanctuary
I have to share this lovely picture of wombat feet, which I discovered on the Sleepy Burrows Wombat Sanctuary website and they kindly allowed me to reproduce here. It shows the footprint I have tried to represent in my jewellery so perfectly!
You can see more beautiful pictures of wombats at the Sleepy Burrows website - click here. And they are having a fundraiser on October 17 at Murphys Bar & Grill in Unanderra, NSW - click here to see flyer.
September is Save the Koala Month at Australian Koala Foundation
The theme for this year is “Give me a home among the gumtrees” which we think is the perfect way to highlight what Save The Koala Month is all about!
The Australia Koala Foundation (AKF) has invited Koala lovers to take part in its annual fundraising and awareness campaign. If you would like to participate you can help by ordering a donation box, creating your own fundraiser, ordering merchandise or simply spreading the word.
You can get all the details on AKF’s Facebook by clicking or on the picture - and share your ideas and efforts with the hashtag #STKM2015!
Dingo Discovery Sanctuary welcomes 2015 puppies
The Dingo Discovery Sanctuary was formed to protect and preserve the pure species of the Australian Dingo. This year's first litter of pure bred puppies arrived on 3 June 2015, and now you can meet and cuddle the full contingent during the open days being held every weekend until mid August. Its a wonderful experience. Last time I was there I noticed that although some of my clothes had muddy pawmarks (it was raining) there was absolutely no wet animal smell whatsoever. And that is the least of all their amazing attributes - they are truly remarkable animals. Bookings are essential as seating is limited, and children must be over 7 years old. Click here or on the picture to get a copy of the flyer if you'd like to pay a visit. The centre is at Toolern Vale in Victoria.
Taking Care of Bushprints Jewellery
Bushprints Jewellery is not plated as we prefer the natural properties of precious metals. The pieces will oxidise (react with exposure to the air) over time and can acquire intriguing depths of colour and texture. Oxidation is the natural reaction of the alloyed metal to the air around it, however not all oxidation necessarily makes a piece more attractive! If you find your piece is appearing dull and tarnished, rather than richer and more intriguing, and wish to restore it to its original shiny look, simply rub gently with a soft cloth to which you have added a small amount of silver or gold polish. Then rinse thoroughly in warm water and pat dry carefully using a lint-free cloth or tissue. Should your piece become severely tarnished, a polish at a local jeweller will restore it to its best. And of course, feel free to contact Gary with any concerns or queries.