Our earth is a place of growth and constant change. The spectacular diversity of living things, from trees to the world's largest mammals, is as overwhelming as it is fragile. Whether majestic elephants that impress with their size and emotionality, or tiny insects that surprise with resilience and adaptability - each creature fulfils a unique role in the great cycle of the ecosystem and contributes to the balance of nature. Animals have their own history, individual language and intended place in the great fabric of life. They are our co-inhabitants in a world that we can only preserve together.

But this world is under threat. Our actions have left scars, threatened livelihoods and destroyed habitats. The main causes of declining animal populations are poaching, pollution and climate change. Promoting environmental protection measures and the transition to sustainable development are of immense importance. Protecting the environment and reducing our ecological footprint helps to preserve habitats for animals and improve their chances of survival.

It is up to humans to recognise their own responsibility and act. To give nature and animals a voice, to protect them, to preserve habitats and to show the necessary respect for our environment. A world where animals and their habitats are protected is a richer and more sustainable world for us and future generations. Nature is strong and resilient, and it is waiting for us to help it regenerate.

teNeues presents you with a total of four illustrated books focusing on species conservation and endangered species. Immerse yourself in the breathtaking diversity of the animal world that is worth protecting:

Last of their kind

We are currently experiencing the sixth major species extinction in history - every day, about 150 species disappear forever from this planet. The loss of biodiversity on such an unprecedented scale is even more threatening than climate change itself, because biodiversity is the basis of our existence. In the wake of this threatening situation, renowned photographer Joachim Schmeisser presents an illustrated book dedicated to Africa's largest and most fascinating creatures, which he has grown particularly fond of: Elephant, rhino, giraffe, lion, cheetah, leopard and mountain gorilla - all impressive animals and all threatened with extinction.

"Last of their kind" is both a homage and a warning - a visually breathtaking work, characterised by great empathy, with the aim of sharpening our veiled view of the one, infinitely complex and vulnerable nature and recognising which treasures we can irretrievably lose. The timeless images are, on the one hand, testimonies of a distant past and, on the other, iconic reminders of a near future in which we will only be able to admire these creatures in pictures or in a few zoos. 

Photographer Joachim Schmeisser has created a moving homage to the beauty and simultaneous transience of creation with the illustrated book "Last of their kind".

[tn-gallery-3712]

Fragile

"The aim of my images is to raise awareness of the beauty and diversity of wildlife, but above all to raise awareness of its terrible fragility and endangerment."-Pedro Jarque Krebs

Photographer Pedro Jarque Krebs presents spectacular photographs of the breathtaking diversity of wildlife. About 60 percent of all species worldwide are estimated to have already become extinct in the last 50 years. The award-winning wildlife photographer focuses on the fragile world to draw attention to this silent catastrophe of the disappearance of many species.

"Fragile" focuses on each creature, be it bird, reptile or feline predator. In intimate proximity and with his very own character and expression, Pedro Jarque Krebs dissolves the distance that usually exists between man and wild animal. The photographs depicted not only show impressive beauty, but also impressively demonstrate to us that man is not the centre of the universe and that the protection of the endangered habitat of animals is perhaps his most important task.

Elephants in Heaven

Photographer Joachim Schmeisser tells the story of orphaned baby elephants in the world's largest and most successful rescue and reintroduction centre. Elephants are often referred to as pachyderms, which leads to the misconception that no one can harm them. But the grey giants are in danger. Unfortunately, the coveted ivory makes elephants a sought-after prey for poachers to this day. The killed elephants often leave behind young animals that have to live on traumatised and frightened as orphans.

Through his own elephant sponsorship, photographer Joachim Schmeisser came into contact with the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, the rescue and reintroduction station for elephant orphans based in Nairobi. Here, professional animal keepers bottle-feed the baby elephants until they are old enough to feed themselves. After some time, the cubs are taken to the Trust's reintroduction centre before being released back into the wild. The aim is to integrate the elephants into their natural cycle and let them live with other reintroduced animals so that they can produce offspring and grow old. Without the Trust, the elephant orphans would have no chance of survival.

Joachim Schmeisser has accompanied all these impressive steps many times and recorded the rearing of the elephant orphans up to their release in fascinating pictures for outsiders. "Elephants in Heaven" gives us a glimpse behind the heavenly scenes of a rearing station. The sensitive animal portraits are equally intended to convey the dramatic consequences of poaching, for Joachim Schmeisser is "concerned with beauty and transience, with dignity and the equal place of each individual."

[tn-gallery-3714]

Face to Face - With the Great Apes

"Face to Face - With Great Apes" is a tribute to the protection of great apes and their habitats. With this touching picture book, the two nature photographers Anup Shah and Fiona Rogers launch a powerful appeal to everyone to better protect our closest relatives in the animal world. Their aim is to create a new thread of communication between humans and animals and the urgent wish to pass on their own fascination for these creatures to other people. 

Apes are our closest relatives in the animal kingdom and arouse very special feelings in many people because they are so similar to us. When we look into their eyes, we can feel the closeness to our own species in a haunting way. In 60 fascinating photo portraits, the two nature photographers show chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans and bonobos in close-ups taken in the animals' natural environment.

The renowned and multi-award-winning wildlife photographers lived for a long time with the apes in the jungle and built up an intimate relationship of trust. In addition to the unique nature photography, the high-quality illustrated book also offers a lot of exciting background information on how the photos were taken. The individual photos are complemented by interesting accounts of Anup and Fiona's experiences during their lives with the animals. In wonderful stories, the two tell about the different characters of the animals photographed and give the reader hidden insights into the species of the great apes.