This year, an international team of scientists announced the discovery of a new species of wild cat in Bolivia, and research initiatives like Ocean Census continue to document hundreds of new marine species annually. Yet species are probably disappearing faster than we can find them. It’s difficult to gauge what goes extinct every year when we’re still so far from comprehending just how many different types of organisms there are in the first place. Possibly thousands of species disappear every year, however, and at a rate accelerated by human-caused habitat loss, pollution, and climate change.

For Amok Island, who was born in Amsterdam and is currently based in Fremantle, Western Australia, the fragility of the earth’s biodiversity plays a central role in vibrant, large-scale murals.

a bright geometric mural of birds flying on an enclosed overpass over a highway“The Honey Eaters” (2021), Ravensthorpe, Western Australia

Across his home state and other parts of the world, Amok Island portrays mammals, crustaceans, flowers, and more that reflect creatures and specimens found in those regions. Flocks of migrating birds swoop across industrial infrastructure, flowers bloom on community buildings, and roosters, butterflies, and cats adorn walls in urban spaces. Showcasing the beauty of living things that locals can learn about and enjoy nearby, Amok Island shines a light on the continued importance of conservation.

See more on the artist’s Instagram.

a bright geometric mural of flowers on the front of a community hall“Grevillea bipinnatifida” (2021), Dwellingup, Western Australia

a bright geometric mural of geese on a large industrial building“The Last Swans” (2020), Northam, Western Australia

a bright geometric mural of two owls“The banning of Second-Generation Anticoagulant Rodenticides” (2026), South Perth, Western Australia, for NMBW Festival

a bright geometric mural of flowers and butterflies in Perth“V. kershawi on E. websteriana” (2024), Perth City, Western Australia

a bright geometric mural of seagulls against a green background“Seagulls and Chip” (2024), Fremantle, Western Australia

a bright geometric mural of a leopard cat against a teal background on a wall along a street“Leopard Cat” (2026), Hong Kong

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