Rebecca Robinson - Art Print - Maugean Skate
$55.00
Maugean Skate (Zearaja maugeana) Art Print
100% archival cotton fine art print, from an original digital illustraion
Open Edition Art Print
Print Size Options
21cm x 29.7cm (A4)
29.7cm x 42cm (A3)
42cm x 59.4cm (A2)
59.4cm x 84.1cm (A1)
41cm x 41 cm Square
A percentage of each print sold will be donated to Wildlife Conservation
Handle with care. The delicate printed surface will scuff if not handled gently. For best results, deliver directly into a professional framers safe hands.
Artist Statement
This artwork was born out of a profound respect for the fragile balance of marine ecosystems and the urgent need to protect species teetering on the edge of extinction.
The Maugean skate (Zearaja maugeana) is a critically endangered species of skate found exclusively in the brackish estuarine waters of Macquarie Harbour and Bathurst Harbour in Tasmania, Australia. A living relic from ancient times, it is characterised by its quadrangular flattened body, mottled grey-brown colouring, elongated snout and distinctive wing-like pectoral fins. The Maugean skate has adapted to a highly specific, low-oxygen habitat, making it particularly vulnerable to environmental changes. Scientists estimate that only a few thousand individuals remain, making the skate one of the most endangered rays in the world. With an extremely limited range, this elusive species faces significant threats from human activity. Intensive aquaculture from salmon farms, mining, manipulated river flows for producing hydroelectricity, industrial activity and climate change have resulted in changes in water quality and altered the delicate balance of its habitat. Conservation efforts are crucial to ensure the survival of the Maugean skate, which represents not only a unique element of Tasmania’s biodiversity but also a symbol of the fragility of specialized aquatic ecosystems. Conservation strategies include habitat protection, pollution reduction, and rigorous scientific monitoring, all of which require ongoing funding and public support.
If emergency conservation action is not implemented immediately, we may witness the first modern-day fish extinction. The Maugean skate could become extinct within 10 years and tragically become Tasmania’s ‘Thylacine of the sea’.
While the purchase of this art print raises awareness and helps fund various grassroots conservation programs, there are many other ways to contribute:
- Learn more about the species and share its story within your community
Rebecca Robinson
Born in Hamburg Germany, Rebecca Robinson’s initial years were spent on a farm surrounded by country life. Her curiosity and passion for the natural world began when her family moved to Zimbabwe Africa, where she was surrounded by exotic creatures.
Her family then moved to America where she developed a fondness for art. The garage storage shed was christened “The Bug House” and her affections soon grew to include all creatures great and small. Tadpoles were released as frogs, caterpillars metamorphosed to butterflies, injured birds returned to the wild and her pencil and ‘artistic eye’ became sharper.
She later sought further education in Australia, graduating from the University of Melbourne, Victoria with a Bachelor of Science degree in Zoology. She then went on to complete a Bachelor of Fine Arts with Honours in Wildlife Illustration, at the University of Newcastle, New South Wales.
The constant pursuit of following her passions for nature, art & travel have led to a varied and unconventional lifestyle. A decorated professional at ‘wearing many hats’ - natural science illustration, fine art, photography, graphic design, cartography, jewellery, publishing and retail. Her life has certainly never been boring!
She has now settled in Australia’s island state, living and working between Tasmania's beautiful East Coast and Hobart.
Rebecca’s work is driven by a deep connection to and respect for the natural world. Artwork that strives to communicate the complexities of nature, to engage, inform and inspire while delivering an underlying message -
We have an ethical duty of care to protect our remaining wild places and replenish what we have destroyed. Conservation of our natural environment is not only fundamental to our own existence, but also critical to the intricately connected ecosystems on our planet and ultimately the survival of life on earth.
