Endangered Species 2012

On 19 April 2012, the United Nations Postal Administration (UNPA) will issue a set of 12 stamps depicting endangered species. These will be the twentieth set of stamps in UNPA's multi-year series Endangered Species. The series was launched on 3 March 1993 to highlight the need for the protection of endangered species throughout the world. For the twentieth anniversary of the Endangered Species stamp issue, UNPA is including three universally recognized and loved animals from previous years-the Giant Panda, the Siberian Tiger and the Snow Leopard.

UNPA will issue three sheets of 16 stamps, one sheet in each of the three currencies. Four different endangered species will be illustrated on each sheet; hence, 12 species will be covered.

The Artist

The "2012 Endangered Species" stamps were illustrated by Diana Marques (Portugal). Ms. Marques completed a biology degree and several drawing and science illustration certificate programmes in Portugal before graduating from the Science Illustration Program in Santa Cruz, California.

Ms. Marques is an assistant lecturer of the Drawing Master Program of the Fine Arts Faculty of the University of Lisbon and she is pursuing her Ph.D. in Digital Media, focusing on the visual communication of science. She is actively involved with professional associations like the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators and the Association Européenne des Illustrateurs Médicaux et Scientifiques and has exhibited in a number of settings.

Ms. Marques runs her freelance business working with an assortment of clients, such as the National Museum of Natural History of the Smithsonian Institution, researchers, publishers, educational and scientific institutions and businesses.

She works in a variety of media and favours rendering with attention to details and scientific accuracy. This is her first stamp design for the United Nations.

To learn more about Ms. Marques, visit her website at www.dianamarques.com.