Changing faces of animals we think we know
The way animals look now does not necessarily reflect their appearance of 200 years ago. We have unearthed some amazing images from the British Library archives that offer an older perspective.
Walrus
"I am a walrus," as sung the Beatles, was in reference to Lewis Caroll's "The Walrus and the Carpenter" in which the former is a villain. The specimen pictured here, which dates back to 1822 has a slightly dubious look about him. But there is nothing villanous about a walrus, unless you happen to be a mollusk, for which they have a particular fondness.
Meercat
This engraving by the Brothers Dalziel was published in 1868 in a book entitled "The Natural History of Man…" These days meerkats, which are indigenous to southern Africa, are widely considered cute, curious little creatures – so much so that they've been adopted to front advertising campaigns, and are quite the YouTube sensation.
Ball armadillo
Roll up, roll up, come and watch the natural sensation... The concept of an animal that could roll into an armored ball was as fascinating in 1894 as it is today. Armadillos are often said to possess this rare ability, but in actual fact, just one of the animal's 20 or so species can curl that tightly. That makes it all the more impressive.
Hyena
The trademark teeth were immortalized here in 1866 in a publication entitled "Adventures in the far interior of South Africa; including a journey to Lake Ngami, and rambles in Honduras." The face and ears look longer than those in more recent depictions of hyenas. All the better to hear with…?
Vampire bat
Desmodus Rufus, one of the "Vampire" or Blood-Sucking, Bats is the name given to this plate from 1894. The giant creature doesn't have the ferocious look of a blood-sucker, and appears to be about to land in the thick of a forest – as if it were dropping in to deal with a situation. Batman style. Hmmm…
Lynx
Lounging among foliage, this lynx was first published in "The Countries of the World" in 1894. Its almost mane-like appearance might seem exaggerated by today's standards. Was that the artist, or might the felines have had more fur all around their necks then than their descendents?
Polar bear
The nose of the polar bear is little changed, but this one seems to have a longer, slimmer neck than those that populate contemporary images of the Arctic animals. This picture is taken from the 1825 publication, "A Peep at the Esquimaux; or, scenes on the ice." Almost 200 years later, the icescape is melting, which means the scene for polar bears is rapidly changing.
Kiwi
This wonderful depiction of a kiwi first saw the light of day in 1893. The long-beaked flightless birds, which are indigenous to New Zealand and the country's national symbol, are about the same size as an average chicken. There is something quite comical about his kiwi, a Maori word thought to have derived from the sound of the bird's call.
Elephant
Beloved yet betrayed by human greed, elephants are facing a very tough future. Poaching has taken on a whole new dimension in recent years, and conservationists are clear that failure to act now will ultimately mean that all we have left of elephants are the images in books. This one dates back to 1864 and appears to show an undisturbed landscape.
Zebra
Oh to prance… In this 1874 etching from "The Land of the Lion; or, Adventures among the wild animals of Africa", the zebra has a shorter head than the modern version. Apart from that, it looks much the same as they might today – save the fact that the younger generations have yet to master the art of levitation…
That wildlife habitats across the world are being reshaped by climate change and the seemingly unstoppable human hand, is a well-established fact. That animals are being forced to adapt or face extinction, likewise. But their evolution, like our own, is ongoing. The way they look now is not necessarily what it was 200 years ago. We have unearthed some amazing images from the British Library archives that offer artists' perspectives of old.