Darkle the Brown Bear by Rohan Thomson
To celebrate the completed expansion of the National Zoo and Aquarium, the stunning variety of the animal world has been captured in a series of portraits exclusive to The Store by Fairfax.
When Darkle arrived, she would confine herself to a corner of the cage and pace back and forth repetitively. Zookeepers say she formed the tragic habit while locked in a small cage at the Australian circus she left 17 years ago. Her exact age is a mystery, but she is believed to be in her late 20s to early 30s - probably the last decade of her life. Brown bears, found in northern Eurasia and North America, can weigh up to 600 kilos and eat 40 kilos of food a day. Darkle weighs just 230 kilos. Despite their conservation status of ‘least concern’, protection of these bears is a high priority due to their role as predators to keep animal populations in check and as management indicators for other wildlife species. Human interference in their natural habitat has caused extinction in some areas and a worrying drop in numbers in others.
Fairfax photographer Rohan Thomson’s ambitious project took months of effort, bringing him closer to these animals than anyone could hope to be. The time and patience he committed to his work is apparent in the sense of calm and connection with each of his subjects.
A portion of proceeds from the sale of each of these images will go to wildlife conservation charities selected by the National Zoo & Aquarium.
A digital C-Type printing method with a Kodak Professional Premier Endura paper has been used.
Size
- A4: 210mm x 297mm
- A3: 297mm x 420mm
- A2: 420mm x 594mm
Frames - Crafted by Amarisco Picture Framing, Sydney. Ph 02 9439 3133, amarisco.com.au.
- Box frames are sourced from sustainable plantation timber
- Frame dimensions are 20mm face and 37mm depth
- Available in Classic White, Matte Black, Tasmanian Oak & Dark Timber
- 2mm clear acrylic with 80% UV protection rating
- Artworks are mounted to acid-free foam core
- Artworks are set to the rear of the frame with a 20mm space to the acrylic.
Our printing partner
Vision Image Lab, our professional printing partner, also arranges framing and delivery. You can contact them directly regarding any delivery enquiries regarding this print.
Email: accounts@visionimagelab.com.au
Contact: (02) 9319 3300
IMPORTANT: Only unframed orders placed before December 15 will arrive in time for Christmas. International and all other orders may take up to two weeks longer than the normal delivery times listed below, due to the holiday period.
All deliveries include tracking and require a signature on delivery.
| Delivery within Australia | Delivery time | Price |
| Standard delivery | Up to four weeks | FREE |
| International delivery | Delivery time | Price |
| New Zealand | Up to five weeks |
1 x print $30 2 x prints $30 3 x prints $60 4 x prints $60 Plus $30 for every 1–2 prints thereafter |
| Rest of world | Up to five weeks |
1 x print $45 2 x prints $45 3 x prints $90 4 x prints $90 Plus $45 for every 1–2 prints thereafter |
Size
- A4: 210mm x 297mm
- A3: 297mm x 420mm
- A2: 420mm x 594mm