Original art:: Emerald Batifa the Persian Leopard by Azi S. • © 2025 Wildlife Jewels® • Photo of Batifa: Courtesy of the Kurdistan Organization for Animal Rights Protection.
Celebrating a Persian Leopard Through Conservation & Art
Date: Sunday, September 28
Time: 2-5 p.m.
Location: Serpentine Cider, 8665 Miralani Dr. #100, San Diego
Overview
Join us for an inspiring Sunday afternoon celebrating wildlife and art.
Hear Andy Blue share the ongoing effort to relocate Batifa—a rare Persian leopard—from captivity in northern Iraq to a safe sanctuary. Andy will also highlight recent animal welfare improvements at the Zoo in Duhok.
Be among the first to see the unveiling of Wildlife Jewels’ Emerald Batifa The Persian Leopard art collection, created in his honor.
Hosted at Serpentine Cider—grab a cider, relax, and be inspired!
What to expect
Talk & Q&A with Andy Blue on Batifa’s journey and welfare improvements in Duhok
Unveiling of Wildlife Jewels’ Emerald Batifa — The Persian Leopard Collection
Food & drinks available from Serpentine Cider during the program
We look forward to celebrating with you!
Register below to reserve your free spot.
About Batifa & the Persian Leopard
Batifa is a Persian leopard rescued in northern Iraq after being caught in a leg trap. The injury led to an amputation, and he has been housed at the Duhok Zoo while advocates work toward sanctuary placement and continued welfare upgrades.
Persian Leopard status: The subspecies (Panthera pardus tulliana) is listed as Endangered. Best current estimates place the wild population at 750–1,044 individuals (about 450–626 mature) in fragmented subpopulations across the Caucasus, Iran, Iraq, and parts of Central/Western Asia; key threats include retaliatory killing, prey depletion, and habitat loss/fragmentation.
Source: IUCN/SSC Cat Specialist Group — Persian Leopard profile .
About Andy Blue
I worked for the San Diego Zoo for over 30 years and was based at the Safari Park. I have been an animal keeper, animal care manager, and retired an Associate Curator of Mammals. I was mainly responsible for animal shipments, exhibit design, and animal welfare. My work took me all over the world including Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, India, and South America. I was also a member of the opening team at Disney’s Animal Kingdom in Florida I have always been interested in improving animal welfare and wildlife trafficking. I am currently working on projects in Mexico, Iraq, and Cuba. I worked with the San Diego Humane Society for five years and recently retired as the Campus Director of Project Wildlife Ramona where we care for 1500 injured or orphaned animals a year including Mountain Lions, Bears, Coyotes, and Raptors.
About Wildlife Jewels’ Emerald Batifa the Persian Leopard Collection
Created by Wildlife Jewels founder-artist Azi Sharif, this limited collection honors Batifa’s resilience and shines a light on Persian leopard conservation. The work blends fine art and conservation storytelling to inspire action for wildlife protection.
On view: Event reveal. “Emerald Batifa the Persian Leopard” original (30" × 40", acrylic on gallery-wrapped canvas painting)—exhibition viewing for education only—plus select originals from the Emerald Batifa series, with a brief artist presentation during the unveiling.
Available: Limited-edition fine art prints, wearable art editions, and decorative arts created to share Batifa’s story.
Impact: All net proceeds support conservation efforts
About the Artist
Azi Sharif is the Founder & Executive Director of Wildlife Jewels® and the artist behind the Emerald Batifa — The Persian Leopard collection. Her practice combines field observation, wildlife monitoring, hands-on rescue, and on-the-ground conservation—from marine-debris removal and native planting to community science—with fine art to elevate conservation stories and mobilize communities. She leads Wildlife Jewels’ Ocean, Art & Education, Conservation, and Rescue programs that inspire and empower people to protect wildlife from human-caused threats worldwide. With a background in fine art, biomimicry, and autonomous systems, and a PhD in applied sciences she is dedicated to protecting wildlife through creative work, direct, on-the-ground actions, and collaborative action.
Register below to reserve your free spot.
Discover the Wildlife Jewels’ Conservation Shop
Wildlife Jewels® Shop is owned and operated by Wildlife Jewels®, a not-for-profit conservation organization. Our mission is to protect wildlife from threats driven by human activities, to inspire individuals to value living wildlife, and to empower them to take impactful actions to save wildlife. By purchasing from Wildlife Jewels® Shop you are not just acquiring an exclusive work of art, you're also supporting our vital wildlife conservation programs while spreading the beauty and stories of unique wildlife and advocating for their protection.
Our Vision
“We dream of a world where wildlife thrives untouched by human activities, roaming freely in their natural habitats. In this world, every person recognizes the magnificent beauty and value of living wildlife, and takes significant action to ensure safety and protection of wildlife.”
— Azi Sharif, Founder & Executive Director Wildlife Jewels®
Would you like to make a donation?
Wildlife Jewels is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and operates on donations. Your contribution is tax-deductible to the full extent allowed by law. Would you be interested in making a tax-deductible contribution to express your support for our mission to protect wildlife from human-caused threats?
