Designed by Newcastle scientific illustrator Rachel Klyve, the "biodiversity mandala" is part of a virtual art gallery.

"When I started combining different species and putting them into different arrangements, all these incredible patterns and harmonies happened," Rachel said.

The mandala is symbolic of ecosystems and how "different species rely on all the other species to be able to function well".

"Amazing relationships exist in ecosystems. The Earth is so endlessly extraordinary," she said.

The mandala includes threatened species from the Hunter like the regent honeyeater, striped legless lizard, squirrel glider, White's seahorse, green and golden bell frog, giant dragonfly and flying duck orchid.

"It was such a joy illustrating them. The extraordinary nature of evolution is so clear in each of these species," Rachel said.

The mandala is part of an exhibition titled Biomes - a collaboration between the University of Newcastle's faculties of science, education and arts.

Developed by Fastlab in the School of Creative Industries, the virtual gallery feels like being inside a computer game. But it does have that quiet and contemplative feel of a real gallery.

"It's art in a Covid world," Rachel said.

Next to Rachel's animated mandala is Jemma Gillard's 3D cane toad and Banjo frog. The two creatures are contrasted to show their differences. The native frog is often confused with the pest toad.

The exhibition examines how humans are causing the "climate emergency and biodiversity crisis". It highlights ways to bring biodiversity back from the brink of extinction.

With news reports of massive amounts of biodiversity being destroyed, people "often feel a bit hopeless and desperate".

They're unsure what they can do.

Rachel urged people to check out the exhibition's posts on Facebook and Instagram under "Biomes2020".

"The Biomes team are giving lots of tips for what people can do to have a sense of hope," she said.

"I do believe that if there is a groundswell of concerned people, we can change the world. We all need to band together and say, 'Enough, this needs to change'."

The exhibition and virtual gallery is online at biomes.art.

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