Julian P. Hume

Julian Pender Hume (born 3 March 1960) is an English palaeontologist, artist and writer who lives in Wickham, Hampshire. He was born in Ashford, Kent, and grew up in Portsmouth, England. He attended Crookhorn Comprehensive School between 1971 and 1976. His career began as an artist, specialising in the reconstruction of extinct species, after which he undertook a degree in palaeontology at the University of Portsmouth, followed by a PhD in the same subject, jointly hosted by the University of Portsmouth and the Natural History Museum, London and Tring. He has travelled extensively, working on fossil excavations, but his main area of research is the Mascarene Islands of Mauritius, Réunion, and Rodrigues, where in particular he has studied the history of the dodo (Raphus cucullatus).
He has contributed both scientifically and artistically to a large number of palaeontological papers, popular books and magazines, and has published a critically acclaimed book 'Lost Land of the Dodo,' coauthored with Anthony Cheke, on the subject of extinct Mascarene species.
His latest contribution, which includes his own artwork, is a book entitled 'Extinct Birds' Poyser Monographs, Christopher Helm, London, coauthored with Michael Walters and published February 2012.

His paintings of recently extinct species, especially birds, are a combination of art and science, with each painting reproduced in the most scientifically accurate way. His subjects include extinct species from islands around the world, especially the Hawaiian Islands and the Mascarenes. The dodo in particular has been illustrated on a number of occasions.

• Hume J P (2009) The great Dodo dispute. BBC History 10 (3): 50–53.
• Hume J P (2009) In search of the Dodo. Darwin 200 BBC Knowledge 4: 26–31.

• Hume J P (25 June 2007) Mauritius. The Dodo Raphus cucullatus. Set of four Rs 5; Rs 10; Rs 15; Rs 25; all showing classic images of the dodo from the last 400 years. Souvenir Sheet Rs 25 of Dodo in dry forest by J P Hume.
• Hume J P (16 July 2009) Mauritius. Extinct Mauritian Giant Tortoises. Set of four Rs 5; Rs 10; Rs 15; Rs 25; all showing extinct giant tortoises of Mauritius and Rodrigues. Souvenir Sheet Rs 50 showing Rodrigues giant tortoises and the extinct blue rail.