A brand new 20 x 3 metre mural of a bird fleeing the effects of deforestation for palm oil appeared in central London over the weekend. One of 17 murals in cities across the world, the giant wall painting is designed to draw attention to the fact that the palm oil industry is expanding into the currently near-pristine rainforests of the island of New Guinea.

The image, painted by artist, illustrator and author Matt Sewell (see below) - known to many UK bird and conservation enthusiasts - includes a large Goldies Bird of Paradise taking flight away from a bulldozer and forest fires, and smaller images of the King of Saxony and Rifle Bird in the remaining trees. It is located on the Shoreditch Art Wall, Great Eastern Street, EC2, and marks the start of a worldwide push by Greenpeace to shine a light on the destruction of Indonesia’s rainforests for palm oil.

For centuries New Guinea, an Island that comprises Indonesian Papua (the western half) and Papua New Guinea (the eastern half), has been protected by thick forest cover. These forests are home to at least 37 of the 41 known species of Birds of Paradise but, as the palm oil industry expands its operations, this fragile ecosystem is exposed to a frightening new threat. Bulldozers are ripping through this tropical landscape, leaving a broken trail of destruction behind and risking the home of these and thousands of other unique species.

Other cities where murals sprung up over the weekend include Jakarta, Geelong, Taipei, Vienna, London, Mexico City, LA, New York, Oakland, Kuala Lumpur, Berlin, Amsterdam, Wellington, Paris and Tokyo. Murals are also underway in Delhi, Prague and Bangkok. People are being encouraged to share their own photographs of the murals using #WingsofParadise.

Fiona Nicholls, Greenpeace UK Forests Campaigner said: 'Not content with destroying precious orangutan habitat in Borneo and Kalimantan, the palm oil industry is now expanding into Papua, home to these and many other stunning birds, as well as thousands of other species of rare plants and animals.

'These birds may not be endangered just yet but nor was the orangutan 60 years ago. Rather than pushing more species to the brink, companies like Nestlé, Unilever and Mondelez have the power to stop these devastating losses BEFORE they happen by sticking to their promise to stop buying palm oil from companies that destroy the rainforest.'

Artist, Matt Sewell, said: 'I paint birds every day, from the mundane to the magical. Getting the chance to paint birds of paradise and help raise awareness of their habitat loss from the palm oil giants means so much for me. If I can help spread the word for these amazing birds in the slightest way then that is a dream come true. The world would be a much sadder place without our birds of paradise.'