Slovenian microbrewery Bevog and the National Institute of Biology have joined forces to raise awareness of endangered animal species. Bevog is rolling out a limited collection of beer in cans depicting animals at risk of extinction to support research of endangered grassland ecosystems with a donation to the institute.

As part of the project Extinction is Forever, eight grassland birds will appear on the beer cans. The first design, the whinchat is already available.

The collection is limited and once cans with a certain design are sold, they will never be produced again.

"Once the beer is gone, it is gone forever. This symbolises what happens to the animals portrayed on the cans - once they go extinct, they are gone," says Bevog owner Vasja Golar.

Climate change, hunting for prestige and pleasure, and changing ecosystems are some of the reasons why animal species are becoming extinct, Golar said.

Every year 2,000 species become extinct, which is five per day, with some estimates going as high as 200 species a day, says Meta Virant Doberlet from the National Institute of Biology.

The institute hopes that the innovative approach and the message of the project will increase awareness of the vulnerability of nature and encourage everyone to help solve the biodiversity crisis.