Alongside the Byzantium paintings Dave started a prolonged series of work inspired by medieval bestiaries in which he made links between qualities associated with animals (especially predatory) and the human condition.
On some of these series he worked using photographic self-portraits, but most are oil paintings on canvas and board. They were painted in sub-groups with separate titles e.e The Beauty of the Beast, The Hyena, the Green Man, The Search for the Blue Wolf.