Herd of 100 life-sized ELEPHANT sculptures go on display outside Buckingham Palace to promote co-existence of humans and animals
- The sculptures, made of weeds, are part of an Elephant Family campaign
- Elephants will feature in London parks before going on sale for up to £30,000
- Funds will go towards securing wildlife corridors and expanding National Parks
If you spotted a herd of elephants walking down the Mall in London this morning, you wouldn’t be the only one.
The 100 life-sized Asian elephant sculptures have gone on display in front of Buckingham Palace to promote to co-existence of humans and animals.
They were put in place marching down the Mall outside the Queen’s main residence by conservation group Elephant Family as part of the CoExistence campaign.
The campaign has been launched in response to ‘the increasing overlap between the human and animal world’
Each model is made from lantana, an invasive weed which benefits wildlife when it is removed
They were installed by Elephant Family as part of the CoExistence campaign
The campaign has been launched in response to ‘the increasing overlap between the human and animal world, which in part responsible for the spread of deadly zoonotic diseases.’
Each model is made from lantana, an invasive weed which benefits wildlife when it is removed from protected areas.
Following their debut in central London, the elephants will be displayed in various parks across the city before going on sale for between £6,000 for a calf and £30,000 for a full grown elephant.
The Mall has completely changed from its usual busy scene, bringing traffic to a stop
All proceeds will go towards supporting the work of Elephant Family, which includes securing wildlife corridors to enable safe movement for animals and people, and the expansion of national parks.
It is also hoped funds will go towards protecting indigenous and tribal knowledge.
Ruth Ganesh, creative lead and trustee of Elephant Family, said: ‘Today marks the first significant step on the herd’s 13,000-mile migration around the world. Over the past 18 months, many countries have gone into lockdown.
‘Brought about by tragic circumstances, this great pause – coined the anthropause – is providing crucial guidance on how to best share space with animals in our crowded planet.
‘The elephants are here to tell their story about the inspiring ways we can co-exist with all the other living beings that make our world magical.’
The sculptures will go on sale for between £6,000 for a calf and £30,000 for a full grown elephant following a tour around London’s parks
The elephants are life sized. Pictured a member of the Elephant Family with the sculptures
All proceeds will go towards supporting the work of Elephant Family, which includes securing wildlife corridors to enable safe movement for animals and people