The herd is here and is waiting for the kids to visit!
Now through the end of October, New Yorkers can head over to the Meatpacking District to view a unique eco-conscious elephant herd. It’s an outdoor art exhibit made up of 100 life-size elephant sculptures, in various poses, crafted from colorful lantana weed.
Each of the animals was created by members of The Coexistence Collective, a community of 200 Indigenous artisans in India. The exhibit is a great springboard for starting discussions with children on the subject of conservation and the threats that real animals in the wild are facing.
One of the partner groups involved in bringing the exhibition to the U.S. is Elephant Family USA, which wants to promote coexistence between humans and wildlife. Did you know that the elephants of India are quite adept at coexisting with people? According to TheGreatElephantMigration.org, humans and elephants must share the same land, food and water, but still find ways to live alongside each other relatively peacefully.
That is not usually the case in other parts of the world, where human encroachment into traditional elephant habitats is stressing and decimating the herds.
The individual elephant sculptures are for sale, with proceeds earmarked for promoting harmony between the species. But if your family can’t afford the $8-22,000 price tag, donations of any size are appreciated.
Visit https://thegreatelephantmigration.org/ for more info.