The Princess Elephant by Samantha Buckley
If you visit London this summer you will see over 250 baby elephants around the city. This is the biggest public exhibition in London and a conservation project to save the Asian elephant. They are placed near many of the cities landmarks like Buckingham Palace, Tower Bridge, Parliament Square, Green Park, Covent Garden, Leicester Square, Trafalgar Square and the South Bank. The baby elephants are made of fiber glass and painted by both established and up-and-coming artists.
The elephants have been on display since May 3rd. From June 23rd they will be herded into the grounds of Chelsea Royal Hospital where they will be on display until July 3rd. After that they will be auctioned off by Sotheby´s. The money raised will be used to support the Asian elephant and raise awareness of its plight. If current trend continues, the Asian elephant will be extinct by 2050 due to massive habitat loss.
The photos in this blog were taken in Leicester Square, Covent Garden, Trafalgar Square and in a showcase on Strand Avenue.
More information on the Elephant Parade 2010 can be found on:
http://www.elephantparadelondon.org/
http://www.elephantfamily.org/
A total of £4.1 million was raised at the auction – double the target!