Elephants come to London

Colourful elephants have arrived in central London!!!

Elephant Parade London 2010 is a conservation campaign that shines a multi-coloured spotlight on the urgent crisis faced by the endangered Asian elephant. That is why the streets of London have been invaded by elephants of every colour.

The day after they arrived I headed up to central London to have a look for myself. My first stop was Trafalgar Square, where Tourism Malaysia has its office. I was surprised to see the windows had been whitewashed and assumed they have moved out, but on reading the small notice on the door, it seems they are just renovating.

In total there are over 250 elephants located over central London this summer, and they have all been sponsored.

There are dozens of sponsors, including several from India and Thailand, but sadly none from Malaysia. It is a pity Tourism Malaysia didn’t get involved, especially as their office is just a few metres from a group of elephants. Likewise there are no conservation partners from Malaysia represented, although the Elephant Family does have an Elephant Conservation Unit in Sabah.

Asian elephants are being threatened by extinction, and this huge exhibition is intended to raise support for them. The benefits of the Elephant Parade are donated to the Elephant Family, the largest elephant charity in the world.

See http://www.elephantparadelondon.org/

Elephant outside the Stock Exchange

A kopitiam

© Liz Price
No reproduction without permission