The Great Elephant Migration: Sculptures for Ecological Conservation

When visiting the sculptures, a wooden plaque can be found below each one. These display the elephants’ names, as well as the conservation non-profit organization they have been paired with. Among these are Elephant Family, Pangea, and Coexistence Consortium, to name a few. All sculptures can be purchased, and the proceeds directly support the causes. 

The elephants’ travels start in Newport, Rhode Island, where they will reside through early September. Visitors can see the herd along the Cliff Walk, on the lawns of Salve Regina University and two infamous Newport Mansions— The Breakers and Rough Point. One lone, tusker elephant can also be viewed in front of the Great Friends Meeting House.

At Rough Point specifically, 26 elephants march off towards the oceanside in herd-like fashion. Entry onto the lawn is free, so guests can stand amongst the sculptures, take photos, and even touch the meticulously-crafted bodies. Up close, the elephants’ large-scale size, accurate proportions, and limbs positioned in motion make it feel as though visitors are actually surrounded by a live herd. 

Each elephant is an exact replica of those living in India’s Nilgiri Hills, as the animals are well-known and loved by the indigenous communities. Mothers and their calves, tusked males, and lone elders are scattered throughout the exhibition, with eyes made out of colored glass making them all the more life-like. 

Not to mention, with the old stone mansion on one side and the Atlantic Ocean on the other, the grounds are a work of art in and of themselves. There are flower and vegetable gardens to traipse through and benches overlooking the water for visitors to rest on. Tickets to tour the inside of Rough Point itself are also available for purchase. 

After their time in Rhode Island, the elephants will then travel to New York City, Miami, and the Blackfeet Reservation in Montana, before ending in Los Angeles next summer. Prior to the United States, the sculptures were on display in India and London. 

One hundred elephants taking up space in major cities across the globe, while still being admired and appreciated by the public, is proof in itself that coexistence is possible.