This month 100 Indian elephants moved into the Meatpacking district. Come walk with me and check out the Great Elephant Migration!

When I heard about the life-sized sculptures I couldn’t wait to get down there. The elephants were created by the Coexistence Collective, 200 indigenous artisans in India.

The elephants were on display in Newport, and arrived here in NYC on September 6th. After NYC the elephants will be migrating to Miami, the Blackfeet Nation, Montana and Los Angeles.

Each elephant is made of dried lantana wrapped around a steel rebar frame and coated with oil for protection. The trunks are so life-like! Every one is different and you can practically see them moving. Today I learned that an elephant’s trunk has over 150,000 individual muscles.

Indian elephants live in a herd and work together as a group to raise the young and protect the herd. They can eat up to 330lbs of foliage per day, passing about 220 lbs. daily.

The Great Elephant Migration is one of the largest art exhibits ever in NYC.

The elephants start their parade at Gansevoort Plaza and march south down Ninth Avenue and Hudson Street to Chelsea Triangle.

There were a few artists sketching the elephants. Quite a challenge, given the size of the crowd!

The Indian elephant is smaller than the African elephant.

Each section of elephants has their own Guardian, to keep children (and probably grownups) from climbing on the elephants.

The elephants are actually for sale. Each one has a name tag for easy identification. They come in four sizes and the prices range from $8,000 for a baby elephant up to $22,000 for an adult with tusks. The funds will be used to power human-wildlife coexistence projects and protect migratory animals. You can read more details about a purchase on the website.

Elephants move throughout the seasons, following the growing grasses and plants. There are about 138 identified elephant corridors in India. Asian elephants have been endangered since 1986 due to poaching and habitat destruction.

Elephants use their trunk for greeting other elephants and communication of emotions such as excitement, competition, dominance, discipline, reassurance etc. An elephant communicates using low-pitched sounds and infrasonic grunts or rumbles that humans can’t hear. A female may make different calls and low-frequency vocalizations to warn of predators.

The gestation period of an elephant is 22 months, the longest of any animal. The babies are born weighing between 150-348 lbs and can stand and nurse soon after birth. Indian elephants typically live over 50 years in the wild.

Female Indian elephants are shorter than the males, with small or no tusks.

Elephants are among the most intelligent animals on Earth. They have large brains and exhibit a wide range of complex behaviors, including problem-solving, tool use, self-awareness, and emotional capabilities.

Joy is a positive emotion that Elephants often express by bellowing and blaring in the wild. This is often expressed when they get together with friends and families, playing games and greeting each other.

Elephants are a sacred symbol in Hindu and Buddhist religions, representing loyalty, power, wisdom, and fertility.

You can visit the beautiful elephants here only until October 20, 2024, so don’t delay!

How to get there:
The nearest subway stations to the Meatpacking District are Christopher St.-Stonewall and 14th St. / 8th Ave. The bus lines that pass nearest are M11, M14A-SBS, M14D-SBS, M7, M12.

Sources:
The Great Elephant Migration
Indian elephant – wiki
Getting to Know Elephant Emotions

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