Leopards on Mumbai’s streets, mountain lions roaming California and wolves on the rise in Europe. Animals are making a comeback in many places as human attitudes change.

There is growing recognition that Protected Areas alone are not enough to save the world’s biodiversity and ecosystems. Rather than dividing our world into animal vs non-animal places, we can instead share space and balance the needs of all, using our ingenuity to minimise negative interactions.

Although many humans have forgotten how to live with the wild, indigenous communities around the world maintain a deep connection to the natural world. The lives of the elephants, and all other animals, are valuable. We are all in this together.

India’s elephants are flagships for coexistence with 80% of their range outside of Protected Areas. In Gudalur, in the Nilgiri Hills, 150 elephants share space with a quarter of a million people. Humans and elephants share the same land, food and water, but still find ways to live alongside each other relatively peacefully.

A range of beliefs and practices emphasize respect and reverence for nature. India’s ancient cultures go hand in hand with a range of modern technologies, from smart fences to AI based monitoring systems. Their remarkable relationship with wildlife is ultimately down to a collective empathy for other living beings at a national scale.

This perspective towards nature can lead to a more holistic approach to conservation that prioritizes the well-being of both humans, the environment and all beings who call earth home. The loss of a species isn't just a scientific problem; it's a loss of a unique group of beings, an arm of our extended family.

Each elephant is twinned with a conservation NGO operating in the USA and beyond, which will directly benefit from the proceeds of the elephant sculpture sales. The Great Elephant Migration supports conservation NGOs around the world who are helping the human race share space, particularly those that are indigenous or community led.