The United States is currently the scene of a rather unique migration: 100 elephants are crossing the country from coast to coast. The herd began its journey along the scenic Cliff Walk in Newport, Rhode Island. More recently, it was spotted in New York City. Over the next few months, the elephants will make five more stops, finally reaching Los Angeles, California, next summer. But it must be said: these aren’t real elephants. They are very realistic, life-size replicas of wild elephants from the Nilgiri Hills in Southern India. They have a very special story to tell, and it begins with a plant with colorful and attractive flowers: the lantana camara.
A beautiful and dangerous plant
Lantana is native to South America, and it was introduced to Europe between the 17th and 18th centuries as an ornamental plant. It became very popular because of its colorful flowers, its rapid growth, and its adaptability to various climates. When the British colonized India, they brought it with them to decorate their gardens. However, there was a problem: lantana is a weed. Today, the International Union for Conservation of Nature considers it one of the 100 worst invasive species in the world. In India, lantana quickly spread beyond cultivated areas and disrupted local ecosystems. It competed with and replaced the plants that elephants eat. This forced the elephants to search for food in nearby tea and coffee plantations. But rather than driving them away or killing them, the local population found new coexistence strategies.
Art for nature’s sake
These strategies, based on a respectful attitude towards wildlife, mix ancient practices with modern tools such as smart fences and AI-based monitoring systems. In the Nilgiri Hills, in Southern India, even art has become part of the solution. The Coexistence Collective, a community of 200 indigenous artisans, decided to craft life-sized sculptures of the local elephants using lantana camara wood. By using this material, they symbolically transformed the invasive plant into art. This story reflects India’s broader commitment to a respectful relationship with nature. Despite doubling its human population over the past 30 years, India has also managed to increase its populations of large wild animals, such as tigers, rhinos and elephants.
A compassionate coexistence
Ruth Ganesh, cofounder of the Coexistence Collective, considers the story of the Nilgiri Hills a testament to the power of empathy. “Our magnificent herd is here to tell its story,” she said, “inspiring the human race to share space and be part of this transformative movement.” By taking their elephant sculptures on tour and telling their story, the Collective hopes to prove that humans can successfully coexist with wildlife. Furthermore, the sculptures are for sale and the proceeds will go to NGOs working on conservation projects. The U.S. tour will be the herd’s second public appearance. The first was in the summer of 2021, when the elephant sculptures toured London’s royal parks. Among the patrons were the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall — now King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla.
Learning from indigenous communities
The Coexistence Collective also aims to highlight the crucial role of indigenous communities. Despite making up only 6% of the global population, they protect 80% of the Earth’s remaining biodiversity. Their approach to nature can reshape our own relationship with the environment. This is because the way we see the natural world will shape the way we treat it. Canadian environmentalist David Suzuki summed it up beautifully: ”If a mountain is a deity, not a pile of ore; if a river is one of the veins of the land, not potential irrigation water; if a forest is a sacred grove, not timber; if other species are biological kin, not resources; or if the planet is our mother, not an opportunity – then we will treat each other with greater respect.”
1) Learn more about The Coexistence Collective and how their elephants were made:
https://www.therealelephant.com/coexsistence-collective
2) Here is the official webpage of ‘The Great Elephant Migration’ touring the United States:
https://thegreatelephantmigration.org/
3) Watch this short video on ‘The Great Elephant Migration’:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-serHgmIKOc
4) The Coexistence Collective work is closely linked to the concept of matriarchy. Learn how here:
https://thegreatelephantmigration.org/pages/the-matriarchy
5) Read about the elephants’ visit to the UK in 2021:
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-56650475
1) Read the article and complete the sentences with the correct alternative.
1. The life-size replicas of wild elephants began their tour in
a. New York.
b. Newport.
c. Los Angeles.
2. In the 17th and 18th centuries, lantana was brought
a. to Europe.
b. to South America.
c. to India.
3. Lantana was greatly appreciated in Europe because
a. it easily replaced local plants.
b. it was considered an exotic Asian plant.
c. it had beautiful flowers and grew very fast.
4. Today, in India, lantana is
a. exclusively used to decorate gardens.
b. disrupting local ecosystems.
c. eaten by elephants.
5. Ancient and modern methods are used to
a. drive away and kill the elephants that enter the coffee plantations.
b. help foster peaceful coexistence between humans and elephants.
c. transform lantana camara into art.
6. Over the past 30 years, the number of large wild animals in India
a. has increased.
b. has decreased.
c. has remained the same.
7. Ruth Ganesh hopes that the touring elephant sculptures will
a. support other art projects.
b. promote tourism of the Nilgiri Hills.
c. teach people the importance of coexistence.
8. King Charles III was
a. a cofounder of the Coexistence Collective.
b. a patron of the elephants’ exhibition.
c. a promoter of the elephants’ trip across the U.S.
9. Indigenous communities have an important role in
a. protecting biodiversity.
b. promoting the Coexistence Collective project.
c. the causes of climate change.
10. David Suzuki believes that nature should be considered
a. an opportunity.
b. a source of profit.
c. as something sacred.
VOCABULARY
2) Complete the sentences with the following words. Put the verbs and nouns in the right form, if necessary.
herd * to spot * weed * to drive (someone/something) away * wildlife * proceeds * NGO * ore * grove * kin
1. Domesticated animals, such as pets, and cultivated plants, such as garden flowers, are not ……………………………………………. .
2. I sold my old records. I want to donate the ……………………………………………., which amount to €120, to a local charity.
3. In that mine, they extract iron ……………………………………………., meaning rocks from which iron can be obtained.
4. All the people here are my …………………………………………….: parents, brothers and sisters, cousins and other relatives.
5. There are many squirrels in this forest, but they are hard ……………………………………………. because they hide up in the trees.
6. You see all those trees planted close together? That’s my father’s olive ……………………………………………. .
7. Your attitude ……………………………………………. people …………………………………………….: nobody wants to be close to somebody who always criticizes others.
8. A ‘…………………………………………….’ is a group of large animals such as elephants or cows, while a ‘flock’ is a group of birds or smaller animals like sheep.
9. ‘…………………………………………….’ stands for ‘non-governmental organization’, which is a nonprofit group involved in humanitarian or environmental projects.
10. The first rule of gardening is simple: you need to care for the plants you planted and pull out the ……………………………………………. that try to replace them.
GRAMMAR – Quantitative adjectives
3) Complete the sentences choosing the correct quantitative adjectives.
1. ……………………………………………. (Both/Each/Some) sculpture was modelled after a real elephant.
2. ……………………………………………. (One/Most/Neither) sculptures were sold.
3. The panda is an endangered species; there are only a ……………………………………………. (several/many/few) specimens left.
4. ……………………………………………. (Zero/Enough/Forty) elephants trespassed, but none were killed.
5. I saw ……………………………………………. (several/every/most) wild animals during my excursion.
6. ……………………………………………. (Any/Every/Either) student in the class finished the assignment.
7. You can choose ……………………………………………. (one/neither/either) path; they both lead to the top of the mountain.
8. Could you pay for my ticket? I don’t have ……………………………………………. (neither/any/some) money with me.
9. Only ……………………………………………. (every/most/a few) people attended the exhibition.
10. ……………………………………………. (One/Both/Some) book I really like is The Call of the Wild, by Jack London.
SHORT ESSAY
4) Have you ever seen a wild animal up close in its natural environment? Write about your experience. (60-80 words)
5) Have you ever seen an art exhibition that touched you emotionally, or taught you something important? Describe it. (60-80 words)
DEBATE
6) Pair up with one of your classmates and look at the proposition below; one of you will argue in favour of it and one of you against it.
Proposition: Art exhibitions (like the Coexistence Collective’s touring elephants) are the most effective way to convey ecological messages.
(Carlo Dellonte)
(Image: New York NY USA-September 5, 2024 Le persone sono ammirate dalle 100 sculture installazione d'arte pubblica Grande Elephant Migration nel Distretto di Meatpacking, rblfmr, shutterstock.com)
