A recent study by the Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) revealed that in the last decade, there has been a tenfold increase in seizures of illegal ivory shipments worldwide. In 2006 alone, a record nine tonnes were seized. The result is that illegal ivory trade is rapidly pushing African elephants towards extinction.
With only around 470,000-600,000 elephants left in the wild today, the EJF report concludes that current rates of killing and illegal trade are unsustainable and will lead to the complete extinction of the species within our lifetime.
It is estimated that every 15 minutes an African elephant is killed for its tusks – with many more going unreported as they are killed illegally. For example, in Gabon alone it is believed that about 1,000 elephants are illegally killed each year for their tusks. Additionally, many other animals including rhinos and tigers are also being targeted for their body parts which can be bought and sold on the black market for up to $50,000 per kilo.
Tuskless: Unique Elephant Sculptures aims to raise awareness about this dire situation not just through raising funds but also by offering a beautifully crafted piece of art made from elephant waste. Each sculpture comes with a Certificate of Authenticity and together they
Elephant dung can be processed into paper, or burned as fuel. Both of these options are more environmentally friendly than using ivory, and contribute to the conservation of one of the world’s most endangered species.
In addition to paper and bioenergy, there is another use for elephant dung: art. The mounds of elephant dung are a source of inspiration for sculptors in Thailand.
The dung is collected from elephant sanctuaries in the Thai countryside and then sculpted into various forms that have been used in public art exhibitions. The sculptures range from simple geometric shapes to figures and faces. Some of the sculptures have even been sold at auction and donated to charities.
Poo Paper Sculptures, a blog dedicated to showcasing the unique sculptures made from recycled elephant waste, started as a personal project by German photographer Christina Dietz.
Did you know that elephants produce up to 300 pounds of dung a day? And did you know that some people use this elephant waste to make sculptures for public display?
If you didn’t know these facts, never fear: you can find out all about them on ElephantDungSculptures.blogspot.com.
ElephantDungSculptures.blogspot.com is the blog of artist Piotr Naskrecki, who will tell you everything you ever wanted to know about elephant dung art but were afraid to ask. For example, did you know that “There is a very strong correlation between the direction of the wind and the orientation of an elephant’s pile”? (You may not want to ask why.)
Or that there are different kinds of elephant dung, including one called “frizzies”? Or that “the dung is so hard and dense it makes a perfect canvass for sculpting”?
Mr. Naskrecki’s work has appeared in galleries throughout the world, including one in Los Angeles called Elephant Art Space. It should come as no surprise that he has also been featured on popular TV shows such as Oprah and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
His blog is well worth visiting whether
The Elephant Art Project is a collection of unique sculptures made from recycled elephant dung. As the artist explains, “these sculptures are made out of the leftover waste material from ivory factories and are created to highlight the value of elephants as opposed to their tusks.”
The project was launched by Emma Stokes, founder of the UK-based Elephant Family charity, who says she “sought to make an art project that would draw attention to how much we use elephants for: ivory trinkets, traditional medicine and entertainment but hardly ever give them a thought beyond that.”
Elephant dung is transformed into a variety of different objects. As the the website states, “The end product, art, is a witness to the tragedy of poaching and reminds us of how unique and valuable elephants are.”
Elephant art offers a stunning look at how artists from around the world work with this material. Each of the pieces created is also accompanied by an explanation from the artist explaining why they choose to work with elephant dung.
Artists from around the globe have come together in collaboration to create these amazing sculptures. The website itself is an experiment — it’s meant to “raise awareness for conservation.” While many people know about the elephant poaching problem, there aren’t many who understand how much waste and waste products elephants produce.
The sculptures themselves are eye-catching and beautiful. Visitors are welcome to purchase any of them as well — 100% of proceeds go towards helping fight against elephant poaching.*
Elephant Dung Can Be Used To Make Art.
A number of artists from around the world have taken elephant dung and used it to make sculptures.
The sculptures are quite large and take a long time to complete, depending upon how long it takes for the dung to dry.
Most of the sculptures represent animals that are native to Africa, such as elephants, rhinoceros and lions.
Bosnian artist Dejan Sarenina has also created many beautiful works of art using elephant dung.
Sarenina uses local fertilizers mixed with water to create his unique pieces of art. Each piece takes between thirty and sixty days to complete, depending upon the size and intricacy of the design.
He uses these large sculptures to educate people about conservation efforts that are being made in his native country, according to an article from Bosnian Times.
Elephant dung is unique and full of nutrients, so why not make something useful out of it? That’s what a group of Thai sculptors did, and now they’re making a living off of it.
Elephant dung, more commonly known as ivory dust in the West, has a variety of uses.
“In Thailand’s rural areas it is used to feed cattle,” says the co-founder of Elephant Dung Art, “and in some villages elephant dung is even eaten by humans.”
Most people are shocked to find out that elephant dung is used as an art medium. But for the sculptors at Elephant Dung Art, their work is a cultural tradition: “Thai people have been using elephant dung for centuries,” said co-founder Auychai Krairgrong. “It was used to build walls and houses. Artists have been using it for sculptures for at least the past 100 years.”