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Cecil the Lion immortalised by Empire State Building

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Cecil the Lion became an internet sensation last week, unfortunately for all the wrong reasons. Cecil was gunned down in his prime by a dentist and “Recreational game hunter” from Minnesota, who became just about the most hated man on earth in a matter of hours when pictures circulated online of the smug killer posing with a recently deceased Cecil, who was something of a local legend amongst Zimbabwe locals. Cecil’s death was not in vein though, as it served to underline a problem that is simply not getting the media attention it deserves. Every year, countless endangered species are disappearing from the face of the planet due to human interference, and to raise awareness of this fact, a beautiful installation took place in New York City over the weekend, which caused a huge wave of support on social media.

This weekend, the Empire State Building in New York City was transformed into a gigantic screen revealing some of the world’s most endangered animals

Twitter and Instagram users flooded social medial over the weekend with pictures showing the world-famous building illuminated with sparkling images of endangered animals. The images, displayed in a digital light show on Saturday night (August 1), sought to raise awareness about the threats of extinction the animals’ depicted face, whilst also promoting a new Discovery Channel documentary on the subject called “Racing Extinction.” The online conversation about the display spread from the Empire State Building to social networks around the world with the #RacingExtinction hashtag, and by Sunday, more than 9,400 Twitter users in the U.S. and across Africa, Asia, Australia, Latin America and Europe posted the hashtag to raise awareness. More than over 5,500 Instagram posts also included it.

Projecting Change at the Empire State Building

The film, which is set to air in December this year, will explore the illegal animal hunting trade, which recently gained mass media attention due to the untimely death of Cecil (whose visage also made an appearance on the night). Images of many diverse animals, from leopards and lizards to whales and tigers (and even King Kong in a sly nod to the building’s cinematic history), were projected onto the southern face of the Empire State Building, covering 33 floors. The New York Times reported that the three-hour spectacle cost over $1 million to produce. The iconic building is often lit in varying colours for holidays and events, but this was the first display of its kind for the landmark.

The project aims to raise awareness about the threats of extinction the animals’ depicted face, whilst also promoting a new Discovery Channel documentary on the subject

Empire State Realty Trust partnered with filmmaker Louis Psihoyos, the Academy Award winning director of “The Cove,” and the co-founder of Oceanic Preservation Society, to create the projection, which began at 9 p.m. and ran through until midnight. The “Projecting Change” project used 40 high-powered light cannons to achieve the desired effect, which was brought to life by Psihoyos’ Obscura Digital design firm. In related (slightly happier) news, it was recently reported that Cecil the Lion’s brother “Jericho” is alive and well at home in Zimbabwe!

“Racing Extinction” Official Festival Trailer

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