NAIROBI, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan conservationists unveiled elephant artwork late Friday in a bid to save the iconic giant mammal from extinction.

Launched ahead of World Elephant Day, which falls on Aug. 12 each year, the giant wall-mounted mural, cut into more than 80 pieces, aims to raise awareness of the need to protect the herbivores amid growing threats.

The mural was created by 80 people, including business leaders, artists, influencers, and hotel staff, who participated in the painting exercise.

Jackson Kiplagat, the head of conservation at the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Kenya, urged individuals and organizations to step up the conservation and protection of elephants in the country.

Kiplagat said during the launch in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi that alongside other wildlife families, elephants are classified as endangered and face extinction in the country and Africa in general. "Besides climate change, humans also are a big threat to wildlife conservation due to demands of the mammal's trophy."

He further noted that during the severe drought in Kenya between 2022 and 2023, occasioned by below-average rains, 205 elephants died of starvation in different parks and conservancies.

Kiplagat urged Kenyans to resist poachers and provide water to animals during drought season to avoid human-wildlife conflicts.

Krishna Unni, the group general manager at the Sankara hotel in Nairobi, where the entire artwork, dubbed "Herd of One," was assembled, said the autograph collection has raised awareness about African elephant conservation through a fundraising campaign.

"Guests at the hotel have also been invited to donate a (U.S.) dollar or more during their stay at the hotel toward conservation and protection of the elephant in the country," Unni said, adding that the hotel, in cooperation with other wildlife conservation lobbies, asked its clients and partners to paint a section of elephant artwork.

World Elephant Day is dedicated to the preservation and protection of the world's elephants that are grappling with multiple threats. Enditem

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