Amarula launched a new global campaign, “Don’t Let Them Disappear,” which aims to raise awareness about the ongoing struggle to protect the world’s declining African elephant population.
Cornerstone of the campaign is a fundraising initiative whereby $1 from every bottle of Amarula sold in the U.S. between September 1, 2017 and December 31, 2017, will go directly to WildlifeDIRECT’s impactful global conservation efforts.
To kick off the “Don’t Let Them Disappear” campaign in the U.S., Amarula is hosting a visually arresting event on World Elephant Day, this Saturday (8/12).
A life-sized ice sculpture of an African elephant will be on display at Union Square North starting at 7 a.m. and remaining onsite for the entire day. The lifelike sculpture will consist of roughly 85 blocks of ice, weighing an estimated amount of 18,000lbs. Over the course of the day, this massive ice sculpture will gradually melt, symbolizing the alarming rate in which African elephants are disappearing at the hands of poachers.
“There are only approximately 400,000 African elephants left in the world, and one is lost every 15 minutes to poachers. We need help spreading the word about the plight of our elephants,” says Dr. Paula Kahumbu, CEO of WildlifeDIRECT. “This campaign is a critical component to our global conservation efforts, and the funds raised through Amarula’s help with truly make a difference.”
The African elephant plays a crucial and symbolic role in the creation and spirit of the celebrated cream liqueur. Once a year, elephants begin their journey to feast on the sun-ripened fruit of the Marula trees, which grow wild and free across the subequatorial plains of Africa. This signifies to local communities the fruit is ready to be hand-harvested and ultimately turned into Amarula.