Watch New York City go wild
Watch New York City go wild
You might never know what is waiting for you around each corner in the city that never sleeps, but you would certainly be surprised if that encounter was with a Jaguar! And that is exactly what’s happening in the streets of NYC between the days of May 22 to June 22 at the Jaguar Parade NYC 2022.
This will be the first edition of the open-air art exhibition in the United States with decorated jaguar statues created by artists and celebrities forming a unique collection of urban art pieces.
The sculptures will be found on the main streets and parks of iconic New York City to raise awareness about the importance of preserving jaguars — the largest cat of the Americas that is now threatened by habitat deterioration — and their landscapes.
When Oscar Wilde stated that ‘life imitates art far more than art imitates life,’ he meant that art has a profound effect on the way we look at the world around us. And that’s the path we chose to deliver this message about the importance of wild animal conservation and landscape conservation to human life.
The Jaguar Parade will be equally powerful and beautiful, just like jaguars!
Why Should We Care?
The America’s largest cat lives in important ecosystems such as tropical forests and wetlands from Mexico to Argentina, and despite this broad range, jaguars are now listed as a “near threatened” species according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). As it stands, jaguars have been eradicated in nearly half of their normal range.
This is not a regular process in the earth’s natural cycle. In fact, it’s due to loss and fragmentation of their habitats caused by human pressure on the natural environment. This pressure takes many forms such as conflict with people due to the real or perceived threat posed to livestock, the overhunting of the jaguar’s prey, and last but not least, the fires.
That being said, the beast in this case is not the jaguars, but our own negligence to reflect upon how our actions affect the natural environment, the climate, and its biological diversity. If not now, then when?
Where Dreams Are Made
New York City is among the major commercial, financial, and cultural centers of the world. And its global influence has made it one of the most important urban areas in the United States and the world. So there is no better place to make our dreams come true and draw the attention of people from all walks of life to the ongoing efforts at the United Nations to permanently protect its most crucial habitats by 2030.
During the parade, the streets will indeed inspire you and we hope that it can lead us all to value and cherish nature and its wonderful creatures even more.
The Brave Ones
The Jaguar Parade is a unique initiative supported by world-leading organizations in jaguar conservation and other social and environmental issues.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) works in about 170 countries and territories, helping eradicate poverty in all its forms and dimensions.
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority of sustainable development within the United Nations system.
Panthera is the only non-profit organization in the world devoted exclusively to the conservation of wild cats.
Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) saves wildlife and wild places worldwide through science, conservation action, and education.
WWF is the world’s leading conservation institution developing innovative solutions that protect communities, wildlife, and the places in which they live.
The Lion’s Share is an initiative aimed at transforming the lives of animals across the world by asking advertisers to contribute a percentage of their media spend to conservation and animal welfare projects.
We’re all coming together to strengthen the dialogue and global conversation on building the future we want: a world where wildlife thrives in healthy lands and seas, valued by societies that embrace and benefit from the diversity and integrity of life on earth.
Delve Into Wilderness With Us
Watch all of this come to life in the video below:
Be a Jaguar Friend
“Things are because we see them, and what we see, and how we see it, depends on the arts that have influenced us”
