Cecil the Lion and other endangered species were honored at the Empire State Building on Saturday evening. Moving images of animals were projected on a 1,250-feet tall canvas, stunning viewers on streets and from other buildings nearby.
The spectacular slideshow was presented to promote the documentary, "Racing Extinction", produced by the Oceanic Preservation Society to raise awareness on endangered animals such as snow leopards, tigers, lemurs, and different species of birds, snakes, amphibians, and sea creatures.
These animals were projected on the canvas that covered 33 floors on the south side of the sky scraper, which is famous for its light displays. The New York Times reported the project costs $1 million, including the use of 40 20,000-lumen projectors mounted on a roof of a building at West 31st Street.
This is the first time the Empire State Building was lit by moving images.
"The concept of incorporating art into the urban fabric and making a social statement is wonderful," Anthony E. Malkin, chairman and CEO of the Empire State Realty Trust told The New York Times.
Last night endangered species took over the @EmpireStateBldg #RacingExtinction pic.twitter.com/PiL1LHTQAc
— Racing Extinction (@Extinction_OPS) August 2, 2015
Although Cecil the Lion wasn't originally included in the wildlife conservation documentary, a spokesperson from the Oceaninc Preservation Society told CNN that the inclusion of the famous lion was a tribute after he was illegally killed by American trophy hunter and dentist, Walter J. Palmer.
#CecilTheLion honored in @EmpireStateBldg light show: https://t.co/9VwgQakHtR pic.twitter.com/0Sk3jQltBB — CNN International (@cnni) August 3, 2015
The tragic death of Cecil provoked a battle cry against trophy hunting and so much hatred on Palmer, who claimed his hunt was legal after bribing wildlife guides $50,000.
BuzzFeed reports So That Happened re-imagined Cecil as Mufasa on Walt Disney's The Lion King, instructing Simba to avenge him.
Featuring the iconic stampede scene, Mufasa was shot by an arrow, just like Cecil, leaving Simba crying and planning for revenge.
Also included are Timon and Pumbaa who are trying to comfort Simba, and Rafiki, who made Simba talk to Mufasa's spirit. "Board an airplane, fly to Minnesota and rip that dentist's f----ing throat out," Mufasa ordered.
The hilarious video ended with Mufasa's explanation about the "Circle of Life": "I'll be murdered by a dentist from Minnesota. See that constellation? The one that looks like a white guy in his 50's with a fake smile? That's the dentist. Someday he'll murder me and then you'll murder him back. And that my son is the circle of life."
