Public Relations Officer of WWF-Myanmar Saw Linn Htet told Mizzima on July 20 that their paper elephant presented to the Guinness Book of Records has been recognized as the world’s largest paper elephant.
They put the paper elephant up for the contest in November 2017 and it was recognized as the world’s biggest on 14 July.
“We made this paper elephant bigger than the current world’s biggest in Mexico. Mexico’s paper sculpture is the same as ours but our paper elephant has a bamboo frame inside. So our elephant was recognized as the world’s biggest paper elephant supported by a bamboo frame inside,” he said.
This paper elephant was used in the wildlife conservation awareness campaign held in Yangon in front of the Town Hall from November 3 to 5, 2017 under the title “Voice from the Heart” in protest against killing Myanmar wild elephants for their skins. The organizers of this event asked for paper needed to make this elephant and then the people far and wide reportedly donated paper for this project.
Saw Linn Htet added, “We created this paper elephant to attract public attention on this subject after consultation among us.”
The paper elephant was displayed at the Mahabandoola Square for public show and it was then damaged by weather and then it was restored and kept at the WWF-Myanmar Office.
This world’s biggest paper elephant was jointly created by graffiti artist Arkar Kyaw and skillful bamboo animal creator U Myint (Yokelone Kabar) and the dimensions are 21 feet by seven feet by 21 feet in height. This is three times the size of a real elephant.
Up until this point, the Mexico paper sculpture – 11 feet by three feet by 12 feet in height – was the world’s largest.