- Land Rover has created a unique rhino design in Trafalgar Square, London, as part of the Tusk Rhino Trail
- Gerry McGovern, Land Rover’s Chief Design Officer, is one of 21 internationally respected artists and designers to embellish one of the 1.2m‑long rhinos
- Project aims to raise funds for the conservation of this endangered species with a charity auction on 9 October and celebrates World Rhino Day on 22 September
- Land Rover has been an official partner of the Tusk wildlife conservation charity, helping to reach some of the world’s most remote locations, for 15 years
- The Rhino trail will run from Monday 20 August to Saturday 22 September across London. To discover more visit tuskrhinotrail.com and join in with #TuskRhinoTrail
Whitley, UK, 20 August 2018 – Land Rover has embarked on an unexpected expedition to preserve the precious African rhinoceros and its habitat by joining an urban rhino trail across London. A gleaming Land Rover rhino model, embellished by Land Rover’s Chief Design Officer Gerry McGovern, made its debut in central London in the latest collaboration of a 15‑year relationship with Tusk.
The unique 1.2m‑long rhino sculpture was towed into Trafalgar Square in support of the Tusk Rhino Trail, to aid conservation projects for the endangered species. The initiative involves 21 sculptures donated and decorated by leading figures from the worlds of art and design installed at prominent locations across the capital.
The design of the Land Rover rhino uses specialist paint techniques from Land Rover’s state‑of‑the‑art manufacturing process to achieve a highly durable liquid metal finish.
I wanted to celebrate the magnificence of this unique creature, so my rhino is covered in a chrome finish. The idea being that because of the highly reflective nature of chrome it would be seen from a long distance, consequently creating awareness of the plight of this animal in Africa. The red painted horn signifies the absurdity of this beautiful animal being hunted for such a small part of its overall being.
Gerry McGovern
Chief Design Officer
Traditionally chrome has been used on vehicles to communicate prestige. Land Rover has developed an innovative and sustainable process to create a modern interpretation of chrome using a paint coating called spray chrome.
Inspired by the dye treatments conservationists use to protect rhinos from ivory traders, the horn of the Land Rover sculpture has been painted red, highlighting the plight of this endangered creature. White ivory has huge value to poachers and one solution is to inject rhino horns with a dye, making them less appealing to hunters.
At Jaguar Land Rover we are committed to working on projects that not only demonstrate the talent of our designers but also highlight the vital work carried out by charities like Tusk. In our long‑standing partnership we are continuing to enable Tusk to reach remote territories using Land Rover’s all‑terrain capability, making it the perfect fit for conservation work all around the world.
Chris Thorp
Responsible Business Director
The London‑based art installation was towed into place using a Land Rover Discovery SUV and is designed to raise awareness of the plight of the rhino, culminating in the celebration of World Rhino Day on 22 September. Each of the 21 rhinos will then be sold to raise funds for Tusk projects across Africa at an event hosted by leading auction house Christie’s on 9 October.
Further information
Natasha Kaur, Jaguar Land Rover Responsible Business Senior Press Officer
T: 07469 021100, E: nkaur6@jaguarlandrover.com
Anna Jackson, Jaguar Land Rover Global Partnerships Executive
T: 07880 401 103, E: ajackso1@jaguarlandrover.com
Notes to Editors
About Land Rover
Jaguar Land Rover is the UK’s largest automotive manufacturer, built around two iconic British car brands: Land Rover, the world’s leading manufacturer of premium all‑wheel‑drive vehicles; and Jaguar, one of the world’s premier luxury sports saloon and sports car marques.
We employ more than 44,000 people globally and support around 260,000 more through our retailer network, suppliers and local businesses. Manufacturing is centred in the UK, with additional plants in China, Brazil, Austria and Slovakia.
At Jaguar Land Rover, we are driven by a desire to deliver class‑leading vehicles, which will provide experiences our customers will love, for life. Our products are in demand around the globe. In 2017 Jaguar Land Rover sold 621,109 vehicles in 130 countries, with more than 80 per cent of our vehicles being sold abroad.
Our innovation is continuous: we will spend in the region of £4.5 billion this year on new product creation and capital expenditure.
From 2020 all new Jaguar Land Rover vehicles will be electrified, giving our customers even more choice. We will introduce a portfolio of electrified products across our model range, embracing fully electric, plug‑in hybrid and mild hybrid vehicles as well as continuing to offer ultra‑clean petrol and diesel engines.
About Tusk
For almost 30 years, Tusk has supported forward‑thinking and successful conservation intervention in Africa. From the plains of the Serengeti to the rainforests of the Congo Basin, we’re working towards a future in which people and wildlife can thrive across the African continent.
Poaching, habitat loss and human‑wildlife conflict are having a devastating impact on Africa’s wildlife. We believe local people and organisations are best positioned to address these threats, but are often under‑resourced and lack the recognition they deserve.
Through our partnerships, we continue to witness very significant progress, providing greater protection for over 10 million acres of land and more than 40 different threatened species, while benefitting more than 1,000,000 people.
At Tusk we build long lasting relationships with our donors and seek to invest in long‑term solutions because sustainable conservation needs sustained funding.
Discover more at tuskrhinotrail.com
Join in with #TuskRhinoTrail
Facebook: @tusk.org
Twitter: @tusk_org
Instagram: @tusk_org