Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Photos: Cecil The Lion & Endangered Animals Projected Onto Empire State Building
By
Christopher Robbins
Published Aug 2, 2015
Modified Aug 2, 2015
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
Getty Images for The Oceanic Preservation Society
View all 28
By
Christopher Robbins
Published Aug 2, 2015
Modified Aug 2, 2015
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
For three hours last night, 40 light cannons projected images of endangered animals upon the Empire State Building in an effort to inspire admiration for nature's beauty and spur action to protect it from mankind.
The project, called Projecting Change, was conceived by Louie Psihoyos, the director of The Cove, who is releasing a film this fall called Racing Extinction.
According to the Times, the installation, brought to life by Travis Threlkel's design firm Obscura Digital, cost around $1 million to produce.
Setting aside a potential debate about whether functionally extinct animals are worthy of this kind of campaign, the projections were undeniably cool. From a roof in the Lower East Side, the moving animals and insects were somewhat blurry but wholly visible. A friend suggested that while the animals graced the Empire State Building, the mugshots of famous poachers and corporations with poor environmental records should be projected onto 1 WTC.
Tagged
empire state building
Christopher Robbins
Christopher Robbins is a New York City reporter covering transportation, affordable housing, local politics, and criminal justice. His work has also appeared in New York Magazine, The Village Voice and The New York Times. Chris is a graduate of Patrick Henry High School in Roanoke, Virginia, and enjoys biking to Fort Tilden in the summertime.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
5 men charged with trespassing in 2 Manhattan manhole cases
Two people who were found soaking wet and smelling of sewage say they went underground to look for jewelry, according to police and a criminal complaint.
By
Charles Lane
Published Oct 23, 2026 at 7:49 p.m. ET
6-year-old girl breaks leg after getting hit by falling bricks in Queens
The girl was walking with her mother in Maspeth on Thursday. The Department of Buildings cited the owner of a garage for “failure to maintain” it.
By
Charles Lane
News
6-year-old girl breaks leg after getting hit by falling bricks in Queens
The girl was walking with her mother in Maspeth on Thursday. The Department of Buildings cited the owner of a garage for “failure to maintain” it.
By
Charles Lane
Mamdani extends ban on permits for new street fairs due to NYPD overtime
By
Carol Chen
Inside the Midtown Bus Terminal rebuild: Decks over Lincoln Tunnel approach, a new park
By
Ramsey Khalifeh
Black couple seeking Queens apartment sues over racist text from broker
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .