AVARA

In April 2016, the largest ivory burning in history took place in Kenya, Africa where over 105 tonnes of confiscated ivory were set on fire as a bold statement to the world that illegal poaching will not be tolerated. 11 pyramids of ivory tusks were all set aflame, representing over 11,000 elephants that were killed for their tusks. This burning sent a symbolic message to the world with a call to action to ban ivory trading in their countries.

 

AVARA’s Chief Visionary, Edward Burtynsky, was given exclusive access to the “Presidential Tusk Pile” which contained the largest tusks from elephants known as big tusker elephants. These elephant’s tusks are so large that they almost touch the ground when standing, ranging in length from 5 to 8 feet. It is estimated that there are only 25 of these elephants left in world.

 

The illegal poaching industry has been in existence for decades, if not centuries, but has escalated over the last couple of decades due to the value denoted to ivory. At the current rate of poaching, the elephant population is diminishing so rapidly that these magnificent creatures could be extinct within our lifetime. Yet, on a relative basis this fact is not widely known by people across the world.

 

We are leveraging our Dune Engine to create a dramatic and emotional VR experience that provides a cinematic, interactive, and engaging story of the demise of elephants in Africa. The realism of what the viewer will experience is the best in the world with true-to-life visuals. The narrative itself will take the user through a stunning journey through Africa where they will interact and play with elephants. Ultimately, the user will be led to the tusk pile where they will witness, first-hand, the ivory burning with 1:1 realism as if they were actually there. 

 

The VR experience will contain dramatic user generated action moments from picking up tusks along the journey and assembling them in a new pyre, feeding the elephants, protecting them from poachers, to much more. The user will be able to utilize cryptocurrency towards a spectrum of in-app purchases that are both meaningful while also enhancing the interactive nature of this particular experience. The currency can also be contributed to the protection of elephants or, more broadly, for the protection of endangered species.