Granite: 5 x 5 x 4ft. 3 tonnes. Location: on exhibition at Edinburgh’s West End.  For Sale

At the turn of the 20th century there were over 3 million African elephants – the numbers are now estimated to be 470,000! There used to be 100,000 Asian elephants – now there are only 40,000!

These shocking statistics are the result of illegal poaching despite a ban on international trade in ivory, habitat loss due to man converging on their territory and climate change destroying their habitat and depleting their food supplies.

Elephants are one of the world’s most loved animals not only for how they look and move but because they are like humans in many ways showing signs of joy and grief. Elephants are very intelligent – they have memories that span many years. They can live for 70 years if spared…

To see unique footage of the creation of the Baby Elephant go to the right margin at LATEST NEWS ON VIDEO scroll down to Ronald Rae returns to carving granite Parts One, Two, Three to its completion in Part Four.