Mananthavady: The historic town of Mananthavady is getting filled with beautiful artworks and paintings that depict the significance of preserving the natural elephant tracks in the forest. Artists have turned the roadside wall from the bus stand area to the police station road into a vast canvas that exudes the irresistible beauty of the wilderness.

The project is headed by the Wildlife Trust of India and the Dublin Zoo in association with the forest department. Artists Reji, Sudheesh, Bindumol and Sunilkumar who work at a designer studio based in Bathery have been roped into to draw the paintings. The project that was started a month ago is almost in its last stages.

More than just the beautification of the city, the paintings spread the message of the importance of conserving the forest. Each painting has been conceived with the theme of freeing or conserving the elephant paths.

Such an awareness campaign stemmed from the realisation that wild animals are encroaching into habitable spaces as the animals are losing their natural habitats. Meanwhile, the public are impressed by the incredible paintings that spread the message of wildlife protection and harmonious co-existence of humans and animals.