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Don't shoot us with Guns, shoot us with cameras.
(CNN) — In the 1800s, when blood sports were more socially acceptable, the
term "Big Five" was coined to refer to the lion, rhino, buffalo, elephant and leopard -- the animals that
trophy hunters in Africa considered the most dangerous to hunt on foot.
But British photographer Graeme Green wants to give the phrase a new meaning -- one that celebrates the
animals' life rather than their death. He has set up the "New Big 5" project, which aims to use
photography to raise awareness of threats to wildlife and inspire conservation.
Green says he wants to encourage people to shoot with a camera, not a gun. "Photography's a much better
way to celebrate animals," he tells CNN.
When the project began in April 2020, it launched a year-long vote to determine the public's five favorite
animals to photograph, or see photographed. The results of the 50,000 online votes are now in.
There is some overlap between the "New Big 5" and the old -- with the elephant and the lion still
included. But the gorilla, tiger and polar bear are new entries, unseating the leopard, rhino and African
buffalo.
