By Community Correspondent Anjali Parshotam If you’re heading to Heathrow airport’s Terminal 5 for a holiday break, or decide to shop in Hammersmith’s Westfield or even end up having a day out in London, you won’t be able to miss seeing herds of elephants spotted around!

It may sound bizarre, but this month welcomes the London Elephant Parade 2010, a campaign that offers a great day out for all, as well as raise awareness for the endangered species of Asian elephants.

London will be accommodating over 250 elephants decorated by famous designers and companies that have been left for public viewing around London’s top attractions! Over the next 2 months, the Elephant Family, a company that initiated the idea, will be expecting an audience of over 25 million people so that they can raise enough money to protect and conserve the habitats in which the Asian elephants live in. Visiting the elephant attraction is free and the public are free to take photos with the elephants but in return, viewers are offered the choice of donating money to the charity by a simple text message or by signing the online petition on their website www.elephantparadelondon.org/petition/ .

The public are also encouraged to bring out their competitive side by keeping a log of all the elephants they have found and to try and find Claudia an elephant that did not follow the herd! Even more activities are available, for example the parade hosts a paint-your-own elephant workshop (which tourists will have to book and pay for), where members of the public can design their own elephants. You can even purchase elephant monument memorabilia, smaller versions of your favourite elephant designs!

After a family visit down to central London to see the parade, I must admit, I have never enjoyed myself so much. It’s amazing to see London come to together to help such a great cause and see so many great designs. One visitor added, “I’ve had so much fun today, I’m sure I have seen over 75 elephants now- my favourite elephant has to be Karma!”

Later on in the month, an auction will be held for people to bid for these beauties! But if you want to see the elephants before they find a new home, download the route map from the website above and start looking for all 250 elephants.

So next time you’re out and about, look out because there are many colourful elephants about!