The Mythic Unicorn

Elasmotherium is an extinct genus of mammal belonging to the family of the current rhinoceros. It inhabited until the end of the Pleistocene in the steppes of what is now southern Russia, Ukraine, and Moldavia, where it fed on low-growing vegetation. Some specialists affirm that it could be the origin of the legend of the mythical unicorn, since it had a single horn up to two meters long, pointed and exceptionally thick. Because of this, it is also called giant unicorn or Siberian unicorn.

Inspired by this prodigious animal, which has given rise to multiple mythological creatures from Russian, Swedish, Persian or Chinese folklore, Carlos Alonso Pascual has created Elasmotherium kyivensis, a rocking animal that can be used both in physical places and in any shared 3D virtual space, as an element of interaction and game.

The Rocking Unicorn

The rocking horse has a very ancient history and reflects the children's fantasy of riding on the back of fast, powerful or friendly animals to live incredible adventures. Rocking animals have accompanied the game of the little ones for more than five centuries, and even now they are one of the simplest and most loved toys in history. Fascinated by these elements that transport you to other worlds, world-renowned designers have created surprising and imaginative rocking horses or unicorns.

However, the proposal presented by Sugaar Studio aims to make humans aware of the fragility of our natural environment. «The powerful and incredible horn of the Elasmotherium is a tribute to all the organisms that no longer inhabit this wonderful planet,» commented its creative director. You have to remember that poachers kill at least one rhinoceros every day. Its horns are highly coveted on the black market due to the irresponsible belief that they have aphrodisiac and medicinal properties. They are worth even more than gold.

Elasmotherium is a rocking animal inspired by an extinct genus to denounce the absurd persecution of a whole family of species that are threatened or in serious danger of extinction. Just remember that in 2018 the last male specimen of the northern white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum cottoni) died. Now there are only two left in the world, and both are female. As a result, this subspecies can no longer reproduce naturally and extinction seems inevitable. In the past there were up to 250 different types of rhinoceros, although today only five have survived.

«The gold finish of the piece aims to emphasize the idea that we must radically and urgently transform our relationship with the planet,» commented Carlos Alonso. We need to abandon our blind faith in wealth, power and unrelenting economical growth to recognize that we only have one life, and that this brief blink is an inseparable part of the evolutionary journey of the planet we are part of.

Everything starts in Kyiv

The epithet Kyivensis is a tribute to the resistance of the Ukrainian people, baptizing this amazing rocking unicorn with the name of the capital of the invaded country. Where now we can see tanks and armored fighting vehicles, destruction and death, 40,000 years ago the Elasmotherium grazed.