
The Empire State Building broadcast images of endangered animals to New Yorkers on Saturday in a video projection said to be the first-of-its-kind.

It is not known exactly how many people saw the display, though large crowds of spectators stopped in Manhattan intersections gazing at the pictures of the building's south side and taking photos with their smart phones.

At one point an image of Cecil the Lion, whose death at the hands of an American hunter last month caused international outrage, was broadcast in a picture more than 350 feet tall and 180 feet wide.

In total 160 species of endangered animals including birds, tigers, leopards and bears were shown at the event, which was meant to spark conversations about mass extinction, according to NBC New York.

The images were put up over 33 floors of the building for three hours using 40 projectors stacked together at a rooftop two blocks away.

The landmark is decorated with lights of different colors for various holidays, though organizers said Saturday night marked the first time that such as video projection had been done.

The show was organized as part of a promotion for a new Discovery Channel documentary, Racing Extinction, which is set to air in December.

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Cecil the Lion, whose death in early July caused international outrage this week, was the most famous animal broadcast on the south side of the Empire State Building Saturday night in an event to raise awareness of endangered animals

It is not known how many people saw the display, which was clearly visible from many streets and intersections in Midtown Manhattan

In total 160 images of endangered animals were broadcast on the landmark building for three hours as many New Yorkers watched from rooftops

The show was organized as part of a promotion for a new Discovery Channel documentary, Racing Extinction, which is set to air in December

The event was designed to draw attention to the plights of different varieties of endangered animals, including primates and marine creatures

The Empire State Building celebrates many holidays and special events by changing the colors of its lights, but organizers of Saturday's event said that the video projection was first-of-its-kind

The pictures were created with a set of 40 projectors on a rooftop two blocks south of the building. Above, groups of pedestrians watch the display