Sochi 2014: aesthetics, exterior and commerce

Controversy over the Olympic mascots, selected in February by SMS vote, doesn't seem to cease. The World Wildlife Fund - WWF - has also entered into the discussion. At the centre of the controversy appeared to be the most popular mascot - a leopard. Russia is home to three species of felids, which are included in the International Red Book list of endangered animals. Tigers live in the Far East, the snow leopard in the Altai-Sayan region, while the Amur leopards live in the south of the Far East and the Persian leopard – in the Caucasus.

The leopard on the mascot that scored the largest number of votes during the popular polls is said to be “a mountain-climber rescuer, as well as a great snowboarder, who lives in a crown of a huge tree, growing on the highest rock in the snowy mountains of the Caucasus.” This description shows an obvious confusion of the qualities of the snow leopard and the leopard. The snow leopard is indeed a mountain climber and is associated with the mountains, but does not climb trees. The leopard often uses trees to rest, but does not like deep snow. The appearance of the animal represented on the mascot resembles more a snow leopard (by color and shape of spots), which does not inhabit the Caucasus.

In 2005 the WWF, in partnership with the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Russian Academy of Sciences, launched a unique and ambitious program for the return of the leopard to the Caucasus. In 2009 the Centre for Breeding and Rehabilitation of the Leopard was built in Sochi National Park. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin was talking particularly about these leopards when he said that he would prefer to see a leopard as a symbol of the Olympic Games in Sochi.

The WWF of Russia has welcomed the choice of such a rare species of animal as an Olympic mascot, and suggested the organizers of the Olympic Games in 2014 define the particular species and edit the image. The WWF has also offered to conduct consultations with the creators of the mascot regarding these questions free of charge.

According to the market experts surveyed by gazeta.ru, bears and leopards have the greatest potential in terms of financial results.

Olympic organizers intend earn up to 40 million dollars on mascot souvenirs.

Katherina Tesemnikova. Exclusively for VK.